GW/MW-031 – Caeliber Isaf

 

GW/MW-031 – Caeliber Isaf

14/May/2021

Would the bands still be working?

With the delay in my journey from the road closure I eventually made it to SJ131015 where I parked the car. Once again I was following Phi G4OBK’s GPS track from SOTA Mapping but like other activators I was unable to park up by the holiday cottages as considerable refurbishment work was going with trades people parked on site….be aware of this for future activations.

Parked up the road from the entrance to the Holiday Cottages and Bridleway 

Head up the concrete road (Bridleway)

Follow the bridleway route but then head for the gate to leave the woods and the Bridleway

I set up my antenna systems as normal and had a quick look at the spots. Mark M0NOM/p was on Scafell Pike so with the HF antenna system set up for 60m I hit the ATU button to tune on 40m...it worked well. He was soon in the log for my only s2s of the day with 5/6 each way…thanks Mark for Scafell Pike…quite a slog as I know from past experience.

Only 2 stations on 2m so I didn’t hang around calling for too long and as 60m was set up I was away with a nice run of chasers despite having to get up and replace the tent peg after a lamb decided to pull it out!!

12:45	M0NOM/P	7MHz	SSB	Mark s2s Scafell Pike LD-001
12:48	2W1PJE	144MHz	FM	Peter
12:50	2W0BML	144MHz	FM	Ben
12:56	GM4WHA	5MHz	SSB	Geoff
12:57	GW4ZHI	5MHz	SSB	Bryn
12:58	MW0OFA	5MHz	SSB	Frank
12:59	G6PJZ	5MHz	SSB	Andy
12:59	G3RMD	5MHz	SSB	Frank
13:00	G0RQL	5MHz	SSB	Don
13:05	G4OBK	5MHz	SSB	Phil
13:06	GW8PSJ	5MHz	SSB	Les
13:08	G0FVH	5MHz	SSB	David
13:10	G4WSB	5MHz	SSB	Bill
13:11	G3UHN	5MHz	SSB	Peter
13:12	G4TJC	5MHz	SSB	Simon
13:14	G4IPB	5MHz	SSB	Paul

 

Due to a delay in my journey I'd really been looking forward to my bread roll and coffee ..still intact

Nice field but hassle from the sheep

After clipping in the 80m loading coil I made some close and long distant contacts with Esther making it from GI land. It soon went quiet so on to 40m....

13:19	G0FEX	3.5MHz	SSB	Ken
13:21	GI0AZA	3.5MHz	SSB	Esther
13:22	2W0LVE	3.5MHz	SSB	Chris
13:23	MM0XPZ	3.5MHz	SSB	SW
13:24	G3RMD	3.5MHz	SSB	Frank

 

Manged to source Titanium pegs which lighten the load in the rucksack

Painted the pegs with bright orange paint but it's coming off.....

40m was still holding up with a mixture of UK and European stations making my log whilst 20m had really dropped out despite calling for a good while and having to move frequency due to a very strong station coming up adjacent to mine. It was time to pull the plug and head for home as that was a another long journey……

13:29	G4TJC	7MHz	SSB	Simon
13:32	2E0ESY	7MHz	SSB	Mike
13:33	F4WBN	7MHz	SSB	Christian
13:33	LB4FH	7MHz	SSB	Bob
13:34	G4OOE	7MHz	SSB	Nick
13:35	G0FVH	7MHz	SSB	David
13:35	G3UHN	7MHz	SSB	Peter
13:36	EA2CKX	7MHz	SSB	Pedro
13:36	F4HRG	7MHz	SSB	Gildas
13:36	EA2DT	7MHz	SSB	Manuel
13:37	G0RQL	7MHz	SSB	Don
13:37	ON8PHD	7MHz	SSB	Philippe
13:40	HB9DHA	7MHz	SSB	Ray
13:41	G0TVM	7MHz	SSB	Abdul
13:42	GI4OSF	7MHz	SSB	John
13:53	HB9DHA	14MHz	SSB	Ray
13:54	DL2DXA	14MHz	SSB	Bernd

 

Looking across to G/WB summits..Welsh Borders

 

My activation set-up

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

HF Antenna – End-Fed HW - 49:1 Unun- link at 40m + extension for 60m ..with ‘clip in’ loading coil for 80m at link

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