Activation : GM/SS-046 : Cnoc Coinnich : 16-Jul-2025

[GM7STP]

Summary of Activation :

• SOTA Summit: GM/SS-046 : Cnoc Coinnich : 764m : 4 pts
• Activation Date: Wed 16-Jul-2025
• Callsign used: GM7STP/P
• ALERT as : 13:00 UTC on 145-fm
• SPOT : QRV on 145.550MHz at 13:27 UTC
• Equipment : for 145-fm :
  • Icom ID-52 handheld / 5W (used with rubber duck & Slim-G)
  • Spectrum Comms Slim-G 2m / Sotabeams Carbon 6 mast.
• Successful QSOs :
  • On 145-fm : 145.550 MHz : QSOs = 4.

Operation on 145-fm :

I set up by a rock about 60m from the summit cairn initially with the ID-52 and Slim-G. The same set up / connections as tried on Conic Hill GM/SS-251. This time I checked all was working by calling in to some local repeaters; e.g. GB3AY Dalry and GB3CS Motherwell. All OK, so Slim-G set up working. Back to simplex on 145.550 for CQ SOTA. Operating with OPEN squelch, I called CQ SOTA for a while without any contacts.

After about 20mins I then tried the handheld ID-52 with rubber duck and counterpoise instead of my Slim-G. Success ! …

My 1st contact was with Dan GM6CMQ over in Dunfermline; on 145.500 and QSY back to 145.550. Then as a test, I switched back to my Slim-G and Dan confirmed that my Slim-G set up was indeed working well with a very strong signal. Thanks to Dan, much appreciated.

I then continued with the Slim-G on 145.550 and after about 10mins made my 2nd contact with Alan MM6IQP/M who was down by Ayr beach. I felt I was on a roll ! … but then my 3rd contact wasn’t until about 40mins later. This was Alan GM3MWX down by Largs, Ayrshire.

One more contact needed for the activation … and then within 10 mins I was called by John MM7JFA, based west of Kilmarnock. Yippee ! my 4th contact and a successful activation of Cnoc Coinnich !

As time was getting on, I packed up and headed down back to the car.

Overall a successful activation. Very enjoyable QSOs.

Background stuff : Route & Photos :

Route Start : Forestry Commission Car Park at Coilessan Glen.

Route Finish : Summit : Refer to SotaMaps GM/SS-046 at 764m.

Distance to Summit : 4.9 km over elevation of 764 - 113 = 651m

Wx : A very sunny start, dry all day, with welcomed cloud appearing through the afternoon.

Route: Starting from the forestry commission car park at Coilessan Glen, the route follows part of The Loch Lomond and Cowal Way up to the ‘Cairn’ shown on the map. Then simply turn left and head up to the ridge. Then continue up the grassy slope and on up to the rocky summit.

OSMaps-GM7STP-GM-SS-046-01.jpg : Cnoc Coinnich at 764m “Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2025”

Photos :

Above: Photo-001 : Car Park at Coilessan Glen / Gate, bridge and start of track.

Above : Photo-002 : Bridge over river further up the track.

Above : Photo-003 : View up the path off the track with Cnoc Coinnich top left.

Above : Photo-004 : View back down the track. It’s steeper than it looks !

Above : Photo-005 : Cnoc Coinnich : Summit view.

Above : Photo-006 : GM7STP/P Cnoc Coinnich set up !

A great day out successfully activating Cnoc Coinnich !

Thanks for all the QSOs.

73 Peter GM7STP

[G4OIG]

Well done on the successful activation Peter. I wonder whether you put an alert on for this one.

It was a good idea to do the antenna comparison so you know the set up works. Some reasonable distances worked as well.

I must admit that SS-046 is not yet on my to-activate list, but the route looks to be quite reasonable. Maybe one to grab a few winter bonus points on to give me a bit more value for money (VFM).

73, Gerald

[MM7DCD]

Fantastic report and glad you got the 4. I was listening (as you know) but really surprised I heard no one even calling you. (I can usually hear Dan)

I’d be up for a Duncolm joint activation soon and maybe even get @G4OIG to come up too!!

