G/LD-004 Skiddaw

Activation Reports
1

Interesting morning up on Skiddaw, ascending from the Latrigg car park. The first part of the ascent was harder than I’d anticipated, and I was grateful that I’d left my wife in Keswick. If she’d been there, the activation would have had to have been called off. Instead, I could continue up at my own pace, narrowly treading the line marking the border of cardiac arrest. I pulse-width-modulated my way up the track, alternating periods of high activity with rest (I can’t walk slowly), to average out at a steady rate.

I got to the top after 2 hours or so, and just before I arrived, the cloud rolled in and the wind moved from strong to bloody strong and gusting stronger. I set up on 20m, and again struggled with tuning up the antenna, but once the radio slipped and knocked the feedline just right, it tuned up well enough for me to get a signal out, and I worked 6 QSOs including 2 new EU entities for me. The view, too, was awesome once the cloud cleared.

I tried to QSY to 40m when 20m went quiet, but the wind was continuing to try to rip the antenna down towards Keswick at a rapid rate, stopped only by me holding onto it and the temperature and wind chill was driving me insane, so when I realised I was going to be struggling to get a 40m counterpoise strung out and still remain behind the shelter on the top, plus the fact my wife had been alone with a credit card for 2 and a half hours, I decided to head down while I was still solvent.

The descent treaded the line finely between “rapid” and “uncontrolled”, and I was in the car, picked my wife up without too much damage to my credit rating, and headed off to Edinburgh, where we’ll spend the next three days.

I’m regretting not packing another feedline to enable me to properly troubleshoot where the problem is in the signal chain, but I will continue trying to activate. Any advice on where I can find a 3m or so PL-259 cable in Edinburgh, and a simple (preferably drive-up) summit to attempt to activate in Scotland will be appreciated. Anyone joining me on the top of the summit with a good malt and two large glasses will be immortalised in ballad and their virtues extolled throughout the Antipodes.

Cheers,
Andrew
VK3ARR

2

In reply to VK3ARR:

Any advice on where I can find a 3m or so PL-259 cable in Edinburgh

Hi Andrew,

You could try:

Maplin Electronics
118-126 Dalry Road
Edinburgh
EH11 2EZ

This is on the main A70 road, not far from Edinburgh Haymarket railway station.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

3

In reply to VK3ARR:
Perhaps Ken GM0AXY could help, he lives in Edinburgh and is a keen “SOTAist” his email address is on his QRZ page.

73

Victor GI4ONL

4

In reply to VK3ARR:
Hi Andrew.I know what you are saying regards the trudge up Skidaw.I don,t know if you are going anywhere near Fife but Waters and Stanton have abranch in that area.
http://www.jayceecoms.com/
73 Geoff.

5

In reply to VK3ARR:

and a simple (preferably drive-up) summit to attempt to activate in Scotland
will be appreciated.

There is actually a SOTA Summit right in the centre of Edinburgh, i.e. Arthur’s Seat, GM/SS-272. Very easy to get to, but there is a complication - you need to get advance permission to operate from there. It can be done by email, but I do realise it’s very short notice. Might be worth a try, though.

The Park Rangers provide written permission and can now be be contacted by e-mail at hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

They need to know in writing (e-mail) why you are seeking permission to transmit and when you intend to transmit.

Good luck!

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

6

In reply to VK3ARR:
Any advice on where I can find a 3m or

so PL-259 cable in Edinburgh, and a simple (preferably drive-up)
summit to attempt to activate in Scotland will be appreciated. Anyone
joining me on the top of the summit with a good malt and two large
glasses will be immortalised in ballad and their virtues extolled
throughout the Antipodes.

Hi Andrew,

I agree with Walt, Arthurs Seat.

Get in touch with Historic Scotland 0131 668 8600

They will ask for an email asking for permission. However, if you tell them you are only there for a short stay, I’m sure they’ll fast track it. I got my permission back within two hours. They’re based in Edinburgh.

Historic Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Edinburgh
EH9 1SH.

There was a link to a very useful map but it seems broken now.

