Activation Report for NW051 & NW053
Having never walked these summits before I was unsure how long they would take to reach Trig, so decided to set out early to give me plenty of time to Ascend.
Foel Fenlli GW/NW-053: Roads from Helsby to Car park were very quiet with only the odd nutcase driving like a bat out hell to get nowhere fast. Arrived in more than enough time to ascend gradually using the right hand easier route that both Richard and GW0DSP recommended. No sooner had I got on walk that the clouds descended and with the path covered in about an inch of loose snow from the nightime fall made the going a bit more slow.
Upon reaching the Cairn, the clouds were still around me so no views across to Moel Famau or Moel Gyw. decide to use cairn as a support with a couple of guyropes just to stop it moving. Attached wire dipole to top of perch rod and the beam about a third up facing what I thought was north/south. checked dipole on 20m and SWR went off scale??? tried it on 40m and all band below 1.5 ??? ( I have checked my measurements since coming down and they are correct for 14.285 so still experimenting atm.)
Started on 144.300 and Steve Gw7AAV came straight back to me and we QSY to 330. Thanks for Spot Steve. 14 contacts including an S2S with Carolyn GW6WRW/P on MW-038, She chased me so I agreed to look out for her later when I was on 053. Moved to 7.062 and only got 3 contacts GW7AAV and two european stations Slovenia and Germany, band was noisy with QRM so decided to go QRT and get down for some early lunch in car. overall a nice summit when clouds disappear.
Moel Gyw GW/NW/053: Again arrived at Car park in plenty of time and spotted the road/track to begin from on other side of road. Sun was out this time and no snow on ascent. Found the walk up a bit more taxing than I thought, probably due to tired from previous summit. section from signpost to Trig was over heather and a bit wet but manageable, this part I found quite steep and the Trig never looked any closer for a while.
As soon as I had setup the beam,the weather turned and I sheltered as best I could behind Trig with wind and snow coming in sidewards from my back. covered up FT897 with my bag and got on with it. 145.500 gave me G4BLH and a few more went to 575 but in use so eventually landed on 145.475 FM. 11 contacts with G4BLH spotting me Thanks Mike. GW0DSP said Carolyn was on 145.525 so decided to try to get 2nd S2S with her but she had apparantly gone back to 80M, Sorry I missed you Carolyn!! I decided I would be a bit mad and tried SSB 2m aswell during Poor weather, it stopped snowing halfway through my contacts but remained windy. 5 contacts on SSB and decided that was enough as it had just started snowing again so descent was going to be done in sideways snow! Made it down OK and sun came out on Journey home( What more can I say ,God decided I wasn’t righteous enough Hi Hi!!!)
My overall opinion of the day was that it was tough going at times for my poor old Knees but I was so pleased with myself for getting the two in. I must say I more than thoroughly enjoyed the Day and was still buzzing when my XYL came in from work at 6pm.
All Contacts have been logged on Database as usual and I am most grateful for all who chased me and made the day more than worthwhile.
73
Tony