Yes, but of course it was an evolving process that did involve some head-banging! Andy even worked out how to turn it off (three presses of the P button if anyone is interested!)
Well done! Yes three presses and then a long press. Assuming it is the CA2RXU firmware this action has improved in recent versions ofthe the firmware - previously it was very hit and miss and would always frustratingly go into the menu instead, now with the latest release it works every time.
A cracking day out yesterday. I chose Place Fell and decided to stick to 2m. I qualified the summit just by speaking to various Dave/Davids - UK’s answer to the Australian Andy/Andrew? Beautiful views and warm in the sunshine (I almost wished I’d worn shorts). The trick for today will be to find shelter from that wind if you want to sit and play radio for any length of time. Don’t forget the suncream
It was good joining in the Lake District S2S party today from GW. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it up north, but wanted to join in on some action. Me and little Lyra decided to activate Foel Cedig, GW/NW-034 by bike. It was a lovely sunny day, but there was a bitterly cold wind on top. Nevertheless, we found a shaded spot, set up the gas stove with coffee on go for me, cheese sandwiches and water for Ly. I managed 18 contacts on 145-FM, with 7 being S2S stations, using the FT-65 and slim-G on my tactical mini 6m pole. Thanks to all who called in, it was great to work you!
What a lovely few days it’s been here in G/LD. Arnside Knott and Whitbarrow Wednesday; Top O’selside, Kirby Fell and Claife Heights Thursday, Dufton PIke Friday (the less said about that the better); and to top it off Helvellyn today. 37 QSOs, 17 S2S on 2m and 23cm today on G/LD-003. More than 5 QSOs were on 23cm, as far as John GW4ZPL in Caernafon North Wales and G3OHH in Staffordshire. So technically I had enough 23cm QSOs today to make today a microwave activation.
A big thanks must go to Nick G0HIK who has been up and down Kirkby Fell at least 5 times this week, to help get those 23cm S2S. A stirling effort Nick, thanks!
Awesome! Thanks for organising it again Mark (and sorry you couldn’t be here today). Joint activation with Dave (another one) @M7SAT on G/LD-024. Thanks for the use of your kit. 2mFM, 2mSSB & 70cmFM all used (we wimped out on 70cmSSB and Fusion). Found a perfect operating position out of the wind in the sunshine and with 2 built in chairs for us to lounge on. I forgot to take a picture (as usual), but maybe Dave will upload his. 15 S2S (some dupes) and best DX S2S goes to Simon @GW4TJC/P on GW/NW-075 on 70cm FM!
Well the walk went well, but the plan for the weekend didn’t work as planned. Last time I stayed over for. Lakes we I stayed in the car park at Bowlees in the camper. As I didn’t really fancy that for two nights I decided to book at the next door camping club site, well that was the pan but as I arrived, ready to park the van and cross the ferry to do Cailfe Heights I found that there were two Windermere camping club sites, a bit like there is London Heathrow, and London Charles de Gaulle airport. I had found a place because the Windermere campsite is really nearer Kendal than anywhere else…. So I parked in car park - slightly later and caught the ferry across Windermere to do Cailfe Heights. It was a lovely walk, just a few hundred meters from the bustle of Bowness to a quiet footpath through the woods to the summit. It was easier than two years ago with all the forestry work cleared.
By the time I got back to the van at 5-30 I had to go to the not so nearby campsite and getting back to go to the pub wasn’t really a good option.
Saturday dawned bright and early and a spell with Google Maps proved the car park at Grassmere was suitable for the camper with no height barriers. It was expensive’ but at least the money goes to the National Park, although I do object to paying for the loo when I’ve just given them £8-50 to park. It is quite a sharp climb up to Stone Arthur and then was a gradual slog up to Fairfield. During the activation Woody was in fine form (sorry) and things got quite hectic when groups of walkers with dogs came to ask questions while Woody was in full conversation.
Woody and Jet are not really up to Shadows standards, but they were brilliant today, a gentle pull up the hill, and on the sharp scree like descent from Fairfield to Grisedale Hause they walked sensibly behind me walking as directed. Seat sandal is only 160m up from the hause but I felt every one of them. I’ve done this hill three times always tagged on to another ascent and it usually feels a long way. Perhaps I’m fitter or perhaps Woody and Jet were pulling harder but it wasn’t quite as bad.
Well having the camper in the car park has worked quite well, I’m showered and tea is in the oven, and am looking forward to that oxymoron - a beer without alcohol in the pub…
MW0WML Gerald and GW4VPX Allan (as M0WML/P and G4VPX/P)
Claife Heights G/LD-037
What a difference to the last time both of us were at this summit! The trees have gone! It suffered terribly in Storm Arwen at the end of November 2021. Some photos comparing the route below.
Radio was excellent, but only on 2m FM. I did manage 4 S2S on 20m… but that was the extent of HF contacts.
Set up
2m FM, FT-270 (with occasional use of Allans’ IC-705), Allans’ home brew antenna, on a 4m pole.
10m SSB, IC-705, vertical antenna, 7m pole.
40m/20m SSB, KX-2, EFHW, Carbon6 pole
Results
2m FM, 17 QSO of which 13 were S2S.
10m SSB, zilch
20m SSB, 4 QSO, all S2S!
40m SSB, zilch
87 summit to summit points. Lots of people do way better, but for me it’s a record.
Weather was lovely… we got a sheltered summit spot out of the wind.
Thanks to all the Chasers and Activators for the S2S.
Whilst I had a prior engagement this weekend (GMDX conference) and so couldn’t come and play, I’m delighted to see you all seem to have had wonderful WX.
I’m down in Englandshire next weekend for the Blackpool Rally and hope to bag a summit or three over the weekend… you just watch the WX turn dire now.
Surely your second, Dave - what about last week on Shining Tor?
I’d called Roger G3OHH on 23cm SSB this morning to let him know that you’d be on FM, so I’m glad that he caught you.
Were you just using the rubber omni antenna on your Alinco? I find that holding the set sideways with the aerial horizontal and then turning to peak the incoming signal helps when working horizontally-polarised stations.
Despite the wall to wall sun shine yesterday on G/LD-003, sitting still for a couple of hours at 950m, I was cold. The selfie was taken just as I had set off, the layers very quickly came off as I descended. By 800m I was down to my t shirt.
I definitely was on Helvellyn, here’s the log from my SOTA LoRa APRs tracker.
