The story so far:
Tuesday 21st June 2022 - Ros Castle G/SB-009
An early one for me on my own, other members of the family electing to prefer more hours in their beds than a drizzly breakfast bimble up a Northumbrian one-pointer.
Just 4 QSOs on 40m CW then a 20m S2S with SV2RUJ/P on SV/MC-072. Using call MQ1EYP/P.
Wednesday 22nd June 2022 - Lamberton Hill GM/SS-286, Dirrington Great Law GM/SS-225 & Spartleton GM/SS-182
Full day pass out for me and Jimmy MQ0HGY/P. The first - Lamberton Hill was a short walk along a fence boundary to the trig point, keeping a watchful eye on reportedly problematic cows. Sure enough they did make a move towards us so I shouted a couple of “Oi!”s and waved my trekking poles in the air. They stopped in their tracks, and we continued.
Jimmy continued onto the true summit, a further field away, then returned to the trig point where we operated from. I did 20m - five on CW and one on SSB. Jimmy continued with the 20m SSB station after failing to get anything on VHF.
Onto Dirrington Great Law. A walk south from the road along a substantial track, parallel to the fence line, then a swing westwards to ascend gradually, then finally more steeply onto the domed summit.
Four QSOs on 30m CW for me then a couple of S2S on 2m FM with Paul MM0SNA/P and Peter MM0INE/P, both on GM/SS-244. Jimmy got his four on his favoured 2m FM this time.
Finally, on this baking hot day, over to Spartleton. Another long, curving and gently ascending track approach from a large parking area.
Seven QSOs on 20m CW, culminating in a S2S with MM6GYU/P on GM/SS-001. Jimmy’s performance increased 25% with five QSOs on 2m FM.
Back in Berwick, we met Paul M0SNA / W6PNG for a couple of beers in the town.
Friday 24th June 2022 - Eildon Mid Hill GM/SS-214 & Meigle Hill GM/SS-212
Paul M0SNA joined Jimmy and me for an early morning raid of a couple of summits near Melrose - both short walks - horizontally, but both with considerable vertical metres to be gained up steep flanks.
We all successfully qualified both summits on the radio using a mix of FM, SSB, CW and FT8 modes between us, on the 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 10m and 2m bands.
On GM/SS-214, I made ten QSOs on 30m FT8, with Jimmy adding a further nine on the same band and mode.
On GM/SS-212, Jimmy got his four on 2m FM. I did six QSOs on 17m CW, four on 20m CW including S2S with HB9BAB/P on HB/ZH-015 and four on 15m CW.
All three of us worked Viki MM6BWA/P and Rod MM0JLA/P for 2m FM S2S to GM/CS-077.
Later we reconvened in Berwick town centre for a fantastic lunch occasion, with Paul’s wife Rebecca joining us, as well as Marianne and Liam. The food at Foxtons was excellent, and the company top class.
Next up tonight - well Liam has learned of the existence of a karaoke night in a Berwick pub - so he’ll be reeling off the classics to a new audience - while his brother and dad get through a bit more beer…