Midland boy goes Daan' Sath'!

Hello All

As many people are aware I recently attempted to activate all the 13 summits of the SC region in about 5 days! I appreciate this is not setting any records but these activations were worked around visiting relatives, friends and of course having a holiday! Annoyingly due to WX I could only manage 11 but at least that gives me another excuse to visit the area in years to come.

After reading various people’s reports I was worried that 2m would not be very successful in the area so as a result I packed the 4m Slim Jim and plenty of batteries! I was determined not to use HF and thought that if I had to call for hours then so be it!

Anyway any doubts about these hills were soon removed, I found that the loyal set of 2m SSB chasers were always there producing excellent signals. This brief posting is mainly to thank them! So a big thank you to Don G0RQL, Roger G0TRB, Bill G4WSB, Rod M0JLA, Colin G4UXH, Phil G4OBK, Staurt G0LGS, John G3WFK, Damien M0BKV, Robert G0PEB, Alan G7RHF, David G2BOF and many others… The list is far to long, but the above people contacted me on most of the hills!

Best DX of the trip was from Swyre Head SC-012 IO80WO to Phil G4OBK in IO94OF, a total distance of 413 KM, not bad for a 4 ele beam and 5 watts!

Of course the biggest thanks of the trip go to Peter G3TJE. For those if you that don’t know Peter and I belong to the same contest group and have spoken on air many times but have not met! So when he said he was around on Wednesday to accompany me up the hills in the Quantocks and Minehead area I was delighted to have a guide! Peter chose a combination of 40m CW and 60m SSB, whilst I stuck to the usual combination of 2m SSB and 4m FM!

This was the first time that I have seen a CW activation and can honestly say that when it is sent at 24 wpm it is very impressive! In addition, I watched Peter on his first CQ call on 7.032 and the noise of gobbling turkeys was outstanding. It truly shows how SOTA and of course CW on SOTA has grown. At present I am to busy to learn the code but would at some point like to, so yes I am a convert!

Once again Peter many thanks for your excellent company, I look forward to heading up some WB or MW summits with you!

Summing up then

1 CE summit
11 SC summits
1 SW summit
and
3 WB summits.

All on 2m SSB, some on 4m FM!

Total Contacts by mode =
2m SSB = 145
4m FM = 22
70cm SSB = 3

Total points = 17!! I could have just gone to SW and done 3 hills!!

Now the fun of logging all those!

So it would appear that if you want to do these hills on 2m then sack the FM off and take advantage of directional antennas and 2m SSB!!!

73 all

Matt G8XYJ

In reply to G8XYJ:

So it would appear that if you want to do these hills on 2m
then sack the FM off and take advantage of directional antennas
and 2m SSB!!!

Now, now, Matt. No need to wind up Mickey! :wink:

Glad you had a good trip. The two remaining summits will still be there next year.
Whilst you were away, I activated 5 summits on 14 MHz CW … including Wentwood and Ruardean the day before you dun 'em!

At present I am too busy to learn the code but would at some point
like to, so yes I am a convert!

CU around, and good luck with the Morse. Most people come around to that way of thinking eventually.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

In reply to G8XYJ:

They’re good fun these SOTA DXpeditions, especially if you get some half decent WX. I hope you took some emergency “strong beer” with you as it’s well known that they only drink weak shandies down South :slight_smile:

170 QSOs, 15 activations, so about 10 QSOs/summit. Shouldn’t take much more than an hour to log that lot.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

170 QSOs, 15 activations, so about 10 QSOs/summit. Shouldn’t take much
more than an hour to log that lot.

I’m backing 2E0YYY to beat that on his first activation - and all on 2m FM.

73

Richard
G3CWI

In reply to G3CWI:

Hi Walt,

Firstly I am not trying wind up Mickey!! His station is ace, he clearly has great results with it!!

Thanks for making the effort on 4m to speak to me! It was good to have net with you and Keith up in Sheffield from Dundry Down!

Hi Andy,

The Beer was actually really good, I went for a walk around the coastline near Swanage and the village of Worth Matravers. The Pub in the Viallge is called the Square and Compass and still serves beer and cider straight out the barrel. My (teetotal) sister, cousin and I ended up in there with some 8% cider and pasties! Most enjoyable, however she had to drive the car back for obvious reasons!

SOTA expeditions are fun, but expensive!! 890 miles in total and about £100 of Diesel!! Having said that my car was not bad at 57mpg so no real complaints!! The additional mileage came from touristy things like beach and town visits etc!! But really time away from work was priceless so I really enjoyed the visit!!

Logging wise, I am just slow!!

Hi Richard

I am sure that Mike would be up for the challenge, he does such a cracking job on most of his hills! I just decided to take advantage of the plentiful 2m SSB chasers, plus SSB is the mode I prefer!

