GW/SW-010 - Craig y Llyn

 

GW/SW-010 - Craig y Llyn

20/04/2021

Summit 2 Summit back on the menu

Although HF was not behaving after some solar activity it was good to see VHF working with a good number of activators out on the hills in Wales. I had chosen Craig y Llyn as quite a few friends would be out in the Brecon Beacons. I set up my antennas on the North side of the summit looking towards the Beacons and out of the forestry to try and catch the sun as I’ve spent too many cold activations near the Trigpoint on this one.

SN921024 easy navigation from here

VHF set up and ready

Within minutes I had three s2s then a good run of chasers. I was surprised that I was getting out to several locations as I had a wall of coniferous trees between me and some of the chasers but despite this I managed some long distance contacts.

09:52	GW4TQE/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s GW/NW-042 Moel y Gamelin
09:58	2W0IWM/P	144MHz	FM	Ian s2s GW/SW-005 Fan Fawr
09:59	GW6OVD/P	144MHz	FM	Mal s2s GW/SW-005 Fan Fawr
10:04	GW4XUE	144MHz	FM	Dave
10:06	G0RQL	144MHz	FM	Don
10:07	GW7MMG	144MHz	FM	Philip
10:09	MW0OFA	144MHz	FM	Frank
10:10	GW6DGU	144MHz	FM	Roy
10:12	2E0BTR	144MHz	FM	Geoff
10:14	GW4TQD	144MHz	FM	John
10:15	2W0FLW	144MHz	FM	Derek

 

In the sunshine

One contact only on 60m then a fair number of the usual chasers on 80m but it soon went quiet which made me think that I should have brought the linear…. more weight in the rucksack.  Rod and Viki were soon in my log from Beacon Hill GW/MW-009 so thank you both.

10:25	G4IPB	5MHz	SSB	Paul
10:34	2E0AGB	3.5MHz	SSB	Allen
10:35	G4WSB	3.5MHz	SSB	Bill
10:36	G0FEX	3.5MHz	SSB	Ken
10:37	G0RQL	3.5MHz	SSB	Don
10:38	G8XYJ	3.5MHz	SSB	Matt
10:39	G0VWP	3.5MHz	SSB	Terry
10:46	MW0JLA/P	144MHz	FM	Rod s2s GW/MW-009 Beacon Hill
10:47	MW6BWA/P	433MHz	FM	Viki s2s GW/MW-009 Beacon Hill
10:48	MW6BWA/P	144MHz	FM	Viki s2s GW/MW-009 Beacon Hill
10:52	F4WBN	7MHz	SSB	Chrisitian
11:01	S57S	7MHz	SSB	Aleksander

S2S in the log..messy office again

40m was quiet but 20m proved to be working although with some difficulty and many repeat signal reports. I had to give Rod a call on 60m as he sounded lonely…..

11:04	OH3GZ	14MHz	SSB	Jukka
11:05	S56RPJ	14MHz	SSB	Janko
11:05	SM5LNE	14MHz	SSB	Jan
11:06	SV3IEG	14MHz	SSB	Dinos
11:07	OE6GND	14MHz	SSB	Gerhard
11:08	EA7GV	14MHz	SSB	Jose
11:15	MW0JLA/P	5MHz	SSB	Rod s2s GW/MW-009 Beacon Hill

 

Brecon Beacons and quite few SOTA summit in view

I took a break for lunch and had a listen around on 2m. I heard Derek 2E0MIX in Whitehaven (West Lake District) in QSO with someone so I thought that there must be a lift on. I put up a spot bringing Ben and Allan to my log including some great S2S….thanks everyone.

11:41	2W0BML	144MHz	FM	Ben
11:49	GW1KGW/P	144MHz	FM	Colin s2s GW/NW-024 Trum y Ddysgl
11:52	GW0JTU	144MHz	FM	Allan
11:55	M0PPX/P	144MHz	FM	Allen s2s G/CE-002 Walton Hill
12:26	MW0NLG	144MHz	FM	Malc s2s GW/NW-026 Mynydd Mawr
13:10	GW4HQB/P	144MHz	FM	Philip s2s GW/SW-041 Black Mountain

   

During this time I also had a chat with Viki and she told me of the memorial stone to a young child that had gone missing in the early 1900s. So, as Philip GW4HQB/p had not yet appeared on Black Mountain I went walk-about to find the memorial and also listen for Philip as I’d still be within the Activation Zone for Craig y Llyn as it is quite large. I found the memorial and took a few photos which are posted here. I soon heard Philip call and I was first in his log which meant I could head back to the car…a nice S2S to finish the day.

Sad story

Massive Wind farm

Mal GW6OVD had told me to take a look at the new Zip Wire on my way down. I took a few photos and even ventured into the new parking area to get some close ups. It’s quite impressive as it will start at the top of Craig y Llyn although I don’t know what I’ll do with the rucksack when I try it out the next time I’m up there....

Top part of Zip Wire...not yet completed

Bottom Half of Zip Wire

Entrance to Zip Wire..

From the carpark

I decided to take a different route home and headed for Brecon which took me past Pen y Fan GW/SW-001. I stopped in the carpark at Storey Arms and had a nice biscuit and water from my rucksack…I’d eaten everything else. From the car I saw a couple with a baby in the rucksack hesitating and looking lost at the gate which leads up to Fan Fawr so I called across to see if I could help. They wanted to go up to Pen y Fan…I pointed them in the right direction, oh dear…..

My activation set-up

HF:- Elecraft KX2 (8 watts) and 4.2Ah LiFe

HF Antenna – End-Fed - 49:1 Unun 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 FT2 2m-FM (5watts) into a ‘Slim G

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX