We left home on 2 May and reached Ballantrae, south of Girvan on the SW coast 2 days and 2 little LD summits and GM/SS-238 Bengray later. The first SS summit was a slog with too many tussocks but did remind me what joys were likely to be ahead of us. Thanks to various LD chasers I qualified on VHF UHF but with a bit of a struggle. Since then we visited most of the little coastal hills in the area with fantastic views of Ailsa Craig (and the gannets) , Arran, Jura and faint Ireland in the mainly sunny weather, Much to my amazement I qualified all these hills on both bands except the stupendous volcanic plug of GM/SS-267 Knockdolian very late in the day when all sensible locals were eating their tea. However the views were stupendous and we could view it from our cottage with a quiet mind as weâd been there and ..
Weâve now moved up to Balloch via a long plod (to me) up a windfarm track on Benbeoch GM/SS-186 amongst the opencast coal remnants. Thanks to GM4COX I qualified it on both bands (13 contacts) again - and he also found me yesterday on my solitary walk up Duncolm GM/SS-222 from Eden Mill (where Rod was checking on the various pastries were on offer). Thanks Jack. I was glad to find that deer fence gate was horizontal and various tracks led to the summit where 13 contacts (6 on 70cm!) in 18 minutes awaited me but, after that there was complete silence eventhough I could see Glasgow clearly. I do wonder whether VHF is dying (or dead) up here as I had only done so well on previous hills as about 6 locals found me and listened out for me day after day - any thanks. Including a few from N Irelnd on my southern hills.
Tomorrow we move over the Pitlochry to join our walking group and have a great list of hills but I am sure I will struggle to get any response. Last year I was lucky to get one contact from the 4 pt Sow of Atholl and I couldnât find a radio club in Perth to warn of my arrival. It looks as if the weather may also turn but we have been so lucky so far with just one activation GM/SS-135 affected by rain when we sat in the car waiting for it to stop - and it did.. but the wind was, once again, bitter. However hearing MM3ZCB on SS-229 started things off well. Sorry no pictures yet. Please listen out if you are in the area - and donât forget M0JLA on HF where he has qualified most hills and is happy that the QMX is working well at present. Our last move is to Hawick for 19 - 24 and then heading south again - for a rest!.
Apologies to HF chasers who might have been on when I gave up abruptly on Drumcroy Hill this afternoon. I was dressed for wet but the log and radio were not because rain did not appear to be imminent. It was not - we had a very sharp shower of hail. In cold condition this is not a problem but in warmer conditions it melts almost at once and the wet gets everywhere. When the wet log started to develop holes I pulled the plug. A great pity as it was starting to look like a good activation - for me as Viki was stuck on only one QSO on 2m FM.
One contact instantly yesterday - GM4NTX in Stirling - grateful thanks as no reply to many further calls. Forecast not good but trying for Deuchary Hill GM/CS-108 time as the alert but movable. Hope to hear from you!!
We both rather enjoyed to walk (nearly 2 hrs 0up from Guay (parking for one car only) to Deuchary Hill GM/CS-108 with a very pretty loch nestled under the quite craggy summit, I was right at the top and managed 5 contacts (including a 2m s2s with Martyn and Caroline on GM/ES-061) on 2m and 2 on 70cm. There would have been more but yet another squall passed through with hail and some rain as well as a strong wind which was threatening the dipole. I was actually quite glad when it blew down as I realised I was getting seriously cold and needed to join Rod in his sheltered spot a bit further down, The walk down by a more circular walk was not so interesting and marred by frequent hailstorms and then rain - with sunny periods! Rod managed 4 on HF but had some interference problems which meant he could hear very little above the noise,
I think it will be a rest day tomorrow but we hope to be out again on Friday which looks like the only dry day for the rest of our week (until 195h) when me move down to Hawick
Glad you did. This is one of my favourite ânearbyâ summits. Itâs quite a wonderful view when you climb up and see the loch near the summit. The views are good but I like the varied scenery as you walk in. A really good summit and walk.
Yes, we really enjoyed this walk and have recommended it to the friends we are sharing a house with.