I bet qualifying on 2m FM is possible but I reckon it would be harder! However this is of course a hunch! Next time I will run both modes!

Presumably you have done these hills, what bands/modes did you use??

73 all

Matt!

In reply to G8XYJ:

I did some of them last year, Matt. In fact I qualified both Staple Hill and Selworthy Beacon on 2m FM, but it was a real struggle due to lack of activity … it was on a weekday. Selworthy Beacon has a superb take-off to the North and East, but I didn’t think much of Staple Hill as a VHF location.

I didn’t even attempt VHF from Will’s Neck, but made loads of QSOs from there on HF CW.

BTW, I see Birdlip Hill is a HuMP! I hadn’t realised that. Although the trig point is about a quarter of a mile from where I usually operate.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

In reply to G3NYY:
Hi Walt

Good to see that you had a good time in SC, I really like the hills down there! A completely different feeling to what I am accustomed to in WB!

Seven Wells Hill?? I think that is the one you are one about!! I like many others will be looking to chase you, however I have no CW ability, a telephonic mode would be greatly appreciated Walt!!

73

Matt G8XYJ

In reply to G8XYJ:

No, I think you’ll find Seven Wells Hill is the one that is 1 mile south of Broadway Tower.

Birdlip Hill is listed separately on the Hillbaggers web site.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

In reply to G3NYY:
Hi Walt

I stand corrected! Still two local HuMPs at your disposal, combined with the various SOTA summits in the area!

73

Matt G8XYJ

In reply to G3NYY:
Walt,

I came round to that way of thinking some time last year and so commenced my third effort at learning morse. I gave up again a few weeks ago as (even after months of practice) I still go blank and have no idea what letter a code actually represents. My brain just doesn’t seem to work that way. This means I shall continue to use HF on weekdays and stick to VHF at weekends when I find no space at all on HF; it is bad enough mid-week.

Hence the pattern this week; Hirfynydd on Thursday with 40m and Allt yr Esgair on Sunday with 2m, mostly ssb.

BTW, Hirfynydd (GW/SW-017) is now a most unjustly neglected summit. A few years back it must have been a nightmare with open cast coal works and windfarm construction but on a sunny April late afternoon it was a delight. More on an appropriate page.
73,
Rod

In reply to MM0FMF:

I hope you took some emergency “strong beer” with you as it’s well known that they only drink weak shandies down South :slight_smile:

Andy, that’s a wicked rumour put out as a smoke screen to halt the southwards drift of the population and in doing so preserve the stocks of Fursty Ferret and Tanglefoot. Matt didn’t reveal that the reason he only managed 9 of the 11 SC’s was that he spent too long on the brewery visit. :wink:

Well done Matt. Unfortunately I was too busy to chase you around the summits, but I see the loyal 2m SSB chasers were on parade, so I don’t feel bad about it. :slight_smile:

73, Gerald G4OIG

In reply to G4OIG:
Cheers Gerald

Matt didn’t reveal that the reason he only managed 9 of the 11 SC’s was that he spent too long on the brewery visit. :wink:

To term a cricket saying - Rain stopped play!!

However I dare say a few more than 2 of those ciders and you would know about it the next day!

73 all

Matt G8XYJ

In reply to G8XYJ:

Lovely expedition Matt, I’m very jealous

The Beer was actually really good, I went for a walk around the
coastline near Swanage and the village of Worth Matravers. The Pub in
the Viallge is called the Square and Compass and still serves beer and
cider straight out the barrel

Do they still not allow women in the bar? Or has that last bastion of real drinking fallen…

Last time I was in Worth Matravers the road sign at the entrance to the village incorporated the wonderful legend “Twinned with Royston Vesey”. Someone on the council obviously retains some sense of humour…

And don’t forget that Golden Pride (8.5% abv and very dangerously drinkable) is brewed in Chiswick. The Softy South does have some redeeming features, even if only that they have to send their proper beer North to sell it :slight_smile:

73 de Paul G4MD

In reply to G4MD:
Hi Paul

Twinned with Royston Vesey!! You have bought my teenage years back to me!!

8.5% that sounds like a monster, certainly different to the 3.7% I am accustomed to from the Ludlow Brewing Company!!

The Square and Compass has moved on Paul, they now have hot and cold running water HI! The Wheel is next on the list I believe.

73

Matt G8XYJ

In reply to G8XYJ:

8.5% that sounds like a monster…

Fuller’s Golden Pride - hmmm, magic! A darn good sleeping draught - maybe achieved with one bottle, definitely with two! I speak from experience!!! :slight_smile:

73, Gerald G4OIG