A party of nine gathered at Bridge of Orchy Station to get the 10:45 train to Corrour, mainly to celebrate the end of my wife’s 25 year odyssey around the Munros. I, of course, had in mind a “little radio” while up there!
We left Corrour station under overcast skies, but it was at least dry and relatively still. No midges in evidence, what a bonus.
We were on the summit in about two hours and completed the celebrations with sparking rose (neither Sue nor I really like dry Champagne) and “last Munro cake” made by our friend Mark.
Once we had eaten I got the radio gear out, only to discover that in all the messing about at Bridge of Orchy I had left the down lead for the Sota Beam in the car. So that meant 2m Diplole only. I hoisted it as high as I could, but knew this remote hill was going to be a challenge to activate on 2m FM with just 5W.
Amazingly Robin (GM7PKT) came back to my first CQ. He had “gone mobile” to the top of Rannoch Moor in the hope of hearing me. Thank you Robin for the call and spot. Next was MM3WJZ (whose name I inexplicably forgot to write down!) on the summit of Bynack More GM/ES-010. It was a real struggle to make this contact, taking a good 5 or 6 “overs” to confirm location, signal report (3/1) and call sign.
Shortly afterwards Andy (MM0USU) beamed onto me from Falkirk, surprisingly strongly (5/3).
About this time the weather turned nasty and it began raining and blowing.
After this I called and called for 40 minutes or so until the battery died on the handy. It was raining too much to get the 817 out and try SSB, so I reluctantly dismantled everything and headed down.
So I activated the hill, but just failed to get the four calls in to qualify for the points. Ah well!
Anyway, it didn’t detract from the great day and the wonderful feeling of pride in Sue for compleating (sic) her Munro’s round after 25 years.