[GM7STP]

Thanks Gerald.
I did manage to post an alert but only on the morning of my activation.
Certainly GM/SS-046 is a good candidate for a winter VFM !

In the meantime how about GM/SS-222 Duncolm as suggested by Douglas @MM7DCD ?

73, Peter GM7STP

[GM7STP]

Hi Douglas,
Thanks for your comments and for your Reflector messaging.
I did hear plenty of stations on S20 but most on their own QSOs. On the QSO with Alan MM6IQP I could easily hear Ray from Saltcoats GM0OTB, he could hear Alan but not me well enough to QSO.

Joint activation of our local GM/SS-222 Duncolm sounds great !

73 Peter GM7STP

[MM0FMF]

@GM7STP

local GM/SS-222 Duncolm

I think that summit is undervalued, the views are excellent for such a wee hill.
Thanks for confirming the route and pictures as I have Cnoc Coinnich and also The Brack and Ben Donich on my uniques hit list hopefully for the latter half of the year.

Too many uniques to activate and never enough time!

[GM7STP]

The Brack GM/SS-040 and Ben Donich GM/SS-027 are on my target of uniques too !
For me for GM/ it’s 1219 - 2 = 1217 left ! Definitely spoilt for choice !
BTW … summit checks & open squelch worked for me ! Thanks again !

73 Peter

[M6BWA]

Hearty congratulations Peter on succesfully qualifying Cnoc Coinnich on VHF. By my calculations you were calling on VHF for 80 minutes before you got the vital 4th and this is quite some some staying power. A good thing you found a comfortable seat. I freely admit that I am now looking to activate (1 contact) a new Scottish summit on 2m/70cm rather than getting the necessary 4 contacts to qualify it and get the vital point(s). If i wanted to amass points I think I would try to get up hoigher hills - which usually make it easier to get the contacts as well. However this doesn’t always work as I had some difficulty, to my surprise, getting contacts from a couple of Munros each side of the Glenshee road a few years ago - whilst I got inundated when visiting a 1 pointer just south of Glasgow when I could actually see some of the tower blocks! Hence aiming for hills with some centres of population within reach does make qualifying easier - but doesn’t have the challenge of more obscure hills and thus the thrill if you are successful. The only time that neither I (2m/70cm) nor M0JLA (HF) could raise any reply at all was on a weekday early evening just north of Oban, a few years ago, when we couldn’t actually reach the true summit for fallen trees (which didn’t help!!) It was a very mournful pair that trudged back down the hill to the car.but it was partially bad planning as we hadn’t alerted beforehand (spur of the moment idea) and it was a silly time of day - and where were my contacts going to come from??
I look forward to reading your futher reports. 73
Viki

[MM7MOX]

Sometimes listeners just aren’t around.
Last Saturday when Chris MM0UHR and myself went up Ben Vrackie GM/CS-065,HF was dire and 2m saved the day. As we were packing up I tried my Quansheng handheld and was able to access the GB3ED 70cm repeater in South Edinburgh. Sadly no qso’s on 70cm despite my signal getting out. Admittedly I didn’t try for very long since we were running out of water and the Brewery at the Moulin hotel was calling…
Andy
MM7MOX

[GM7STP]

Thanks Viki. Yes, it did take a while to get the 4 contacts for the 4 points ! Well it was a nice dry, warm afternoon so quite happy to persevere.
Sounds like I’ll need a good warm day whenever I head up to the Glenshee hills !

73 Peter
GM7STP

[GM7STP]

Hi Andy, I certainly have found that too !
On such a handheld only trip I guess I could have tried on 70cm but only had the rubber duck for that ! Maybe next time.
Sounds like you had a frustrating time on Ben Vrackie; no doubt reviewed over a pint of beer at the Moulin.

73 Peter
GM7STP

[MM7DCD]

Ask @MM0EFI how good GM/SS-222 is for S2S.

[MM0EFI]

@MM7DCD

Ask @MM0EFI how good GM/SS-222 is for S2S

I had to look that up. Seemingly you got 30 S2S points out of me that day.

[MM7DCD]

10.45, 13.25 and 15.35.

It was a stunning day and recall you didn’t have the same.

I’ve only been licenced 5 years but have been up GM/SS-222 easily 25+ times.