Three Scottish Borders summits - June 4th activation report

An activation report of my day in the Scottish Borders earlier this month is on this link

73 de Phil G4OBK

Hi Phil

Thanks for the link to the blog and the contact today.

73 Allan GW4VPX

Hi Phil,

That was an interesting route for Ellson Fell. Paul and I stuck to the route from the south via Castlewink as suggested by Martyn MAJ and Caroline ZCB which took us about the same length of time as your route, but I am sure you would have been up that way in less than an hour as the ground was good.

Okay on avoiding Whin Fell en route to Wisp Hill - well, we took the route over the hill as it was recommended by Jim CQK and it worked out very well, though quite a hard climb if I recall rightly… but all first summits are hard after a 300+ mile drive!.

Pity that I managed to miss all of your 10MHz sessions. I should have checked SOTAwatch before changing over to VHF at around 11:35z. It was a near call when you were on Ellson - I vacated 10MHz at 15:17z and you came up at 15:22z - c’est la vie!

73, Gerald G4OIG

Ah, that’s what they look like. I did Wisp and Pikethaw with Brian G4ZRP so long ago it feels almost like in another lifetime. It was, typical GM WX, wet and miserable. Similar for Ellson Fell. Looks like you had nice WX for once.

Yes, swapping antennas can become very time expensive when you’re out on a multiple run so having a 10/20/30 antenna would make sense.

As for the Ellson Fell route, where you on some strong medication when you planned that route? :slight_smile: That’s as bad a choice as my recent antenna selections for ON/PA/F/LX!

Thanks Alan, Gerald and Andy for comments.

Yes, Andy I admit to being distracted on that walk up Ellson Fell - harder, further, not the way I had planned and not taking note of my preloaded GPS or map. Once committed to the wrong slope going up Ellson I decided to continue and work my way back round. I think it took 15-20 minutes longer than it should have done to get to the top. Seems I had a better day than you did with good visibility for spotting other summits still to do such as Cauldcleuch Hill and the distinctive and prominent Greatmoor Hill.

Gerald - confess to not reading the notes on the summits page by JIm/Martin/Caroline, should have done. The route was a good one if I had gone directly up Penangus Glen by the forest as I discovered on my way down and I could recommend it. Wisp Hill - I don’t think walking the side of Whin Fell rather than over the top of it took me any longer but I think it was more unconfortable on the ankles. I did my usual trick of lengthening the walking pole on the downward side of the slope to help stay upright.

Sorry we missed each other on 10 MHz, 14 MHz was more successful. After a run and a spot if I call CQ 5 times with no answer I tend to change bands or go QRT once the summit has been qualified.

73 Phil