For my second GM5WS activation I went for Brimmond Hill, a 1 pointer just outside Aberdeen which I had not activated before. It is an easy walk-up from a small car park on the West side and has a large comms mast and associated buildings occupying a lot of the summit. There are also a couple of subsidiary masts lower down. It is also probably the only SOTA summit in NE Scotland with a picnic bench in the AZ, although I’m happy to be corrected on that one if I’m wrong.
The WX was significantly better than my previous outing for GM5WS, with even some sun. Just had the one small snow shower after lunch. The hill is popular with local dog walkers and quite a few passed by, but only one stopped to talk.
Activation
Prior to going on the air as GM5WS, I spotted on 2m FM with my own call and raised 2 locals, Mike MM7MWL and John GM4XJC. I’d booked GM5WS slots on 15/12 and 10m again and started on 15m.
EA5AER was first in the log, followed by Jak OH3GZ and Manuel EA2DT. A reasonable run of mostly EU followed, with N4WMB SC first transatlantic of the day and EA8AM.
MM0EFI Fraser had meanwhile headed up Cairn William GM/ES-072 and we had a quick S2S on 2m FM for Completes both ways as well.
Moving to 10m, I found FY5KE, gave him a call and exchanged 59 both ways with Chris. I then did a lot of CQing before 4Z4DX called. With 10 open but no customers I tried 12m and got 2 QSOs SV2HJW and LZ1FG.
Had another brief 2m local FM chat with Hibby, MM0RFN and then went back to 15m, which produced a few more EU contacts plus KN4OK Ala. After a QSY due to QRM, Eric F5JKK called in, followed by VE1WT and K8LJG whom I also worked on Sunday.
12m brought just 1 more QSO - KD4LT Tenn and I then finished the day on 15m by calling Duncan, MM5AJN/M who was in his car in Newburgh just north of Aberdeen.
35 hf QSOs for the day as GM5WS and 4 FM as GM4JXP/P
Activation site - hex, 2m loop and tarp tent for shelter. I did use the bench as well.
Summit views
Comms mast next to activation site
Looking NW
Looking NE - Aberdeen Dyce airport is just behind the mast
Looking E at the north part of Aberdeen
73 to all.