Hi folks, weather permitting we plan to be in the cheltenham area for 10 days around new year. Ideally id like to do at least one activation, perhaps cleeve hill G/CE-001, is it easily accessible in the winter, and a decent enough take off for VHF?? Any other SOTA suggestion’s are welcome.
73
Adrian
EDIT:- It could also be done in-line with the VHF fun day on 2nd Jan, hopefully so!!
In reply to 2M0ETR:
Adrian,
You can drive nearly to the top of Cleeve, so access is easy, road conditions permitting of course. Thereafter it’s but a short meander to the trig - how long will depend on how many wee drams you had the night before. The take off is reasonable and with your set up you should be fine. As you can get out from GM/NS summits, Cleeve will be a breeze.
Have a good holiday. Congrats on the new call, what ere it may be.
73, Gerald G4OIG
Cleeve (G/CE-001) is my local summit and most of my portable operation (altho very little at the moment due to work commitments) tends to be from that summit - the car parking area for Cleeve Common is within the activation zone but i tend to walk up to the trig point a very easy summit indeed -
depending on what i am doing i may be out on a summit for the vhf fun day and possibly cleeve but as im hoping to visit relatives for new year this may not happen
if you wish to check the weather on the summit before setting off there is a weather station near to the summit which can be viewed at
http://cleeve-weather.grg.org.uk/
(comes in very handy sometimes for knowing what to expect and what to take hihi)
another summit that is not a million miles away is Bredon Hill (G/CE-003) but as i have not yet activated this summit (its on my to do list) im told its a rather easy summit also
also if you are interested co-located with the Weather Station is GB3UK Voice Repeater (70cm 7.6mhz split) and so if you do have any problems there tends to be a number of local amateurs including myself listening on there
any info you may need is available at
http://www.grg.org.uk/gb3uk.html
73 and Seasons Greetings
Matt, M3WDS
(trying not to advertise GRG)
In reply to M3WDS:
Hi matt thanks for the details, you never know we might meet on the hill. If not it’d be nice to hear you on the air. Hopefully ill be allowed to setup my station in the house we are staying in so in the evenings i can chat to the locals! What about the QRM from cleeve transmitter, any experience of this?
73
Adrian
In reply to 2M0ETR:
Hi Adrian
If you’re around on 2m in the evenings whilst in Cheltenham then it would be good to have a natter. I’m in Swindon, but Cheltenham area is usually an easy one for me on FM. Hope to catch you on Cleeve Hill during your stay too!
73
Jonathan
M6HBS
Adrian,
i have had in the past experienced some interference from the masts but it seems to depend on the radio my vx-7 is absolutely wiped out by it but the ft-857 doesnt seem anywhere near as bad
and regarding VHF it is alot better than my home location in cheltenham as during a contest instead of the low 10-15 contacts id make at home up the hill it could be between 20 and 80 contacts but i still wouldnt say it was great ive seen some people spotted on 2m fm being on the summit and not even heard them and its line of sight from here
if you do happen to get some radio equipment setup where you are staying there is a group of us that tend to listen on 145.350fm so you can always try putting a shout out there and im sure someone will come back to you if they are listening
Matt M3WDS
In reply to 2M0ETR:
Hope to catch you then.
Should be back in Cheltenham from the Yorkshire Dales on New Year’s Eve…
73
Graham G4FUJ
In reply to All:
Depending on the baggage will depend on what gear i can take on the plane (thats if the airports are open!) Ideally a vertical for HF and sotabeam, however the beam is quite long in comparison to the suitcase so i may have to leave it at home and use something else or get a new case. Either way ill have something and i look forward to working plenty of new stations, just listen out for the only highland accent in the area!
Adrian