Big hill; wee antenna...

Glenshee. Near Braemar. The Eastern Cairngorms of Scotland.

I first came here some 65 years ago, sitting enthralled in the back seat of my dad’s venerable 848cc Morris Minor as we headed up the steep A93 road from our home on the Angus coast and over the fearsome - although now long bypassed - Devil’s Elbow hairpin bends:-

Almost 50 years ago, I learned to ski here, taught patiently by my wonderful girlfriend - an expert skier and hillwalking enthusiast - who I had the good sense to marry 45 years ago.

Some 30 years ago, we scaled six Munros on this side of the A93 on one memorable late-autumn Saturday, including Glas Maol which we were grateful to locate in the low cloud:-.

We soon climbed all the Munros in this immediate area. But in 1995, while working with the emergency services, I was closely involved in a dramatic mountain rescue on these very slopes when a lone cross-country skier slid off-piste in poor visibility one afternoon, became disorientated and hopelessly lost and was amazingly fortunate to survive three nights in the bitter and foul winter weather by sheltering in snow holes before being rescued and airlifted to hospital. Yes, these hills can be benign and beautiful, but they can be killers in waiting, too, when you least expect it.

(See postscript below….)

Health hasn’t always been kind to me since then and in my two and a half years of SOTA activating, I haven’t been back to these hills, 60 miles from my home QTH. I was determined to put that right, though, so when the weather forecast promised a decent day on Friday, we headed to the Glenshee Ski Centre on Thursday evening to tackle Glas Maol (pronounced Glaz Mool), a popular 1,068-metre eight-pointer which has a reputation of being one of the easier “big” hills in the area. On a good day, that is…!

My aim was to activate it on three different modes, principally using my Elecraft KX2 and the tiny AX1 antenna. Few topics generate more heat on the Reflector than arguments over compromised versus resonant antennas, and especially regarding the huge compromise required by the pricey AX1 on 40m, 30m, 20m and 17m. Logic suggests it’s no better than a dummy load, but I was determined to test it for myself. To be fair, I’d done one brief CW activation with it on a local two-pointer last year (my only CW one so far) which yielded four QSOs, although all relatively short distances from England.

We parked overnight at the Ski Centre itself which offers a cafe/restaurant during the day, toilets open all night, and five electric hook-up spaces for campervans at just £12 for the night. When we awoke early, ready for the off, it wasn’t quite the glorious blue sky that was promised. In fact, we couldn’t see any hills at all - or even the adjacent toilet block…!:-

No matter, we got organised quickly knowing that such irritations can be short-lived and so by 8am we were on the path to the summit. It’s stony and wide to accommodate the many tracked ski-vehicles which ply their trade up and down here during the winter.

We headed up the track over Meall Odhar and soon were in warm sunshine and light winds. Looking back to the Ski Centre below, they’d have a while to wait before they’d see the sun:-

From the top of Meall Odhar, the steeper climb up to the summit of Glas Maol lay ahead:-

It’s a slow steep ziz-zag but not too long and although we’re now slower at ascending, it was perfectly doable without requiring the frequent use of a defibrillator… :rofl:

And so to the activation. To make sure of getting my first four, I fixed my RH770 whip to my Yaesu FT-4xe (is there a better inexpensive, decently-built, dual-band, reliable and basic 5w h/h available?) and soon there were four in the log from across southern and eastern Scotland. I clearly heard some chatter from guys activating in the Lake District but unfortunately they didn’t hear my call and so didn’t respond.

There was one pleasant S2S on 2m FM with Paul @GM4IBP/P who was activating GM/SS-099 near Killin. My ever-present hill mascot, Ben the Bear - in addition to constant companions wife Ann and SOTA dog Sula - was with me to enjoy the fun…

Time to set up the rig. I chose to put the AX1 antenna on a small tripod as it makes things easier than having it wobbling around on one’s knee. The counterpoise for 20/18m was stretched out and CW selected.

I used my excellent “reborn” Pico Paddle from Hannes @DL9SCO on a hill for the first time. It is a delight to use but as soon as I sent my CQ call, I faced my first ever CW pile-up. Struggling to pick any callsigns out of the many strong signals, I instantly fell apart - not literally, but figuratively - as though I’d never used CW before. My brain fried and all my previous CW experience in the shack seemed to count for nothing as I bungled my replies, got callsigns wrong and frankly sounded like I was sending while wearing boxing gloves. It was hugely disappointing for me, and for the enthusiastic chasers who must have wondered who was this clown pretending to be a CW activator. Unsurprisingly, the pile-up soon fizzled out … :cry:

However, my determination to test the AX1 in the field meant I did my best and was hugely grateful to Jose @EA7GV; Vrat @OK1KT; Frid @DL1FU; Lucas @ON3YB and Jack @OH3GZ for putting up with my appalling CW and giving me excellent reports as a decent test for the antenna. From Southern Spain to Finland - I was happy with that for starters.

