The climbing club that I am a member of will be having a walk over the Clent hills Thursday evening to watch the sun go down on the longest day - and drink a toast to it!
I’ve already activated Walton Hill CE002 this year so there are no points for me, but I shall take my trusty FT817 up and operate SSB on 2m as part of the fun, and perhaps some other band, too. Anyone else game to toast the sunset (WX permitting?)
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
Hi Brian,
I would be very glad to join you, XYL’s health permitting. When/where are you meeting?
73 de Paul G4MD
In reply to G4MD:
Sorry for the delay, Paul.
The club will be meeting at the carpark at SO 938804 (by High Harcourt Farm) at 2000 gst, but I intend to use the other carpark and will hope to be operating by that time, we will QRT when the rest arrive and join the walk to the Four Stones to salute the sunset. This is WX permitting; as the XYL provides transport and is now a fair-weather hill walker with stiff knees!
Having just heard Robin GM7PKT/P on 5 megs with a huge pile-up I may take 5 megs as well as 2m SSB.
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
Hi Brian, no probs.
I’m assuming that’s the carpark at the foot of Walton Hill at approx. 945802? I now have to go to Milton Keynes on Thursday, but will try and be on Walton by about 1930 local - WX and XYL permitting.
Yes, heard Robin this evening. He was very popular! I’ll bring the '817 and a variety of antennas, we can mix and match bands/modes, or if you’d rather you can have the summit all to yourself - I’ve done it already!
Look forward to seeing you there,
73 de Paul G4MD
In reply to G8ADD:
Great to meet you on CE-002 last night Brian, sorry I couldn’t join you at the Four Stones for sunset, hope you had a good time up there!
Looking forward to catching you again
73 de Paul G4MD
In reply to G4MD:
A nice evening, pity there weren’t more about on SSB! After I left you I rejoined the XYL and we walked up to the Four Stones and joined the climbers, eventually 17 of us watched the sun hide behind shower clouds and sat talking (and dodging low-flying bats!) until after 2230Z.
“The fool on the hill sees the sun going down and the eyes in his head see the world spinning round!”
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
Stations on two north Wales summits looking for you but no spots and couldn’t find you from here to let them know.
Steve GW7AAV
In reply to G8ADD:
In reply to G4MD:
A nice evening, pity there weren’t more about on SSB! >
73Brian G8ADD
Did you actually get on the air Brian?
There were three of us on summits up North looking for you, …2E0EDX/P on SP-014, MW3PXW/P on NW-051 and me GW0DSP/P on NW-062, but nobody could find you on either SSB or FM and you weren’t spotted on sotawatch either, Paul G4MD was spotted, although I just missed him.
Maybe next time, eh.
73 Mike GW0DSP
In reply to GW0DSP:
Sorry to have missed you Mike, I was hoping for an s2s or two but didn’t get one, despite a fairly hectic evening’s operating. Unfortunately did not know who was about as my personal spotlite (ie XYL Ness) was offline last night!
Catch you again soon
73 de Paul G4MD
In reply to G4MD:
Hi Paul, sorry I missed the s2s with you, word got through to us on the Northern summits that you were up and running, but unfortunately too late, hi.
I was looking for Brian G8ADD after reading his post in the Reflector, but he escaped me yet again, twice I have stayed on the summit until very late looking for him, maybe it will be third time lucky, We’ll see.
The local chasers up here were watching the spots and relaying them to us on the summits, but no spots were recorded for Brian, so not sure if he failed to activate the summit, again, or maybe only worked non-sota amateurs? not sure.
I managed two s2s…Ian 2E0EDX/P on SP-014 and Barry MW3PXW/P on NW-062
We’ll get an s2s soon Paul, hope your XYL is on the mend now?
73 Mike GW0DSP
In reply to GW0DSP:
We’ll get an s2s soon Paul, hope your XYL is on the mend now?
Yes Mike it’s got to happen sooner or later! XYL is improving thanks, hoping she’ll be back online before too long!!
73 de Paul G4MD
In reply to GW0DSP:
I got on the air at 1920, and worked M3AOM, G3RMD and G6UGA. After that a series of CQ’s brought no further response - just possibly there was some desensing with Paul on the same summit, but that would not explain me not being heard. More likely it was the inadequate antenna, a horizontal dipole at 5 metres, due to be replaced soon (in fact the whole station will be). Unfortunately the linear is giving trouble too (probably relays) so I ran barefoot.
I’m really sorry to have missed so many S-Ss!
By the way, there were three really beefy looking cumulo-nimbus clouds in the northern quadrant so I hope no-one got wet!
73
Brian G8ADD