9 un-activated SOTA summits in the Outer Hebrides - Report by GM4BML/p

[GW4BML]

@G4AZS

Wow! Brilliant expedition, superb photos. Thanks Ben.
Glad to see Mr Brown was there to keep an eye on you all

Thank you very much Adrian @G4AZS - Mr Brown did love his adventure

@DM3FAM

Great Topic! Great Pictures. Thank you.

But one question… where did you get the pizzas in picture IMG_9881? Delivery costs?

Thanks Marcel - it was a great experience! Hahaa, the Pizza’s were from a local pub in Tarbert called ‘Harris Hotel’. If you ever visit the Island - I do recommend

@M1EYP

Excellent Ben. It was brilliant to get the S2S with you on Seaforth Island.

It was great to make a S2S contact with you to Tom @M1EYP from Seaforth Island - the expedition was very enjoyable. Thank you for the kind words.

@VK3AFW

Great report. Congratulations. It’s an unseasonable 12 C here just before mid day and I now feel chilly and the need to turn on the heater after viewing all those pics.

Thanks Ron - the report took just as long to write as it did to climb a couple of summits, hi! Believe it or not, the wx was just as warm as it normally is in GW, just a little more wind on the Island.

@MW0KXN

An epic adventure Ben. Your energy, commitment and determination are inspiring.

Cheers buddy - it was great to get you in my log on a couple of occasions! It looks like you also had a nice adventure on home ground that you’ve been wanting to do for some time - well done on achieving it. Joint activation needs to be arranged soon!

Thank you very much all!

73, Ben
GW4BML

[G0EVV]

Outstanding!
Great plan
Great exped
Great execution
Great family support
Great report
Great to engage with the Board
Great to chase you
Fantastic photographs.
Ticks all the boxes

David
G0EVV

[W9SSN]

What a trip and report! I would love to be able to take an extended trip to the Outer Hebridies someday. I am going to be on the Isle of Skye around the same time of your return trip in OCT/NV, would be awesome to make a 2m S2S!

[M0WIV]

What an amazing trip and what an intrepid family! I’ve only done one first activation - a drive-up summit in France which lacked the sense of achievement of yours but was still a nice thing to do.

[M0RSF]

Oustanding effort and excellent report and photographs.
Well done to you all!!!

73 Chris M0RSF

[GW4BML]

@GW4VPX

Brilliant Ben. So good to get you on all but one summit and also Martha on her first activation. Lyra was quite vocal on some of those contacts as well

Thank you very much Allan @GW4VPX - it was great to work you on nearly every summit. Martha also says a big thank you to it won’t be long until little Lyra will hopefully be more vocal on the microphone with a license 73, BML family

@G4IPB

Thanks for the report Ben, it is wonderful up there when the wx is behaving…. Hopefully if I get organized some might turn into completes….(The easier ones)… was that really a picture of you running into the sea in the Hebrides in October?

You’re very welcome Paul @G4IPB, I hope you will visit again soon and gain some completes, and also give me some too! Hehe. O yes, I love a good swim in the sea, no matter what time of year it is it’s good for you! 73

@MM0EFI

Well done Ben, Martha & Lyra. The highlight for me was you getting one of the RSGB board on the radio. It did make me think if any of them are active.

Cheers Fraser @MM0EFI - a lovely part of the world you live in that we hope to visit much more now with our camper. Yes, it was great to work John, the RSGB president, he gave me so much support! Watch this space, I’ll get the other call signs in the log soon there’s plenty of other uniques all over the world - Faroe Islands next!! Send our regards to Mo and look forward to catching up soon! 73

@DM1CM

A magnificent effort, and a great report, which I will read more closely this evening. Cracking photos, too!

Thanks Rob @DM1CM - the scenery is remarkable on the island and we even got to see the sun over 50% of our holiday - bonus!!

@M6GYU

An excellent outing.!!! And managed all that including keeping your family happy too.

Thanks David @M6GYU - it doesn’t take much to keep them happy when outdoors loving life. In actual fact, they drag me out take care

Thank you very much all for the kind words

73, Ben
GW4BML

[GW4BML]

Wow, that’s pretty impressive Fraser @MM0EFI. I was just using the Yaesu FT-70D, 5w with the rubber duck antenna, he was a good signal most of the way up the last steep climb. Thanks for sharing the map

[MW0KXN]

@GW4BML the finished report is a fantastic read. Thank you for taking the time to write it and allow us to travel with you.
I am so impressed that Martha made her first HF contact, and first SOTA contact on an unactivated summit, so soon after getting her licence. I wouldn’t have had the courage to do that.
Kevin

[GW4BML]

@M0CQE

Ben, Great report, excellent photography, wonderful descriptions of all your activations. A very exciting read. An example of superb Activating. Many, Many Thanks, to you and your family.

Hi Paul @M0CQE - many thanks for the kind words. I believe you were one of the activators that made every one of my logs thank you very much for the support on both modes! Just packing my kit for Germany now, so we may have a few more qso’s at the end of this week and over the weekend. 73

@M0RWX

Great effort Ben and great write-up. Got you on many of the summits but not all due to some ‘QRM’. Not the type of ‘secluded beach holiday for couples’ many would have booked

Many thanks for the kind words Robert @M0RWX - slightly different terrain and conditions compared to G/GW it was great to work you from most of the summits, you were a good signal into me! Hahaa, to be honest, I think the family would rather these kind of holidays than sat at a beach in the 30 degrees sun - I am very lucky, hi. Take care and we’ll catch up soon! 73

@MI0TXM

great effort Ben, some man for one man! thanks for the summit to summit buddy!

