Thanks, Andy.
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They only report on motorways and âAâ roads. The exception to this is the B974 Cairn oâMount because of the snow gates.
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Only a fairly quick visit to GM/ES-080 today on the way to Aboyne. No views and a lot cooler tx to the haar. 2m band very dead - no-one bothers to listen up here as no-one uses it because⌠etc! Managed to qualify on 2m thanks to much hard work by GM0NRT Bill in Aberdeen and just 2 on 70cm which was better than expected. Think we deserve a rest day tomorrow unless the weather (and energy) improve quickly. Rod got a reasonable no of HF and was happy - mostly into Wales on 40m.
73 Viki
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All the years Iâve used Trafficscotland I never noticed the lack of B roads 
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Mostly a rest and recovery day with threatening clouds but I decided to have a âquickâ go at GM/ES-060 while M0JLA visited the Alford Transport Museum (and Shell garage!) The rain started as we reached the parking but I set off when it eased. the stile into the forest was broken with barbed wire and nothing else seemed possible so I teetered over, went up a short way to encounter a broad (wind farm??) track. Delayed by this for a bit but then found the track up through the forest, out onto the open (all in the dry) but low cloud on the trees up to the summit. Then the rain started and the windblow (photos to follow) but eventually to the clearing near the top. Worried by the close flash and crack of thunder so sat on a tree at the edge and called on the stick aerial. No takers, Went along the path through the heather and up to the cairn. Extended the RH 770 and said a quick prayer which was answered as I got 6x2m and 5x70cm in the next 12 minutes as the rain restarted. Grateful thanks to the Aberdeen team! On the route down it just poured so the path was noticeably wetter but luckily not slippery. I got slightly lost again when I hit the track and had to walk left along the forest margin but then discovered a bit of broken fence so popped over and then contemplated the remaining fence between me and the path up. Meanwhile M0JLA was heroically donning waterproofs and coming to help me under the barbed wire (or to hold the stile together as I crossed) but suddenly I found a route under some wire and was through so I cancelled the cavalry but not in time to keep him dry. Good thing we are in rather a hot cottage but things are drying everywhere. Weather tomorrow looks grotty but might improve so hope to go out a bit later in the day - preferably together. Grateful thanks to my patient and swift band of chasers.
73 Viki
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Viki, When I told the locals on whatsapp that you were QRV, @GM4JXP Simon couldnât believe it! He told me there was torrential rain in Aboyne as well as 
. It was dry in Westhill all afternoon. I see on the news this evening that there was flash flooding not too far from where @2M0WNA Mike lives.
Anyway, glad I caught you on 2m and 70cm. Well done for qualifying the summit in those conditions. Oh, thereâs an easier route up there that doesnât involve barbed wire, not that youâll be back. 
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Great effort Viki. I couldnât chase this afternoon as I was too busy balling floodwater from around the house! Nearby was a road-closing landslip and my local village was awash, yet five miles away it barely drizzled. Hope it clears for the rest of your stay. 73 Mike
Local village:
(Photo Bernice Gamble)
View from my study (it was dry 15 mins earlier!):
Photo Mike Lowson
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MM6BWA
Now GM/ES-060 in pictures while we wait for the weather to improve and aim for Brimmond Hill GM/ES-086, possibly a spot of shopping 
and perhaps GM/ES-072 or GM/ES-076.
Having waited for it to almost stop raining it was through the gates, over the barbed wire (more later) wander through the trees and onto an unmapped road (ditto), eventually found the track through the forest (in the dry) and rapidly reached the moorland with a knot of trees in cloud and rain ahead of me.
As predicted the windblow was extensive and some very close lightning (not expected) which forced me to reconsider and try for contacts inside the trees with no success. Hence it was out into the moorland with the poles in my hand (removed from my sack to get through the trees and carried for the rest of the journey) and up to the cairn. Affixed the RH770 telescopic aerial to the Yaesu VX-7R and held that up whilst using a pencil and a waterproof notebook (which is still drying out!) . Keeping a clock dry was impossible hence my request for times from my sudden band of callers which was a great relief as I just hoping to get one to repay the effort. Grateful tx to MM0EFI and Bill GM0NRT,
After a very quick pack up the route down - and those trees beckoned.
The path can be seen clearly under the trunks - but other routes were available! Then through the forest again and back to this unexpected road with no clue where the track went next.
But I was soon back at the broken stile which I had just got over on my way up. Please note it was broken BEFORE I crossed!!