However, would the AX1 do anything on SSB? It seemed unlikely given its compromised nature but a CQ on 20m brought an immediate welcome response from Senor Reliable - Manuel @EA2DT - and a 4/3 report from him was an encouraging opener. A few QSO’s with Germany and Poland followed, all with very reasonable signal reports.

My intention was to try the AX1 next on 40m, but to be honest, my brain was still wobbling after my 20m CW performance so I decided to call it a day and hopefully do better next time. I wandered off to admire the view instead.

My conclusion was that while the AX1 can never compete with a resonant dipole, or the decent EFHW on the Carbon6 pole I usually use, it certainly performs impressively, esp on CW, for something that takes up little more space in my bag than a couple of ballpoint pens. I am well impressed and will try it again soon, perhaps at a time of day when DX might be possible.

Our descent back to the van didn’t take long - in CW terms, a couple of dots and a quick dash - but with glorious panoramas in full view now that the mist had lifted.

Looking back in my hill photo archive, I couldn’t resist recalling how much has changed since this picture was taken of Ann and our collie, Corrie, on the adjacent summit of Tom Buidhe during that epic six-Munro day 30 years ago:-

Photographing Ann and SOTAdog Sula at the summit of Glas Maol today, it seems nothing much has changed… :grinning:

73 es tu. Mike :grinning:

“Postscript re mountain rescue story:.The chap who was rescued confessed afterwards that on the second night of his ordeal, he craved a bottle of Barr’s Irn Bru, the legendary Scottish fizzy beverage. Seizing the considerable publicity value of such a statement in such a high-profile story, Barr’s immediately presented him with a sizeable supply. Thereafter, I resolved that if I was ever lost then rescued and asked about what I’d craved overnight, I would answer “Raquel Welch” in the hope of the delivery of similar good fortune….:joy: (other more modern film stars are now available!)*

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Mike,
Thats a lovely blogg with some really interesting photographs.

I hope you continue with CW - Most of us, well, certainly me, found the first pile up rather…daunting - ~I certainly did and I learned as a naval radio operator many years ago!!!

The only thing I’ve noticed changing on the hills are the cairns are getting bigger - but your cairn doesn’t look bigger!! And the paths are getting more worn and more obvious.

Dave

PS Your, now wife must have been a good ski instructor. (I used to teach skiing a little but always found it too difficult and gave up!!!)

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That made me laugh. I do not know what kit/antennas Manuel has… but they clearly work very well in combination with his operating skills.

Lovely report by the way. Enjoyed reading it immensely.

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Thanks for the encouragement, Dave. I intend to get back on the Morse as soon as I can as it’s a great mode to use, esp with limited gear and power. I passed 100 SOTA CW QSOs yesterday (9 of which were activating, the rest chasing) so surely my CW can’t be as bad next time…(I hope)…! 73 Mike :grinning:

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Thanks Gerald. My writing seems ok but my CW would have made you cry…:rofl::rofl: 73 Mike :grinning:

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Well done and great report Mike :sunglasses:

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Hi Mike,

Nice report and our QSO on 2M earlier. I noted that you were active on 20M and I was awaiting your QSY to 40M for a slow QSO with you on CW. Pity.

Interestingly - a kinda reversal, I learned to ski in the Scouts at the tender age of 12 at what I remember was dreich Sundays (in the 60’s) at Glenshee (the Angus (Hire) Ski shop in Blairgowrie and cable bindings - hi). On meeting my girlfriend and now recently deceased wife Anne (GM4UXX) she knew I could ski and at the time was in her first teaching post at Hillhead High School, Glasgow. They had a ski club and asked if I would like to come along on Sundays and give some instruction. So in effect I taught Anne to ski (along with many pupils and teachers - bend-zee-knees!). She became a pretty competent skier and we enjoyed skiing all over the World. I also introduced her to hill walking, map reading and compass navigation.

On the converse, Anne introduced me to curling in which I became fairly competent - representing Scotland v America in the successful 2007 Tour. Again we both curled in Europe, North America and New Zealand.

Great times and memories.

73 till the nxt time

Jack(;>J

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Hi Mike, thanks for a great blogg of recent activities and past memories. A very enjoyable read.