Cheers Andrew @MI0TXM - it was great to get the S2S contact buddy! Looking forward to the next! 73

@K6HPX

Outstanding report Ben!
Am sure that will be useful to all who want to activate any of those summits.

Cheers Ken @K6HPX - I will be uploading all my routes and information onto SOTLAS soon 73

@VK3SQ

Hello Ben, Martha & Lyra, well , what a great report with photos too. Very interesting reading and what an adventure for your family. Little Lyra will remember it for ever.

Thank you very much Geoff @VK3SQ - it was certainly a family adventure, I can confirm that we are keeping all the photo’s to show little Lyra when she grows up. 73

Thank you very much all for the kind words and great SOTA support!

73, Ben
GW4BML

[GW4BML]

@G0EVV

Outstanding!

Hi David @G0EVV, thank you very much for your kind words and calling in. It took some planning, but as you know, when your tackling unique un-activated summits, you kind of make your plans on route it was a great family / solo experience, we all enjoyed it, nice to work so many stations and even some RSGB board members. Take care and I’ll listen out for you when next up in GW/NW! 73, Ben

@W9SSN

What a trip and report! I would love to be able to take an extended trip to the Outer Hebridies someday. I am going to be on the Isle of Skye around the same time of your return trip in OCT/NV, would be awesome to make a 2m S2S!

Thank you very much Gus @W9SSN - you will love your GM trip, what a lovely part of the world! If you send me an email (details on my QRZ page), and timings marry up, we could meet up as I’m driving back home through Skye if you’d like. Take care and enjoy! 73, Ben

@M0WIV

What an amazing trip and what an intrepid family! I’ve only done one first activation - a drive-up summit in France which lacked the sense of achievement of yours but was still a nice thing to do.

Thanks John @M0WIV - it certainly was an amazing trip! There’s definitely something about activating a summit for the first time Take care, 73

@M0RSF

Oustanding effort and excellent report and photographs.
Well done to you all!!!

Thanks Chris @M0RSF - I promise to join you and Fraser one Tuesday evening from a trig! I should have more time in November if your still planning on being out Stay safe and 73 buddy!

@MW0KXN

@GW4BML the finished report is a fantastic read. Thank you for taking the time to write it and allow us to travel with you.
I am so impressed that Martha made her first HF contact, and first SOTA contact on an unactivated summit, so soon after getting her licence. I wouldn’t have had the courage to do that.

Thank you very much Kev @MW0KXN - as mentioned above, it was quicker to hike two summits than write the report but I enjoyed doing both. I am so proud of Martha on her first activation, she took the microphone and worked her first ever 4 contacts on 7-SSB like a natural, I hope there will be more to come! She said a big thank you to yourself and everyone else who commented Take care and we’ll catch up very soon! 73, BML

Thank you all very much for your kind words - it makes me want to go and do them all again

73, Ben
GW4BML

[MM7DCD]

Super report and well done.

I was with Chris 2M0NZB when you got the S2S on the 23rd Ben Bouie GM/SS-251

[G0MHF]

Great expedition & report, Ben! Pleased to have had a couple of qsos along the way. Where next? There’s a few unactivated hills in Eire, I notice!
73 John

[GW4BML]

@MM7DCD

Super report and well done.

I was with Chris 2M0NZB when you got the S2S on the 23rd Ben Bouie GM/SS-251

Hi Douglas @MM7DCD, it was great to make the S2S with Chris - thank you for your kind words! Hope to make a S2S with yourself in the future! Take care and 73

@G0MHF

Great expedition & report, Ben! Pleased to have had a couple of qsos along the way. Where next?

Thanks John @G0MHF - it was great to work you from a few! I’m currently in DE on a business trip, but getting as many summits in when I can I will have to look at the ones in EI - never say never! Take care and 73

Ben
GW4BML

[M0CQE]

Thank you Ben. You are doing great in DL. I hope to be in your log again. Always a pleasure to hear you. my Friend. 73 de Paul M0CQE.

[M0HGY]

I’ve noticed that Carl @G0KPE is currently in the Outer Hebrides activating some SOTA summits there. Not sure if he’s planning to activate Beinn a’Charnain GM/SI-203 while there. Beinn a’Charnain GM/SI-203 was that one unactivated SOTA summit that Ben @GW4BML was unable to activate when he was in the Outer Hebrides, but I know that Ben GW4BML was planning to return to the Outer Hebrides to get this SOTA summit activated. If Carl G0KPE is planning to activate Beinn a’Charnain GM/SI-203 and this activation is successful, it means that he would have activated this unactivated SOTA summit before Ben GW4BML.

Jimmy M0HGY

[G0KPE]

Hi Jimmy.
No, I won’t be able to make it across to the island to activate Beinn a’Charnain. I’d love to, but am over here on the Isle of Harris for work and have managed to arrange the morning to be free. I am just about to pack up from GM/SI-129 Chaipaval.
Attached is a picture of Beinn a’Charnain as I look across to it.
Perfect SOTA WX today - feeling lucky. Beautiful part of the world.
73
Carl GM0KPE/P

[G0KPE]

Chaipaval GM/SI-129

GM0KPE/P now QRT. Thank you to all my chasers this morning.

73
Carl

[SQ9OZM]

Thanks for the contact this morning Carl, and for sharing the pictures

Best 73!
Marcin

[G4IPB]

Thanks for the complete Carl and for being patient with my clunky CW. Pleased that you seem to have got nice wx, heavy rain here in Co Durham but obviously better on Harris!!!

[2M0OSB]

That leaves four unactivated summits in Scotland barring St Kilda. I have my name as the first activator on one summit, the question is do I fancy the boggy slogs for one of the others??