GW/SW-033 Wentwood

 GW/SW-033 Wentwood

26/May/2021

Brambles and general wilderness …no HF on this one

About 45 minutes from my previous summit and I was parking at ST413945. Head for the Communications tower and turn left shortly after passing the tower. On arrival at the trigpoint it was evident that setting up HF would be difficult as it was very much a jungle of brambles and young trees.

Park here....head for the Communications tower

Take the left path

Turn left for the Trigpoint

The Trigpoint

With a spot and a quick CQ I started my activation. Qualifying the summit for me was Rod with a message to say that he and Viki would soon be in a position to give me another s2s. I had some nice chats and an especially long one with my friend Jeff near Cardiff until eventually the s2s with Rod and Viki…thanks both.

13:35	G1OKD	144MHz	FM	Ron
13:40	M7HFD/P	144MHz	FM	Ryan nr Malvern
13:42	M0VRF	144MHz	FM	John nr Bristol
13:44	M0JLA/P	144MHz	FM	Rod
13:45	M6BWA/P	144MHz	FM	Viki
13:47	M0TFY/M	144MHz	FM	David
13:50	GW6OVD	144MHz	FM	Mal
13:54	GW3UZS	144MHz	FM	Jeff nr Cardiff
14:07	M6BWA/P	144MHz	FM	Viki s2s
14:08	M0JLA/P	144MHz	FM	Rod s2s
14:11	M6BWA/P	433MHz	FM	Viki s2s diff band
14:12	G4TCI	433MHz	FM	Mike in Somerset

 

My office to the left of the Trigpoint

The office

A jungle of brambles but a nice view of the Severn Estuary

This is a nice easy summit and would be ideal for someone starting off in SOTA. I’m sure there are other locations for setting up a HF antenna as the AZ is large but heavily forested. Today I wanted the Trigpoint for WAB so a quick 2m activation was the order of the day with a very long journey home.

My activation set-up

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

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

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX

GW/SW-018 Mynydd Twyn Glas

 

GW/SW-019 Mynydd Twyn Glas

26/May/2021

Long walk but easy…

An easy summit if you are starting off in SOTA. I parked at ST236976 and followed the service track to the Communications Towers then on a well worn track to the Trigpoint…about a mile and a half…really easy. (GPS track available on SOTA Mapping by Phil G4OBK).

Track to summit

Easy walking

At last...the Trigpoint

The day was not going to be easy on HF as a number of CMEs had left the sun and were upsetting the bands With a few s2s on offer I would easily qualify the summit on 2m. Before I even reached my operating position I had two s2s in my log as I had called Viki on 70cms as I walked along the path and John quickly called me from Fan Fawr for another...thanks both.  

 

Set up and ready to go

10:15	M6BWA/P	433MHz	FM	Viki s2s Worcester Beacon WB-009
10:18	MW0VCM/P	433MHz	FM	John s2s Fan Fawr SW-005
10:30	M0JLA/P	144MHz	FM	Rod s2s G/WB-009
10:31	GW3UZS	144MHz	FM	Jeff nr Cardiff
10:34	M7HFD/M	144MHz	FM	Ryan nr Malvern
10:36	M6BWA/P	144MHz	FM	Viki s2s diff band
10:37	G4TCI	144MHz	FM	Mike in Somerset

Towards the Brecon Beacons

Time to venture on to HF and it was really difficult for the chasers trying to hear a QRP station. However, I was rewarded with a nice s2s with Christoph and a few regulars made my log. Thanks everyone.

10:52	GW3UZS	5MHz	SSB	Jeff nr Cardiff
10:59	GI4OSF	7MHz	SSB	John in Co Antrim
11:00	DL1CR/P	7MHz	SSB	Christoph s2s DM/NS-122
11:04	GM6ZAK	7MHz	SSB	Andy in Fyfe
11:05	GW3UZS	7MHz	SSB	Jeff nr Cardiff
11:13	2E0AGB	3.5MHz	SSB	Allen in West Yorkshire
11:15	G4IAR	3.5MHz	SSB	Dave nr Loughborough
11:16	GW3UZS	3.5MHz	SSB	Jeff nr Cardiff
11:20	GW6OVD	144MHz	FM	Mal
11:22	MW0VCM/P	144MHz	FM	John s2s diff band
11:24	M6NSV/P	144MHz	FM	Neil s2s The Wrekin WB-010

Great to get my friend Jeff GW3UZS near Cardiff on so many bands  and promising to be listening for me on my second summit. It was nice to finish off with two s2s and especially a surprise one with Neil on the Wrekin…thanks Neil.

Towards the Severn estuary

Heading down

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 FT270 2m-FM (5watts) into a ‘Slim G

Thanks everyone for the contacts

73 Allan GW4VPX