I was fully prepared for rain on this one - waterproof log, radio in a clear lidded box, etc. Then, after the rain began contacts became very difficult and after G4FEX I heard nothing at all so gave up with only 4 itl. I have heard of ârain noiseâ; could this have been the problem? Rest day today - the knees are complaining - so I expect to test the QMX in case a fault has developed as a result of the wetting it got on 12/5/26.
Leagag is the easier of the two. A path runs to the base at least. Sorry cannot remember if there was a path up the ridge but it didnât seem hard work. If you are going to do the two donât take a directish route from Leagag to Meall Chomraidh as the ground was horrific, freshly planted pine trees and a bl**dy big river to cross. It may, just may be better to walk back and take the path to it. Also Meall Chomraidhâs front from the path was a bit steep⌠you have to look about to find the best route of attack or you meet some vertical bits. Not that hard but I did wonder how I would get down when Iâd got up.
Yesterday on ES-072 we had a sudden rain/hail shower mid activation. The static pretty much blotted out any chance of hearing callers. Fortunately it did not last long.
Well. the good news was that we got up Leagag GM/CS-0999 (west of Loch Rannoch) yesterday and the views (between frequent hail showers) were fabulous. This was very lucky for me as 40 mins of spasmodic calling yielded not one response. Fortunately this was not a great surprise as I had looked at the stats and only 5 2m had been recorded and 0 70cm. After a while I scuttled down to Rod in his cosy hollow and had a quick chat with Caroline on 40m and then returned to my perch. We ended up taking down in the only prolonged hail and rain shower which was pretty unpleasant but it cleared up enough for us to âhave a little playâ and Rod went down 25+ m (and got sightly lost) and we spoke on 2m and 70cm. I then descended (ditto and he had to call to ask where I was - answer âgoing back up a bit and turning left..â which was well received. I soon saw him and we started the return trek downhill and through the mainly dry bog back to the moorland road. He had been a lot more successful and it was a happy band that admired the new snow on the far hills as we wended back to the village hall at Bridge of Gaur.
However I would like one reply from GM/CS-083 which is w of the A9 , some way north of Blair Atholl and starts from Dalnaspidal. Please go up a suitable hill and wait for me (alert not yet posted) as I called endlessly as I had problems from the Sow of Atholl (the next door hill) last year before getting a reply. Thanks for you help (and good wishes)
Great day on GM/cs-083 yesterday with 6 2m and 2 70cm contacts - and some good weather and views. The haul included s2s with GM5ALX on GM/SS-056 and Martyn and Caroline MM3ZCB and MM1MAJ on GM/SS-259 as we ate our lunch. Also spotted a snipe, golden plover and some lapwings - but the curlew eluded me. Forecast today is not good so no hills but hoping for something tomorrow. Thanks to the other activators, including Jace MM7VXJ, who was ascending Schiehallion but we were well into the descent before he got there, As you can see, I wouldnât have qualified the hill without the aid of other activators and GM4COX who was at home.
Weather not good today so no hill - hoping for something tomorrow before moving on the next day.
Sorry to have missed you, I was too early on my summit, and then I was over into the glens and out of sight for the rest of the day - I had the FT-65 on the side of my pack monitoring 145.500 but didnât hear a single peep, despite all the plentiful activity on the air.
Weâve now moved to Hawick and the forecast is not too good. However setting out for Andrewhinney Hil GM/SS-083 with an alert of 1230 I believe. I got up Ben Vrackie GM/CS-065 on 18.5 but, sadly, was not there long enough to qualify with only 2 contacts -one of which was to MM0JLA on a nearby hill. I was only using the RH770 telescopic as it was windy and rain was just about to arrive (after a dry walk up all those steps). As it arrived I fled not knowing how long it would last and rather worried by all those wet steps (Iâm a bot of a wimp!) and, of course it did clear - but then did come in again later.
On the way yesterday we tried to find parking for Broomy Law (and the masts) but without success then tried a re-visit to White Meldon but this time I couldnât get over the new fence (that wimp again!). Hence it was a âquickâ dash up Meigle Hill above Galashields GM/SS-212 with 4 in the bag thanks to Martyn and Caroline who were descending their hill and a local in Galasields who said 2m was always very quiet. Wonder if Iâll get anyone today.
