Hi all, just a quick heads up in case any activators/chasers need completes on the following SOTA summits I aim to activate over this coming weekend:
Friday 24th March:
Christ Cross G/DC-005 @ approximately 19:15 UTC
Saturday 25th March:
High Willhays G/DC-001 @ approximately 10:45 UTC
Kit Hill G/DC-003 @ approximately 13:45 UTC
Hensbarrow Downs G/DC-008 @ approximately 16:20 UTC
Sunday 26th March:
Carnmenellis G/DC-006 @ approximately 09:15 UTC
Watch Croft G/DC-007 @ approximately 11:45 UTC
Monday 27th March:
Brown Willy G/DC-002 @ approximately 10:00 UTC
I will operate on 5-CW, 7-SSB and 145-FM spotting on every frequency I call out on. Times are an estimate, but I will try and stick to them the best I can (subject to wx and traffic). I might need some help on Friday evenings activation, I will be calling by on route to our hotel, so please listen out for me on HF & 145-FM it would be great to work some stations from the SOTA community over the weekend! PS - clocks change on Sunday, so I think I’ve put my times up correct, they are all in UTC. 73, G(W)4BML Ben
Best wishes for the trip but Friday evening looks a bit grim. You will know from the map you can activate G/DC-005 from the road but there are a lot of trees which may be potentially dangerous in the expected high winds. However, if you walk north along the road a little way you will be clear of them.
If instead you take the short walk along the track to the “summit” you will be clear of trees at the compound where the mast and trig point are. The gates here are solid so you could lash your mast to one of them. Unlike every other farm gate I’ve ever come across you have to stand on the first one, not lift it, in order to slide the bolt.
In your shoes I would try 2m FM first, given the weather forecast. Although Exmoor is to the north you should be able to reach into parts of South Wales.
I’ll alert the members of the Dartmoor Radio Club, one of our members, Paul M7CPM lives on the east side of Dartmoor and may be within reach.
Thank you very much John @M0WIV - I’ll call out on the hand-held first, but would like to put the EFHW up and tune to 3.5MHz to work CW and SSB. It all depends what the wx is doing and how our journey is on the way down.
Good luck Ben, I activated Chris Cross from the side of the road and strung my EFHW between two trees. Unfortunatly I will be home by the time you activate so no S2S. MIght be able to catch you on HF/SSB when get home
Hi Colin @G8TMV, I’ll try and operate on 3.5-SSB from Christ Cross as well as 145-FM, so hopefully we’ll make contact. On Hensbarrow I’ll work 7-SSB which has been working extremely well on inter-g. Would be great to make both contacts for your completes - I’ll listen out.
Hi John @M0VAZ, thanks for the heads up - looks like I’ll be using the same trees I won’t be there until 20:45, so it’ll be in the dark too, just hope 3.5MHz is working well.
I have a lot of noise on 80m but I’ll listen. You might want to think about using 60m (5MHz) in future when activating, the antenna takes a lot less space. I’ve had great success using it with my 817 when activating and the wideband mod is simple although a bit time consuming due to the amount of dis-assembly required.
I didn’t get a chance to activate G/DC-001 this past winter like I usually do. I am heading to Devon in April for a few days, so maybe I could get the chance to activate High Willhays then. Hopefully you’ll manage to chase Ben before then though.
Hi Colin @G8TMV, thanks for the suggestion, but you’ll see I’m pretty active on 5MHz already I won’t be on Christ Church until later on in the evening, so from past experience, the 5MHz band maybe closed - 3.5MHz will be the next best option to work inter-g stations, we’ll see. I’ll certainly give 5MHz a shout first, fingers crossed - would be great to make the contact!
Hi Colin @M1BUU, great to know your going down to Devon… I may need to ask for a couple of completes, hahaaa! Have a good time and I’ll listen out for you.
Christ Cross G/DC-005 has various setup options. Near the parking, along the path to the summit and the summit itself. I have activated along the road before, but in October last year a luxurious seating option was made available for tired hikers needing a rest before the final push to the summit.
I’m still having nightmares about this hike! thanks for the info - I’ll look out for that bench at Christ Cross, after 4 hours of driving, it’ll be nice to have a little walk to summit.
Yes apologies, it was a tough activation! Not hearing many stations on 5-CW and 7MHz was worse I was hoping 14MHz would have been better, but only managed a S2S with EA/SP9HGN/p. After calling for 10 minutes, the wx put a stop to the activation and we packed up.
Hopefully you’ll work it in the near future for a complete!
it would be great to work some stations from the SOTA community over the weekend! PS - clocks change on Sunday, so I think I’ve put my times up correct, they are all in UTC. 73, G(W)4BML Ben
You will know from the map you can activate G/DC-005 from the road but there are a lot of trees which may be potentially dangerous in the expected high winds. However, if you walk north along the road a little way you will be clear of them.
I won’t be there until 20:45, so it’ll be in the dark too, just hope 3.5MHz is working well.
I was hoping 14MHz would have been better, but only managed a S2S with EA/SP9HGN/p. After calling for 10 minutes, the wx put a stop to the activation and we packed up.