Geoff vk3sq

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Apologies Jack. It was my intention to do so but as you now know, I bottled it :weary:

A wonderful tale of your early skiing days with Anne GM4UXX. Thanks so much for sharing it. Sadly I never worked her on the radio but the many fine tributes posted on her passing spoke volumes about her. :heart:
I have great memories of my early days on a borrowed pair of Red Master skis (you could unscrew the edges and sharpen them!) also with cable bindings and leather boots. Amazingly, both my ankles remain undamaged. As for dreich Sundays, yes, indeed. I’d skied many times at Glenshee before I actually saw the hills. In fact, my first lesson of “ben ze knees” took place on a snow-clad Braemar golf course as the ski road was blocked by snow and the bus from Aberdeen couldn’t get up to the ski area. I should add that over the years since then my occasional golf game has been as execrable as my skiing - and my CW apparently! :joy:
Looking forward to our next on-air chat. 73 Mike :grin:

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You told me you were only 55! I thought you must have had a hard paper-round.

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I can understand how you might have been confused by my boyish good looks. Or perhaps you just need better spectacles…:nerd_face:
Incidentally, I once worked in a paper shop, but it blew away……:joy:

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Thanks Mike for an excellent report with some lovely photos.

I have experienced this many times, and I’m sure I’m not the only one! I’ve had several brain shutdown moments! Good on you for giving it a go on the key! It will only get easier over time. The great news is that we have lots of very patient and sympathetic chasers out there who are very happy to work cw newbies.

Haha. I don’t know though, I can think of a few more topics! :grimacing: Glad you had some success with the AX1.

I looking forward to reading your next report.

73, Matthew M0JSB

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Glorious weather to match the glorious report!

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Thanks Matthew. It’s good to know I’m not alone! Already planning my next CW activation though. When you fall off the horse, it’s best to get straight back on the Morse again.
Appreciate your other comments and, yes, I can also think of many more contentious Reflector debates now you mention it… :smile:
73 Mike :smile:

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Most definitely! Best of luck with the next one.

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Wonderful account and pictures Mike. Glad to see you are up and about - and in style. We went up there May last year when nothing was open…except the toilets which were very useful and popular. I didn’t much like the all the ski stuff but i didn’t have your fund of memories.to help me up the hill. Well done with persevering with the Morse which is completely beyond me. It just sounds like a nasty noise to me! Glad the RH770 worked so well. I carry it (along with the sotabeam filter) all the time and it is very useful when you arrive at a summit rather flaked and you have a couple of s2s getting cold and wondering if you will EVER reach the top (GW/SW-003 last weekend). Out came the RH770 and 2 2m and 1 70cm S2S were in the bag before I started looking round for somehere to sit (a few peat hags) and to get out of the (unforecast) stiff gusty wind (impossible). It was nearly 15 mins later that warm clothing had been piled on and the dipole up and working.and the summits wouldn’t have waited that long.
I look forward to seeing more pictures from you next expediton, preferably accompanied by pictures of you in your best Clarks shoes!
73 Viki

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Thanks for the great reply Viki. Always good to hear from you.

It’s new to me so that was its first outing but given the amazing results you get on 2m/70cm through your mixture of skill, effort and perseverance, it sounds like a good addition to my activation bag.

That’s pretty much how I felt on this activation! As my old piano teacher used to plead to me: “Please practice…!”

It’s particularly unsightly when there’s no snow but, as you know, you don’t have to go far to escape it.

Haha, my Clark’s sandals were essential summer footwear back then, but woe betide me if I scuffed them before the summer was over! That was a criminal offence in my family. One pair had to last. (Regular readers will be relieved to know that I have no intention of posting regular pictures of me in days before narrow waists and broad minds changed places….).:rofl:

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Thanks Geoff. Good to share some memories before my own memory dissolves… :rofl:
73 Mike :grinning:

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Or as they repeatedly told me in Switzerland back in 1966, “zee knees a little bend”. Unfortunately with my father having died in a road traffic accident two years previously, funds were not available for more skiing trips and that was to be my only one. I still treasure the badge I achieved as a reminder what might have been had circumstances been different.

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It was pretty much the same when I activated Glas Maol. I hoped that there might be an inversion with good conditions on 2m, but it wasn’t to be, though I did manage a contact with Don G0NES in Birmingham. I did enjoy the outing and the photo I took of the summit has been the desktop view on one of my computers ever since.

Well done on managing the CW pile up Mike, a nerve racking experience when you are faced with a huge wall of sound. I’m sure you will pull more calls out and make contacts more speedily next time when hopefully I’ll be around to work you.

73, Gerald

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