73 Viki
That is looking towards SE. Turn 180 degrees walk 40m and enter this track.
Itâs a little overgrown but you follow it through and then follow the path by the fence up. The odd detour through the copse and through the gate and there are the masts. I think many are of the antennas are inactive now, lots of LDF hanging free from the antennas on my last visit.
Almost a straight path SW, 2.12km 135m ascent, 40mins bimble. Sometimes sheep in the field by the masts.
Very glad to make the contact as it turns out we needed to chase Meigle Hill for the complete having activated it in 2014. Shame we couldnât make 70cms. It would have been easy if we had still been on GM/SS-114, where I only managed 4 on 2m and 1 on 70cms - Martyn just had the same 4 on 2m as too wet and windy for HF. The wettest descent of the holiday, but it was the last day, and the rain had mostly stopped by the time we worked you.
Many thanks for this, Andy. I doubt we will go back there this time as we hope to do Law Kneis in the rain later today and do not expect to be feeling up to much on Friday; possibly a repeat of
Rubers Law if fine. Heading homeward on Saturday. However, we still have one or two more we could try not too far from Broomy Law if we head this way again.
We have had very varied walks and radio; a very enjoyable visit.
73,
Rod
PS from M6BWA
We had a fight to get up Andrewinney Hill yesterday with strong wind, frequent drizzle and cloud but got there in the end, HF was vetoed and we huddled behind the cairn and called on 2m with a slightly reduced dipole above us. Langholm and Kirkcaldy came in quickly (phew, we had activated) but the last 2 took about 20 mins with near Dumfries and a final âpassing Tebay services heading southâ to round it off, Weâd got 2 70cm but I wasnât waiting for more! We packed up fast and started to follow the fence back down when the cloud started to lift and soon we could see the surrounding ridges and further away. Thatâs life and it would have been even more welcome at the top but it was great to see these rounded hills that we last visited some years ago. Reaching the car we delayed whille a loadded double timber lorry and an empty ascending ditto decided how to pass on the narrow windy road. They managed but not sure how, and we easily resisted the temptation to attempt Law Kneiss (or Law Nasty as we now call it - after reading various reports) which is todayâs challenge. Fingers very crossed, Hope we make at least one contact. Forecast for tomorrow and the weekend (we leave on Sat) and next week looks good.73 Viki
Back home again in the Welsh borders after a long and hot journey from Hawick and then Carlisle. Now the task of typing in about 180 contacts (40 of them from 2 activations in the Lake District - more people listening round there!) Weâve had a good time and will be writing a brief account of each activation with photos, I hope, in due course but many jobs are calling - including the garden. I tried hard for 2m/70cm on every hill but did not manage to build up my usual team of chasers who could follow me around but our venues were wide apart (South of Girvan on the west coast, Balloch near Loch Lomond, Pitlochry/Blair Atholl for a week and 4 days near Hawick in the Borders. The most difficult was the the Blair Atholl area and the only place where I failed to get any replies at all from one summit.and had so had to beg a HFcontact. We did eventually get up Law Kneis in cloud and drizzle where the main hazard was getting up a very slippery steep bank from the track below up to the trees. However, on reaching the very boggy summit, I got 5 2m (and 2 70cm) contacts when cowering behind a tree from the brisk wind before very slowly descending the steep grass slope which ended in the slither down onto the track below. Someone asked me on the Eildon Hills, the next day, why I went up hills to set up a radio station - and I found it difficult to reply!! We ended up with a repeat visit to Rubers Law GM/SS-210 where I had a terrible fight to get the 4th contact after finding 3 activators on Mickle Fell to start me off with a bang - but no others. Eventually Fraser and Mo, heard me from a car rally at Duns and put me out of my misery (tx,tx). We went back there as it is such an interesting summit but, once again, we couldnât investigate fully as the wind was such that I didnât dare reach the trig point and had to erect the dipole rather lower than I wanted - which must have limited the range of my plaintive cries. Grateful thanks to all who listened out for us and helped us on our travels.
