Gun G/SP-013 Quick Report

Old Reflector
1

With quite a few summits alerted for today, I figured a trip to Gun was in order.

So, this was SOTA activation #250 for me!

After working at both the Milton Keynes and St Neots rallies, this weekend and imbibing in one or two more Extra Cold Guinness than I should have done with the other traders, I can’t say I was exactly over the moon to hear the Alarm this morning.

The drive to Gun was frustrating due to road works causing a big delay, nevertheless, I was there in good time. As the bands are so unpredictable, I decided to take an antenna farm with me. 5/8 over 5/8 colinear, 7m fishing pole antenna and the excellent Antron-99.

Tuning up the A-99 for the 20m band, my first contact was with with DL9MDI for a couple of points but more importantly another S2S.

An Immediate change to the colinear 2m fm, I found the band in fine shape, my first contact being an unexpected s2s with G4CQZ/P on G/SC-006, no chance of this contact from Gun unless there was a lift. The calls rolled in the best of them being a 200 mile contact with Don G0RQL in Devon. A very welcome S2S from Allan GW4VPX/P on GW/SW-003 also was also logged.

A change to 12m and the A-99 produced 10 calls before eventually, a qsy to the fishing pole and the 40m band for a S2S with Barry M0IML/P on G/SE-013.

Back to 12m and still working with the fishing pole, I found the band very quiet. A quick change to the A-99 and I identified a not too strong, but highly prized P29 calling. Amazingly, there was no pile-up and I got P29FR on my third call for what may be my best contact of the 12m challenge so far.

Tuning up the A-99 for 17m found K4DY and Rich N4EX.

And a quick look on 15m found YB3FBZ in Java.

60 contacts with 10 S2S, so all in all a very nice 250th activation.

Thanks to all the chasers…

Picture of the antenna set-up for today’s activation, can be found at the bottom of my QRZ page.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

2

Congrats on doing 250 activations Mickey. I don’t expect you’ll be slowing up any time soon, which is good. I continue to hurtle towards 1500 activations, yet to get bored with the programme! I see also that The Cloud G/SP-015 may hit 1000 activations this year or early next year.

And stay off that Guinness!

Tom M1EYP

3

In reply to 2E0YYY:

Hi Mike

Well done on your activation yesterday and thanks for the s2s.

Band conditions were not good although I did manage to get most of the regular chasers and 7 s2s.

We curtailed our activation as the weather took a turn for the worse and Fan Brycheiniog is rather exposed :slight_smile: Apologies to those who did’nt get the summit.

73

Allan GW4VPX

4

In reply to M1EYP:

Thanks Tom. The Cloud is a fine radio summit althogh to be honest, I prefer the much quieter Gun with its very handy tree next to the trig point, even if the take-off is not as good.

As for me making 1500 activations, I very much doubt my legs will hold out that long.

Thanks for the 12m contact and spot yesterday.

No more Guinness for a while, just too many calories :wink:

73 Mickey
2E0YYY

5

In reply to M1EYP:

Congrats on doing 250 activations Mickey.

It looks like congrats are in order for Walt G3NYY, who also completed 250 activations yesterday!

Well done Walt…

73 MIke
2E0YYY

6

In reply to 2E0YYY:

Congratulations MiKe & Walt on 250 activations, great achievement. I have recently reached 100 activations so have a long way to go to equate with you guys :frowning:

73

Victor GI4ONL

7

In reply to GI4ONL:

Congratulations to Mike and Walt on reaching 250 activations and thanks for the contacts along the way, especially Mike, as most of my contacts with Walt have been from my activations (as was the case yesterday).

73,
Rod

PS
I notice that Jimmy M0HGY is on 500 activations. Did I miss the post congratulating him?
Either way, Well done Jimmy.

8

In reply to M0JLA:

Thanks for the unique G/WB S2S yeterday, Rod. Sorry about the confusion but someone decided to tranmit on the frequency during our QSO.