So it was choice of trying to get through the gap between the posts - but the 2 strands at the top werenât helpful and I couldnât get through on the way up. With help I hoped to âpostâ myself through head first on the way down (as practised on an Irish summit some years ago) but a bit risky on my own.
However I got out of the forest into the next door field and eventually found some slacker wire which I squeezed through as Rod was still toiling up the wet hill. He only wasted 
a couple of words before turning back down to the car.
I hope Brimmond Hill etc will be more welcoming today,
73 Viki
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Well @M6BWA that was a struggle! You now know how I felt up there, battling QRM when you called me from GM/CS-030. Anyway, another Complete for you.
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Hi Viki, I listened on 2m when I saw your spot but couldnât hear anything. Just too far north on Meall na Clach Ruadh GM/NS-145 today.
This was plan B after the cloudbase was too low for Ben Hiel GM/NS-103, as it turned out the cloudbase was too low for there as well but I persevered. I saw MM0JLA spot on 40m but couldnât hear him either. 40m was longish skip today to Wales and West coast of Eire for me.
Hope you have an easier day tomorrow. Iâm hoping to do GM/WS-314 tomorrow afternoon near Drumnadrochit so maybe catch you then.
Andy
MM7MOX
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One high spot (bumping into Fraser while shopping yesterday - (good thing he came out of those double doors slowlyâŚ) and two low with GM/ES-086 Brimmond Hill (appalling interference on 2m and 70cm despite the Sotabeam filter) and ES-077 Millstone Hill (at nearly 1700 UTC when any local chasers (if any) have gone to roost). The latter was a stiffish climb on a a good path through beautiful woods - followed by the rest of the âgreen trailâ back down again with fine views of the Bennachie ridge. Eventually qualified both hills, both bands except 086 when a 4th on 70cm defeated me.
In haste off to Ballater today and GM/ES-036 Gealaig Hill followed by the delights of Ballater and, possibly ES-078 Craigendarroch if enthusiasm is found. In my case to admire the view as little likelihood of any takers. Cool and grey todya with low cloud but hopefully dry. We were gently drizzled on for the last descent yesterday. As we passed through Alford the fire service was hosing down the street after yesterdayâs floods. Happy days!
73 Viki
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If I can get to where I want to be when and you can get on Craigendarroch at the time I need you to be there, then we shall have a QSO!
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Itâs a delightful hill. Worth doing even if you get no QSOs.
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That is very true. It is nice to do the circular that takes you down the other side and loops around below the summit crags. Of course, the main reason for going is the cup of tea and cake that awaits after the walk. Ballater has more than its fair share of tea rooms.
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Hi Viki, Rod, I am Just evaluating the weather which looks like it will be high pressure cracker from Friday. Before then maybe damp and cloud. So Iâm only heading to the islands then and Thursdays plan for me will be a bit further east:
Both just above bridge if Orchy. Not sure of your plans but maybe a chance of 2m as the take off from these two big munros will be excellent, maybe Beinn Lawers or the caingorms in the way. Fraser may know better if you can get this far west
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Hi Viki,
Sorry no s2s today, I saw your spots this afternoon when I was on GM/WS-314 but could not hear anything. I tried calling but got no reply. I drew a blank on 2m myself despite a spot. Bands were still funny today not much on 40m a few on 20m and odx was W4GO in Virginia on 17m. I could hear YI9WPZ from Baghda d on 10m but couldnât get through the pile up.
Maybe better luck tomorrow, I 'm going to try and get up Drumcroy hill GM/CS-107 for lunch time on my way south.
Andy
MM7MOX
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Hi Andy (and others)
Sorry we had no joy. Iâm afraid we wonât be trying to get s2s on Wednesday as we have declared it a radio REST day but may get to stones, stone circles and/or a castle but no slogging up endless tracks 036) or steep tricky paths (078) tomorrow. Hope to have recovered by Thursday but know that is no good for you. I am rather tired now - 4 summits in 4 days is not usual for me - even small ones. To our surprise I just managed to qualify both of todayâs summits on both 2m and 70cm tx to immense amount of help from MM0EFI and his sturdy band of helpers. Grateful thanks. 73
Viki
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Very nice app or website. Puts a 2m reach into perspective, for example more or less every summit in the Cairngorms is LOS. And some surprises⌠scald law south of Edinburgh. But then I was having no problem reaching the central belt from glencoe a couple weeks back.
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