Gaulfest 2023 - Friday 29th December - confirmed

[M5OTA]

I had a great day today! Thanks to Jimmy @M0HGY for organising and all the chasers for making it happen.

I planned to do the five 2 point summits in the area to get the winter bonus. Famous five, favourite five, Shropshire five? There seem to be a number of names around. Coming from the South I went for Titterstone Clee Hill (G/WB-004), Brown Clee Hill (G/WB-002), Corndon Hill (GW/MW-013), Stiperstones (G/WB-003), Long Mynd / Pole Bank (G/WB-005).

First two qualified OK with just a handheld and Diamond SRH771 in windy but dry conditions. Needed the SOTA beams filter with the D74 on Brown Clee Hill. On Corndon hill the rain arrived and I had to get the roll-up J-pole and 4M pole out to qualify. Had planned to do HF to try and get @GM4LLD for that MS0TA - M5OTA QSO, but didn’t fancy getting HF gear out in the rain. Timings meant there should be another opportunity on Stiperstones and hopefully the rain will have stopped.

Got to the top of Stiperstones and realised I’d left the handheld charging in the car! D’oh! Thankfully had the KX2 and AX1 in the bag, so got those out quickly for a smash and grab on 20M as it was raining and windy. Hadn’t bought any shelter with me and despite the plastic bag cover the KX2 got pretty wet. Might’ve rudely left some chasers unsatisfied, for which I apologise. Didn’t fancy getting the wire antenna out for 40M in the rain - I’ve got the AX1 40M coil but hadn’t taken it with me. So again MS0TA will have to wait!

Weather cleared up very shortly after I’d packed up. Nice views on the way down, including a section of rainbow with Mr Bun’s at the end of it?

Last up was Pole Bank, thought I’d easily do this on 2M. Wrong. One contact on 2M, even with the J-Pole out before I ran out of patience as I was keen to get to the cafe! Got the KX2 and AX1 combo out again for a quick run on 20M to get the contacts to qualify.

Made it to Mr Bun’s just after everyone except Tom had left and just as they were about to close! Was looking forward to meeting some more SOTA folks in person - next time!

I’m glad others have attested to the rainy weather, because my photos make it look quite nice - which it clearly was in parts!

Titterstone Clee Hill first thing.

Brown Clee Hill view.

Cordon Hill view with handy bench.

Stiperstones view after the rain.

Is Mr Bun’s at the end of that Rainbow?

Sun is back on Pole Bank at the end of the day.

Trusty KX2 AX1 combo on Pole Bank.

[G5JFJ]

Thanks to all the activators who made the lengthy trips up on what was a pretty soggy day - a few unique takeaways I took from today was that my handheld and 2m slim jim performed well enough to comfortably get the minimum on each summit and even get a few extra, and surprisingly well for my first ever UHF activation.

The rain was so much at one point that I had to head back to the car between Pole Bank and Caradoc, with my initial plan to hike all of it, and drive to a layby of a recommended route from Sotlas. After a coffee from the flask and a bit of car heater I took on this new ascent, and thought I discovered the cave on Caer Caradoc and got excited that I took a photo! But after looking online, sadly it was not the cave. I will hopefully find it in the future.

I also like the look of the rooster transceiver that MW0KXN brought to show and share at the cafe afterwards - it may be a part of my SOTA kit in the future!

Thanks to M7SDO for still catching us and helping us all successfully activate whilst working around family commitments.

And a big thanks to Jimmy M0HGY for organising, MW0KXN and M1EYP for chasing (Hopefully we can get a S2S next year?) and for M5OTA for being out on the hills, looking at log times I just missed bumping into you on the Titterstone Clee!

73s, and thanks again.

Jared 2E0JFJ

[M7SDO]

@G5JFJ The cave on Caradoc is pretty elusive isn’t it! It took me a while to find it - it’s on the west side tucked down on steep ground. Definitely much easier to locate in nicer weather.

Glad to get you on Titterstone and Pole Bank - missed you on Caradoc though - that’s my closest summit and I can see it out of the front living room window when it’s not hidden in cloud.

Hope to catch you again soon. I might even venture out myself!

[M6BWA]

Hi James. I’m very impressed that you managed to find that cave. Afew years ago, in lovely weather, a friend and I searched for it but without success - perhaps we avoided the steepest ground - but it was a good excuse to explore more of that fascinating hill.
73 Viki M6BWA