Wednesday 31 March 2021

GW/MW-011 – Foel Cwmcerwyn

 GW/MW-011 – Foel Cwmcerwyn

30/03/2021

Warm breeze on top

Surprisingly a very quiet car park behind Tafarn Sinc (SN 075 296) this morning considering lockdown measures had been eased…mine was the only car there. However, I did notice on my way down to Rosebush that the car park at Bwlch-gwynt was full so there would be visitors to the summit today.  It was a sunny morning so there would be a few photographic opportunities.

My GPS track

From the carpark head straight across the road and into the field

Looking back at the route through the field and up from Tafarn Sinc

Easy navigation..1.8 miles to summit

I set up away from the trigpoint and by my alerted time I was ready to spot and call on 70.450Mhz with a qsy to 70.425Mhz. Instant pile-up from friends who were waiting but I first took the mobile and Tim GW4VXE/m was quickly in my log. The most excited chaser was Ian EI4DP over in County Wicklow who told me I was his first GW on 4m. Thanks everyone.

09:36

GW4VXE/M

70MHz

FM

Tim

09:37

GW0JLX

70MHz

FM

Andy

09:37

GW4OUU

70MHz

FM

David

09:38

2W0LLJ

70MHz

FM

Jenny

09:40

MW0CXH

70MHz

FM

Peter

09:42

MW0VLO

70MHz

FM

Barry

09:45

GW4ZHI

70MHz

FM

Bryn

09:46

MW0OFA

70MHz

FM

Frank

09:47

EI4DP

70MHz

FM

Ian, County Wicklow

09:50

GW4JQP

70MHz

FM

Peter

 

My set-up today and away from the Trigpoint

Moving to 2m means I have to swap over antennas so that takes a couple of minutes but well worth the effort as another pile-up was waiting with some really long distance copies.

10:00

GW4GRW/M

144MHz

FM

10:01

GW0JLX

144MHz

FM

Andy

10:02

GW6DGU

144MHz

FM

Roy

10:02

GW4OUU

144MHz

FM

David

10:03

2W0LLJ

144MHz

FM

Jenny

10:04

MW0OFA

144MHz

FM

Frank

10:05

GW0SXS

144MHz

FM

Kevin

10:06

GW8SFT

144MHz

FM

David

10:08

MW0VLO

144MHz

FM

Barry

10:08

GW4XXF

144MHz

FM

Bruce

10:09

GW8GLW

144MHz

FM

Irfon

10:12

GW0PLP

144MHz

FM

Don

10:15

G5XDX/M

144MHz

FM

Callum

10:16

EI4DP

144MHz

FM

Ian, County Wicklow

10:17

G0RQL

144MHz

FM

Don

10:24

2E0YYY/P

144MHz

FM

Mike, G/HSP-021

10:25

MW6IVK

144MHz

FM

Philip

 

I did have a few visitors on the summit..there were also humans visitors

I didn’t hold out much hope for HF as there has been some solar activity and I was correct when I called out. When conditions are unfavourable low-power can be a challenge but I managed a few contacts and giving a few points to a few different chasers.

10:31

2E0AGB

3.5MHz

SSB

Allen

10:36

G4WSB

3.5MHz

SSB

Bill

10:37

MW0VLO

3.5MHz

SSB

Barry

10:37

2W0LLJ

3.5MHz

SSB

Jenny

10:38

G0RQL

3.5MHz

SSB

Don

Sadly, some didn't make it although we tried...

60m was a little better although still very difficult with QSB (fading) playing it’s part in thwarting my HF activation. Simon G4TJC set me a number of text messages informing me that he knew I was there but with his noise level it would be hopeless to make a contact. I wasn’t even making any impact on Hackgreen….it’ll get better and thanks to all who listened and tried like Dave G3TQQ and Emyr MW0VPS who just couldn’t complete the contact.

10:42

G4AFI

5MHz

SSB

Andrew

10:43

G0RQL

5MHz

SSB

Don

10:45

M0JLA

5MHz

SSB

Rod

10:46

MW0OFA

5MHz

SSB

Frank

10:47

GW0JLX

5MHz

SSB

Andy

10:50

G4ITR

5MHz

SSB

Keith

 

Lunch after the activation

Saw this Red Kite playing on the steep East side of the summit

Frenni Fawr GW/MW-028 in the distance from East side of summit

My activation set-up

HF:- Elecraft KX2 (8 watts) and 4Ah LiPo

HF Antenna – End-Fed with loading coil for 80m

HF Antenna support – 6m Sotabeams Carbon Fibre Fishing pole

******

VHF/4m Antenna support – 4m Life’s a Breeze Glass Fibre Fishing pole

(VHF) Yaesu FT270 2m-FM (5watts) into a ‘Slim G

4m-fm  rig:-  Wouxon KG-UV8G (7.5 watts)  

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX