Anyway, we’ve covered the possibilities for his local summit and he has the list of G and GW summits that you can drive into the AZ.
The AM should be able to provide a further list of summits involving less than say 15 minutes easy walking or any other relevant info on request.
I agree about the community driven resource, and I certainly wasn’t trying to suggest that a major burden should be placed on the shoulders of AMs, but I strongly disagree with any suggestion that the home for the resource should be the summit pages - the information should of course be present on those pages, but it seems to me to be only common sense that each Association should have a one-stop repository for that information. I mean, think about it. A ham with disabilities wants to try an easy activation - and good for him! - but how is he going to find that easy activation? Yes, it will be there on the summit pages, but accompanied by a much greater number of less easy summits. Think about it. The Burton ARC recommends about thirty easier summits (some of those being easier than others!) but the G Association lists 175 summits. So this ham has to go from page to page looking for the nuggets of useful information. Why shouldn’t we make life a little easier by having, say, a section in the ARM listing easy summits for the disabled and age impaired? Are we not encouraged to embrace inclusivity for the disabled as much as possible? And Tom, a bit of special treatment for a ham with a disability does NOT open the door for special treatments for people who want lists of summits with scrambles, trees or shelters. Straw man arguments should be beneath you, mate!
While It would be great to have this kind of information added into (AND KEPT UPTO DATE) in Association ARMs - that is out of the control of the “normal activator”, whereas updating the Summit Info pages is open to all.
I would see the scenario, wher a disabled OM looks at SOTA Maps and finds summits close to where he lives or where he is going - perhaps half a dozen, and then looks to the Summit info pages for further information - those with an item stating "Access details for those with mobility difficulties " would then be viewed to see what the comments were and if they would be possible. Of course this approach relies on activators of these summits, when they see that access is open to disabled people, to add that small entry, if it’s not already present, on the Summit Info page.
73 Ed.
I’ve been out today, and conquered Gun Hill - G/SP/013 !
Arrived at the parking place at about 1245, put some boots on, and set off; I had dosed my leg with pain killer gel before leaving home, and I left the walking stick in the car, as I find that on soft, very uneven ground, it can be an aid - to falling over.
Sticks are OK on flat ground, but I don’t usually need one on flat ground, I use mine to take the weight when I’m having a bad day, or more to the point, when the leg is having a bad day, on those days, I just imagine that it’s not with me, it’s with someone else!
Very boggy by the stile, with about four inches of water, so I had to start my assault over the gate.
Did I read somewhere on here that the distance to the trig point is 240 yds [?], I managed the whole distance in about 30 minutes, at varying speeds.
I had no intention of playing radio today, this was simply a trip to see if I could get up there, and I was very pleased with my efforts, it was quite windy up there today, I’ve no idea where it was coming from, but I know where it was going to - right up me trouser legs!
Anyway, I’ve done it once, so I can do it again, but probably not until the Spring, unless there are some spectacularly nice days between now and then - I ordered a new 10m pole yesterday, the existing one is going on the bracket outside as a 20m EFHW.
So come the Spring, a burst of 20m PSK from Gun Hill, and hopefully other places, if nobody else is doing it, then I will!
John
John, you may find a telescopic walking pole is a help as they normally have a cup/snow-basket a few cms above the tip to stop the pole going too far into soft ground. Of course it does depend on the ground having consistency better than custard.
Yes, I had considered that, Andy, in fact, a friend has one that I can borrow, if necessary.
Of course, the next time that I go, I shall have the pole, so that might serve as an aid, or I’ll carry the pole in one hand, the radio gubbins in a rucsac, and have the walking pole to aid my walking - I’ve got a few weeks to experiment.
I found the place today, where I operated from the other year, and I wondered just how many other people have sat there, and operated since I was last there.
Thinking about others today, the access that I used, certainly is not suitable for someone who is 'chairbound, and the track is very rutted, so even if they were lifted over, they would need a sedan chair , plus some strong porters just to get to the edge of the AZ.
I think that there is another entrance to the site, which must have been used by the horse riders that I met there previously, although a member of a shooting party that I spoke to today, tells me that there is no permission on that land for them, [or incidentally, for cyclists].
John
Hi John
There is a few summits that have good access roads for the telecom sites and you may be able to speak to the land owner to gain permission to access these areas by vehicle.
Just be aware some access tracks may be maintained by the site operators and you may need additional permission to use these road. Green Lowther being one of them on my last visit in July it was snowing so be careful.
73
Graeme
Thank you Graeme,
Any summits that are likely to have snow on 'em will have to wait until SOTA.org have them fitted with lifts or escalators, [now there’s an idea]
John
Hi John,
First of all, congrats on the outing today!
Secondly, don’t think so small - Heated (to keep snow off) Helicopter / Harrier jump Jet Landing pad surely, not just a simple lift or escalator!
73 Ed.
Well said, Ed!
John