Fun on GW/NW-062

It was 28c when I packed my rucksack and headed for “My” summit this evening, but the clouds on most horizons looked very threatening to say the least, but I had to give it a whirl anyway.
While I was /M to the summit I worked my old mate Steve G7AAV/M on his way to work and actually on the right route for a change and we made arrangements that I would call him on my handie from the summit prior to setting up the beam and HF antennas. I managed to get into the AZ before Steve arrived at work and give him a chaser point, with 59+ both ways.

I had just finished setting up the pole and sotabeam when the farmer, Alan, rolled up on his 1954 TVO tractor and popped over for a chat.
He is a very knowledgeable chap and I could have listened to his old stories all night but I was rather eager to start the activation. We settled for a short natter by his standards, just over 1 hour, hi.

My first cq went out at 18:54 and was met with a call from Peter 2E0VTS. We exchanged reports and just at that point the wind speed suddenly increased, giving my beam a mind of it’s own.
I decided to just keep calling no matter where the beam was heading, with very good results, especially into the Midlands where a flurry of 59++ reports flooded in, led as always by the massive signal of Graham G4JZF.
A total of 18 contacts were made on 2 metres.
It wasn’t until my qsy to 60m that I found out from Don G4RQL that I had made the trip to North Devon with 2.5 watts fm and the horizontal sotabeam, not bad by anyones standards.

I spent quite some time looking for Marc G0AZS/P on Wendover Woods, a unique for me, but the rascal escaped undetected again.

I decided to go over to 40m cw and asked for a spot for 7.032, then it hit me, I had left my Palm Paddle at home, thanks for the spot Mick 2E0HJD and apologies for my clanger, hi. My apologies to those who had waited for 7-cw.

Over to 60m and increased power to 5 watts but not quite sure what to expect because the band has been so unpredictable of late, but a further 17 contacts were made in quick succession led by Glyn GM4CFS and all stations with much better reports than of late.

While taking down the hf antenna I switched the handie on and was sure I heard Barry MW3PXW/P on GW/NW-044 calling on s20 but didn’t catch the qsy frequency, but a quick tune around found him and a 59++ s2s followed, thanks for the s2s and points Barry.

I had a quick look around for Ron GW4EVX/P on GW/NW-051 on 70cms but couldn’t find him for another s2s, apologies Ron.

A very enjoyable evening with not as many activators out but the wx had a big part to do with that. I managed just under 40 contacts in total, this figure would have been a lot higher had I packed my cw paddle.

A big thank you to the chasers/spotters for your fantastic support yet again and to all activators who turned out on a very cold and windy evening.

vy 73 Mike GW0DSP

In reply to GW0DSP:
THANKS for the S2S Mike…have to do it again soon

73 Barry M3PXW

In reply to GW0DSP:

Another successful evening Mike. Likewise I couldn’t find Ron EVX on 70cms (G5LK/P was on his spotted frequency) and I couldn’t get through to Adrian DHY on his first summit, but some QSOs were made despite being incarserated at the home QTH with high noise levels on HF and limited metalwork on VHF / UHF.

It will be interesting to see how it goes over the coming weeks.

73 and thanks for the 5MHz QSO.

Gerald

In reply to GW0DSP:

Interesting listening from up here on 5MHz. WX was miserable, with persistent rain but not too much QRN.

It was nice to turn the tables and have a GW0DSP/P<>MM0FMF qso not MM0FMF/p<>GW0DSP qso. Interesting to hear what the portable stations sound like to home stations as it’s nearly always the other way round for me. Thanks for the nice report Mike though I really must lift the antenna off the ground, 85% of the wire is laying on the far end of the lawn!

The pileups on Adrian MM0DHY/P were intense. He was marginal with me on the 1st summit but a good 56 on the second. The pileup seemed much bigger on the second summit with lots of people I’ve never heard chasing SOTA on 5MHz giving him a call.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

Hi again Andy

Yes nice to turn the tide hi, no problem with your sigs, imagine the report when your antenna goes in the air, hi.
I didn’t know Adrian was on, I was pig sick when I got home and saw the spots page, I must have missed him by minutes.

It was another good fun night, although not as many activators out due to iffy wx.
The chasers must have enjoyed another good evening though, I had 40 contacts myself, so it seems that sota and radio in general benefits from these Fun evenings.
Let’s hope for better wx next time and try and get lot’s of activators on the summits.

73 Mike GW0DSP

In reply to G4OIG:

Hi Gerald, yes another successful evening despite the wx and good fun for all I hope. The chasers were out in force and once again did a marvellous job of chasing/spotting.

I hope to try and keep these evenings going throughout the summer months now.

Thanks for our qso.

73 Mike GW0DSP

In reply to GW0DSP:

Firstly an apology to Barry M3PXW who I think may have changed his plans because of me.
I didn’t notice his alert for the same summit until I posted mine but when I saw that he would not be operating on 70cm I thought we could both happily co-exist at the same location!

Sorry that we didn’t make a S2S Mike, I called on FM a few times but only had one QSO. Sorry I missed you also Gerald.
Regular chasers worked were Mick HJD (thanks for the spot!), Nigel NHM and Charlie PZO.

Had 20 contacts which is not too bad for this contest. Best DX was G5LK in Surrey at 281km. Also worked EI and GI but no GM this time. Not bad going for 5W and a 7ele ZL Spec. Normally use a 19ele but wanted a quick and easy set-up for this activation.

Surprising how cold and windy it was after all the fine weather, temperature at the car park was 14C when I arrived.

Now have a very busy period ahead so no more playing radio until mid July :frowning:

73
Ron GW4EVX

In reply to GW4EVX:

Thats ok Ron. Done nw-044.

73 Barry M3PXW

In reply to GW4EVX:

Hi Ron, to be fair I was late on parade. I had a look around 70cms but couldn’t find you.

I agree on the weather, hi, very windy and cold, the complete opposite of the windless 28c I left in Connah’s Quay.

73 Mike GW0DSP