Hiya - I’ve been training for a MTB event - no SOTA activity for me (not even hill walking) for quite some time now… after which, I have a gentle cycle tour planned:
What’s the VHF/UHF activity like in these parts? I’m thinking of taking my FT-65 with me to maybe have a few QSOs along the way.
When the trip is over, I may as well activate some summits in the area (or on my way back down south).
For the latter (and perhaps even the former), I’m wondering whether something like a Garmin inReach mini would suit - do any of you have one, and would you recommend it?
Your first route goes past @GM7PKT Robin and @GM4OAS Gordon.
Your second route passes Gordon, but on the other side of the water. There are a few hams on Skye active on 2m.
You’ve no chance on your third route!
There is a bit of a LoRa network over that side. If you have a tracker, use it. It may help get you noticed.
What for? navigation or spotting (via SOTAMat) or emergency SOS?
Inreach mini can do all three, but it’s very basic for navigation, just a line to follow but does keep you in the right direction if the cloud descends.
For navigation I’ve been enjoying my Garmin Epix 2 (bought on sale…don’t buy RRP!) for ease of use and tracking my route/health stats etc. It doesn’t do spotting or SOS though - but that does mean it doesn’t have a subscription. It can do online tracking but only over the internet/cell service. I carry the inreach too but only as a backup for emergencies.
Should have said, for SOS Alex. I didn’t even know you could spot with it. I remember getting full phone signal up in the Glens, chasing munros… but not sure what it’s like where we’re going.
For nav, I have my phone (backup) and I have a cycling Garmin thingy. I’ve loaded Open Street maps onto it - it’s OK for hiking too (although not intended to do that).
Hoping for good weather. Camping somewhere near the end of day 2, which should be nice.
I’ll start on the garlic tablets soon… but I’ll bring a can on Lynx and a lighter to deal any midges.
If you do get an inreach, you have to pay an activation fee (£40?) and then a monthly subscription. This starts at £15/m, but if you go into the setting and cancel it you get an option to move onto a “Enabled” plan which is £8/m. Enabled includes SOS and then pay as you go messages/check-ins. If you cancel your subscription entirely then next time you want to use it you have to pay the activation fee again.
An Inreach device will cost £135.99 for the first years airtime. That doesn’t include any messages and does include emergency SOS messages. After that it’s £96/year for only SOS messages. A spot will cost you £0.50 each.
You can roll your own Iridium satellite messenger system and it will cost you £15.60 a month for airtime (you only pay for complete months of access) and £0.192 per spot (50chars). You’ll need to do what I did and write your own software to handle messaging.
On top of both, you need to buy some hardware. Garmin InReach devices are not cheap. A home rolled Iridium SBD system can be put together for under £300.
Unless you are using it a lot and need guaranteed messaging from anywhere, these systems become expensive to have active. Especially if the SOS use is “just in case” and you really want it for mobile spotting. If emergency use is what you want, buy a PLB for about £250 and it’s good for 5-7years before it needs a battery service.
Otherwise learn Morse and use RBNhole + SOTAwatch or use Šóⱦâṁāţ
Some UK phone networks have better coverage than others. Only had 3 times since 2021 I’ve not had good 4g service with EE in the UK when out and about and on UK hills.
Yes, I used mine yesterday to SPOT myself on GM/WS-181 as there was not a reliable phone signal. I have used it for a few years now in many different countries and it is not cheap but is a reliable backstop to SPOT yourself.
The InReach mini is also very useful for navigation linked to the Garmin Explore app you can download to your phone.
There is also the SOS option, but I can’t comment as I haven’t had to use it yet.
I see - may as well just stick to the basic plan if it’s just for SOS (if regularly out in the mountains). Good to know.
I don’t intend to use it for spotting TBH, but was surprised it’s possible. Interesting!
Some areas are simply rubbish (and have been for years). Hence on Raynet duties, we use at least 2 UHF repeaters with a 3m link on Exmoor and the Quantocks. It depends on where you are on the moor - but if the SHTF in a dead spot, you’d better be able to walk/move to an area where you can get a signal.
Last week, we had two power cuts - both of which completely knocked out the EE network - there’s not even battery backup for the local masts? In contrast, our local repeater is backed up by a generator. Enough said.
Useful - I assume the benefit (if you already have other maps) is the fact that it won’t drain your phone’s battery?
Once you’ve sync’d the route you want to do on the inreach device, then you don’t need your phone to use the inreach. It’ll do navigation from the device, and so yes, it means you can conserve your phone’s battery.
And yet on Morrone GM/CS-060 the multitude of cell sites appear to be powered solely by generators. There is a small electricity substation but no sign of any power lines (I’m assuming they wouldn’t be underground).
A bugbear of mine… if you come up with a name for your product but then have to explain to people how to pronounce it then you have picked the wrong name. Likewise using diacritics rather than just spelling it normally ( normal for English speakers that is.)
Well, I’m not suggesting they should use fossil fuels for backup - but a small battery is better than nothing.
Fossil fuelled generators don’t come online instantly - so there’s going to be disruption regardless. Plus, you need to know it’s going to start in the first place (think swearing at your lawnmower at the beginning of the season). Fine for a repeater (located at a critical infrastructure site, which is maintained and checked regularly), but perhaps not cellular which is dotted all over the place.
One power outage lasted a number of hours… fair enough, but we did have a 15 second outage which knocked out the network for 10 minutes. Somewhat disproportional.
Sadly, there is a percentage of the lovely itinerant folk who think the diesel for the remote site generators is available FOC for them to fill their Transits.
Just like Gaelic, say it as it is written. Just make sure you know all the rules.
I did consider that (as in the possibility of fuel theft - not pinching it myself) - but totally unaware of sure how secure the sites are. That clarifies it I guess.
Perhaps the punishment of gluing their fingers together for a number of months (turning their hands into mittens) might put them off?..
…no, wait… that comment can land me in jail! It’s probably safer to help myself to free fuel instead.
I didn’t think you could still get red diesel since the rules changed. But it is still available but for more limited range of users.
It’s ages since I’ve driven a Transit. Drove plenty with jobs between 1982-1985. Normally 2L petrol ones. But I drove a 3L V6 once. In an unladen Transit 2L you could spin the back wheels in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear without much effort. The 3L spun the wheels even when loaded! Never driven a diesel Transit but I’ve driven a pair of LandRover Defenders that used the Transit’s 2.2L Duratorq engine and gearbox.
When I was involved with fixed standby generators, they didn’t use red diesel as such.
However, they used cheaper oil with a high sulphur content (like the “35 second” oil used for heating). This is fine for a stationary engine which quickly gets hot and runs steadily under load - and is designed for this fuel.
Put it in a road vehicle and (apart from being illegal) it will corrode your expensive bits in short order.
