First activation ON/ON-030

[ON4ROB]

29/12/22, Fontaine - L’Evêque. I wasn’t shure about the accessibility. There is a fence surrounding the high voltage cone and the soil of a terril is not always very stable… The approuch I used, was the GR12, passing arround the terrils.
(IMG 1 / Mark 2)

The entrance for me was Rue Candie, where the street makes a “kink” (IMG 1 / Mark 1 + IMG 2). When you walk +/- 1/2 h. on this field road, you can see 2 terrils. The goal for the SOTA activation is the second one (IMG 3).

Google Earth: 50.40361, 04.30139

Just arround the corner, I’ve found a ”possibility” to start my adventure (IMG 4).

Google Earth: 50.39556, 04.2975

There is no pathway to the top. You have to find “your own way” (Bruce?). The soil is indeed unstable. It’s a short climb to the top, very steep, with a lot of thorn bushes arround you (IMG 5). Gloves and walking poles should be very wellcome!

On the top, the “Yes, I’ve made it!” feeling and a beautiful vieuw. No problem to find a tree for the antenna.

I’ve made 12 QSO’s in 1/2 h. ( 20m. - SSB / Icom 705 - 5 W. / End Fed ). Thanks to all HAMs for their efforts to make a QSO with me. I’ve heard many stations deep in the noise, but I couldn’t work them because of the QRM on the frequency and the background noise of the wind on the top.

When you go up, you should come down.

Not so easy, but I was satisfied to have reached my goal.
SOTA is always a challenge!

73,ON4ROB

[F4WBN]

Congratulations Rob ! 73 and HNY - Chris

[MM0EFI]

Triumph! Well done. 20 m has been poor recently. Well done on qualifying the summit.

73, Fraser MM0EFI

[M0WIV]

Well done! I guess it is a mound created from coal mining? We would generally call it a “spoil heap” in English.

We have G/DC-008 near where I live which is also a spoil heap. It would be interesting to get a S2S between them, or should that be SH2SH?

[M0HGY]

I was wondering if ON/ON-030 would ever get activated as it looked completely inaccessible. Before this summit got added, me and my dad Tom @M1EYP we’re looking to at some-point get all the ON SOTA activated, but when this summit got added, I thought that it would be no longer be possible to activate the all the ON SOTA summits. Looks like it maybe now be possible for us to get all the ON SOTA summits activated.

Jimmy M0HGY

[ON9CBQ]

Hi Rob, tnx fer detailed report!
73 es HNY
de Franz ON9CBQ

[2M0WNA]

Hi Rob. Tnx for report and QSO… Always great to get ON in the SOTA log. Happy New Year. 73 Mike

[ON4UP]

Very big congratulations with this first Rob!!!
Thanks for the report and the pictures.

73, Peter

[PA9CW]

Thanks for the nice report.

[G4OBK]

Well done Rob! Now I need a few others to try and climb this awkward pile when I am home in the shack, really sorry to miss you yesterday, although on 14 MHz with QRP you are rather close to guarantee a QSO with Northern England, 7 MHz would likely be better most times. If I can chase ON/ON-030 then I have an excuse to return to Belgium and re-complete ON, then further south to LX/LX-005 (can’t be so far) which was found to be compliant and was added to the LX SOTA list in 2021.

73 de Phil G4OBK

[ON4ROB]

Jimmy (@M0HGY) and Tom (@M1EYP),

Thanks for the reply. When you want to activate ON/ON-030, be careful. The terril is very steep and the soil is not stable. So be patiënt and take your time when you go up and down. I’ve chosen the shortest way: just up and straight on. Not easy, but you can do it with some climbing skills. Succes and welcome to Belgium!

NY greetings, Rob

[ON4ROB]

Phil (@G4OBK),

Thanks for the reply. Yes, your right, the terril is “an awkward pile”. But when you have “the SOTA drive” there are no limits (?). Murphy was with me on the top. I’ve forgotten my tuner so I could only use my resonant End Fed Antenna for 14Mhz. Thanks for the efforts to try to make a QSO with me. So, keep on and maybe some day, welcome to Belgium!

NY greetings, Rob.

[ON4ROB]

John (@M0WIV).

Thanks for the reply. Yes, you are the creator of a new SOTA specialty: SH2SH! I love it!

NY greetings, Rob.

[DH8WN]

Rob, thanks for your report and congrats for the first activation, not so easy to find such summits this days.
73, Ludwig

[PA3FYG]

Tnk Rob for the info.
I am planning to do all ON in 2023. I did all summits several times, so a trip is nearly routine for me hi hi.
I guess this one takes more time than the others so have to take some time for it. Not starting when it is nearly dark…
I activated 001,009, 011, 025, 026,029 already last week on route to/ from holiday in RP. Winterpoints and no snow, for the first time.
73 de Hans PA3FYG

[ON4ROB]

Hello Hans,

Thanks for the reply. I wish you succes with your “SOTA Tour” in Belgium! Yes, you have to be in a “good mood” when you go for ON/ON-030, but it’s achievable. It’s also a goal for me to activate all ON summits. For me, still 9 to go. A year ago ( march 2022 ) I’ve had a " workshop-in-the-field " with @ON7DQ to learn all the SOTA skills. Since then I’m adicted to SOTA. Every time I go on a holiday trip, my mind won’t settle without a SOTA challenge!

73, ON4ROB

[PA3FYG]

I worked out a trip, 1130 km, working the rest +PA-003.
From home in the middle of PA to ON-027, ON-030 etc.
What was your time walking from parking to the top?
Guess I have to stay 2 days in a hotel.
I want to do it begin of March, QRL holiday, and a bit more daylight, winterpoints.
73 de Hans

[ON4ROB]

Hans,

It takes +/- 1 h. from the parking place ( Rue Candie ) to the top of the terril. Succes with your activation trip!

73, Rob.

[ON4ROB]

Phil,

Thanks for putting the photos on SOTLAS!

73, Rob.

[PA3FYG]

Thanks, helped my a lot. Easy to find, hard to climb. Guess in the summer it is nearly impossible.
73 de Hans PA3FYG