Try here for info…

http://www.sotawatch.org/summits.php?summit=GM/SS-272

http://www.sotawatch.org/article.php?summit=GM/SS-272&id=6171

Very busy summit, you can expect a gallery.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

7

In reply to VK3ARR:
Sound like you had normal wx with out the rain hi hi, i am sure if you had stayed in the lakes long enough some one would have fixed you up with the lead you wanted,
shame you did not try 2m m6uxh, 2e0mix and myself activated g/ld-006 Pillar fell at the same time you where on Skiddaw a s2s on offer,we pressed on and did 3 more Wainwright summits 10 hrs 10miles later a well deserved pint in the Wasdale hotel

                     73,Colin G4UXH

PS Alot of lakeland fells have long walk-ins just a taster for your trip to Scotland Best of luck

8

In reply to VK3ARR:

Hi Andrew, hope you get your supplies.

If you want possibly the easiest hill in Scotland, try Cairnpapple Hill GM/SS-254. Just to the West of Edinburgh, with a 500m walk in and only 30m ascent it doesn’t get much better! Good write-up on access info on the SOTAWatch summit info link.

Have fun whatever you end up doing.

73 de Paul G4MD

Edit: Oops thanks for spotting that Ken… East, West what’s the difference? No wonder I’m always getting lost…

9

In reply to G4MD:
Hi Andrew
I have just picked up on this thread;
I agree with what has been mentioned above. Note that Cairnpapple Hill GM/SS-254 is to the west of Edinburgh. There is a minor road quite close to this summit leaving only a trivial walk to the actual summit.
If you go north into Fife there is East Lomond Hill GM/SS-198 just to the north of Glenrothes; quite close to where JAYCEE, which was mentioned earlier, have their shop. Only a short walk from the parking area to the summit.
I have 2mtrs FM running here on the calling channel 145.500 MHz, so if you are in town give me a shout.
73
Ken

10

In reply to VK3ARR:

Well done, I activated Skiddaw just before Christmas, I was in cloud from the car park up. snapped the mast twice, had it fall down 3 times. As the wind was getting even worse on my decent, the waterproof cover of my rucksak decided to become a windsock and I nearly took off.
It sure gets wild up there.

Good luck with your other activations in the UK
Kevin G7KXZ

11

In reply to GM0AXY:

I agree with what has been mentioned above. Note that Cairnpapple Hill
GM/SS-254 is to the west of Edinburgh. There is a minor road quite
close to this summit leaving only a trivial walk to the actual summit.

Thanks for that (and indeed for all suggestions from all!). I was contemplating heading that way as I have family history around Torphichen that I was considering exploring for my father.

If you go north into Fife there is East Lomond Hill GM/SS-198 just to
the north of Glenrothes; quite close to where JAYCEE, which was
mentioned earlier, have their shop. Only a short walk from the parking
area to the summit.

My wife has expressed a desire to head to Pitlochry and Perth tomorrow, so I was also looking at Moncreiffe Hill GM/SS-276 which seems straight forward enough.

I have 2mtrs FM running here on the calling channel 145.500 MHz, so if
you are in town give me a shout.

I have 2m capability on the FT-857, but I don’t have an appropriate antenna unless you count a MacGuyvered 1/4 wave out of the Buddistick. I left the HT at home under the “you can only take one radio” rule :wink:

I think I’ve resolved the SWR problems (famous last words/touch wood/etc) having found a PL-259 patch cable at the bottom of my bag in seemingly better condition, so I will try to activate something tomorrow. Probably Moncreiffe Hill, and probably 20m first.

Cheers,
Andrew

12

In reply to VK3ARR:
OK Andrew, I don’t need to tell you that you have better weather for exploring family history than climbing hills around Edinburgh at present - this easterly draft bringing low clouds and rain has been with us for a week now!
Hope you enjoy the stay in Scotland and that you manage to get to one or another summit, hi! Will listen out for you.
73
Ken

13

In reply to GM0AXY:

Is it raining or is the cloud actually down to ground level?
Both!

Not a bonny day. :frowning:

Andt
MM0FMF

14

In reply to MM0FMF:

In reply to GM0AXY:

Is it raining or is the cloud actually down to ground level?
Both!

Not a bonny day. :frowning:

Indeed, although by the time I activated Moncreiffe Hill the rain had stopped and there was no wind to speak of. The summit was in the clouds and that lent an eerie air to the activation, but still got 21 QSOs on 40m, and 5 on 20m.

Cheers,
Andrew