Just need 4 more to complete G/WB all S2S.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

9

In reply to M0JLA:

I notice that Jimmy M0HGY is on 500 activations. Did I miss the post congratulating him?

Looks like we all missed that landmark Rod - even Jimmy himself!

Not a bad achievement for someone still with their 21st birthday ahead of them I suppose.

Congratulations Walt as well on the 250. I know that numbers of activations are not part of the awards structure, but they do offer an indication of the contributions made to the programme in terms of putting activations on, so it is nice to see this discussion taking place that notes these landmarks.

I notice Steve G1INK is now just 13 away from 1000, and as he is activating very regularly at the present time, I’m sure that one won’t be too far away.

Tom M1EYP

10

In reply to 2E0YYY:

Just need 4 more to complete G/WB all S2S.

Which 4 do you need Mickey? I have some plans to head that way shortly and may be able to oblige.

Tom M1EYP

11

Thank you all who congratulated me on 500 activations. Congratulations Mike and Walt on 250 activations.

Jimmy M0HGY

12

In reply to M1EYP:

Cheers Tom,

G/WB-006 Caer Caradoc Hill (How have I missed this one!)
G/WB-013 Garway Hill
G/WB-016 Wapley Hill
G/WB-017 Shobdon Hill

73 Mike
2E0YYY

13

Eek. None on my itinerary. Could try to sneak Caer Caradoc in on the way back if time/legs/motivation permit, but as you suggest, it’s unlikely that one will evade you for too much longer anyway.

Tom M1EYP

14

In reply to 2E0YYY:
Mike,
Glad to oblige with a unique; I think we gave a lot of uniques away while completing SW a few weeks ago; seeing several activators all out for the same time was too good to miss and I had missed Burton Hill this year so no contest against the garden.
How have you managed to miss Wapley & Shobdon? I think we have done them both three times and I did Wapley once before Vicki was licensed. Last time was three weeks ago, so it will be 2014 before we go again. Done Garway recently too (June) but Caer Caradoc is on the list to do soon.

Good luck, 73,
Rod

15

In reply to M0JLA:

Hi Rod,

I seem to remember you were activating a couple of WBs when we made the S2S from GW/SW-001 Pen y Fan at the end of May. IIRC, your second summit was the one I wanted, but I couldn’t hang around for some reason.

Hopefully, catch you on Caer Caradoc Hill, if I ever recover from the wicked bug bites I received on Gun, yesterday :frowning:

73 Mike
2E0YYY

16

In reply to 2E0YYY:

I will be making my regular Autumn visit to the Forest of Dean on the first weekend of October, if you still need them by then I can probably talk the XYL into ferrying me to some of them so that I can Complete them: probably two out of Garway, Wapley and Shobden (more would be pushing my luck with the Missus sitting waiting in the car!) and perhaps a little excursion into SW on another day.

73

Brian G8ADD

17

In reply to G8ADD:

Remember Brian - red to positive, black to negative. :wink:

On a positive note, Im now using lifepo4 batteries and if you use their quick release bayonet fittings you cant cross polarise.

18

In reply to 2E0YYY (and others):

Many thanks for the congrats. I had not actually realised that I had reached 250 activations!

I’ve just started doing 12m for the 12m Challenge … but I have a long way to go, especially as yesterday I only managed one QSO on the band in over 1 hour of calling CQ!
:frowning:

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

19

In reply to G8ADD:

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the kind offer, I’ll let you know what’s outstanding.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

20

In reply to 2E0YYY:

I seem to remember you were activating a couple of WBs when we made
the S2S from GW/SW-001 Pen y Fan at the end of May. IIRC, your second
summit was the one I wanted, but I couldn’t hang around for some
reason.

Quite right - Burrow and View Edge; you are in my log for Burrow but not for View Edge. Not surprising really as I worked you on PyF at 0906 UTC from home and first contact on View Edge was 1729 UTC. Evidently you chased successfully when someone else activated.

Now the cricket season is drawing to a close I expect G8XYJ will be zipping through the WBs so you might be able to catch him.

Hope to speak from LD shortly,
73,
Rod