GW complete and first activation of Mynydd y Grug

[G5OLD]

Congratulation to @M0RWX as the first operator to complete all the (current) welsh Marylins in GW as well at the first activator of GW/SW-042.

I was expecting this summit to be hard fought, with allot of interest from a GW & GE contingent. Clear night, perfect conditions… but apparently still not enough to justify scaling the latest post industrial revolution slag heap. I too joined this pile, with urgent orders to leave for London at 5am.

Which left Englands adopted NL contingent. Who, had messaged me while on G/LD-004 “just one QSO possible at midnight?” No doubt worried by @GM5ALX cooking up a competition.

So in the end, Robert @M0RWX was left alone. No competition. No backup or morale. Just darkness, a large amount of fly tipping and abandoned rubbish on an artificial monument to south wales industrial past…

It was good to work you & congrats.

[M0JSB]

Congratulations Robert. Showing great dedication to the cause!

[MW0KXN]

Congratulations Robert, @M0RWX. I know how keen that you were to get a first activation. It was great to work you.

@G5OLD

So in the end, Robert @M0RWX was left alone. No competition. No backup or morale. Just darkness, a large amount of fly tipping and abandoned rubbish on an artificial monument to south wales industrial past…

I am afraid that we got our wires crossed here Tim. In hindsight I wish that I had joined Robert. The discussions on WhatsApp had implied that there would be a large contingent on the summit including yourself and the mystery team from G land that you had mentioned. I thoroughly enjoy a joint activation but the prospect of competition really did not appeal to me.

[G4OIG]

Well done Robert. Many congratulations on the first activation to re-complete the activation of all the GW summits. I was hoping to stop up and see whether you tried HF, but was too tired having been out most of the day. I see you made some decent contacts on 80m.

73, Gerald

[MW0WML]

Congratulations @M0RWX Robert!

[GW4BML]

A big congratulations, Robert @M0RWX - completing the Welsh Marilyns and picking up the first activation of GW/SW‑042 is a great achievement. Really well done.

Even with the fly‑tipping that’s been mentioned, the summit itself is still a pleasant enough spot, and I’m glad you were able to get it done in good conditions.

I’m sorry I couldn’t join you for this one. A 3 hour 15 minute drive each way for a 1‑point summit just wasn’t realistic for me on a Sunday evening, especially after being out most of Friday night with Kevin, and with two little ones asking me to take them up to bed. As much as I enjoy activating with you, a 6½‑hour round trip followed by going straight into work wasn’t something I could manage this time.

But genuinely, well done on the milestone. It’s a solid bit of work, and I’m glad you got the unique too. We’ll get another joint activation in when the timing lines up a bit better.

73, Ben
GW4BML

[GW5SAW]

Congratulations @M0RWX Robert. Was a pleasure to be the first in the log qso as the clock hit 00:00. I was only sorry to have not stayed around for 80m.

Great effort, well deserved.

Looking at @MW0KXN Kevin’s photos from later in the day, it certainly looks a pleasant location with great views. I will aim to activate later in the year.

Steve

[MM0EFI]

Well done Robert! Great comittment to the cause.

@GW4BML

with two little ones asking me to take them up to bed

If only there was a Mini Golf up there, they would have dragged you up.

[M0HGY]

Congratulations Robert on being the first to activate all the GW SOTA summits. This is a great achievement. Me and my dad Tom @M1EYP are looking to make a trip down to South Wales later this year to activate Mynydd y Grug GW/SW-042 and the us this will mean us activating all GW for a 3rd time. This will be a coincidence as we were both 3rd time lucky when we activate all G SOTA summits.

BTW - Tim @G5OLD - I have sent several emails to you over the past few months and a private message via the SOTA Reflector as well with regards to the G/SC region. Not sure if you have seen these emails (maybe your email address has now changed) or the private message via the SOTA Reflector, but just in case you are reading this Tim, can you please send me an email to my email address of jimmyread@hotmail.co.uk.

Jimmy M0HGY

G - Association Manager

[G5OLD]

Hi Jimmy @M0HGY, I’ve sent you a message.

@MW0KXN

large contingent on the summit including yourself

I thought so too and alerted for G/SC-003 instead, to get the first S2S !

Tim G5OLD

[GW4BML]

@MM0EFI

If only there was a Mini Golf up there, they would have dragged you up.

Let’s not forget, we’ve all had our crazy golf moments!

[MM0EFI]

@GW4BML

we’ve all had our crazy golf moments!

I never did find that ball.

[GW4BML]

You didn’t look hard enough, it’s there alright!

[M0RWX]

Thanks all for the messages.

When the new summit was originally announced some time last year, I made a mental note; then when the details were published recently - to be open and upfront - I expressed my intention in the local WA group to activate at 00:00 and asked if others had similar plans.
I had hoped for others to join me - especially since I am not from the area but some activators are - and whilst there was initial interest, I ended up activating solo.

In preparation, considering I would arrive and walk up in the dark, I had visited the area and summit on two separate occasions, with an approach from the North as well as from the South-East. (I uploaded both routes)
Using the approach from the North using a motor vehicle with higher ground clearance will get you to the foot of the summit and is then just 300 metres walk up to the bench where I operated from.
When approaching from the SE, parking just on the other side of the cattle grid may be the best option; although you have to watch out where you park, as fly-tippers seem to use this frequently. .

It was like a scene from The Generation Game, as I noted socks, pants, sweaters, pair of head phones, charging cables, phone cases, dinner set, cups, TV remote, DVD, CD, vapes, Xbox summit slippers, jewellery boxes, plastic bottles and other stuff, all dumped very close to each other.
When leaving that behind, the summit AZ is huge, one of the largest I have seen, with a bench that provides a 360 degrees vista; very nice indeed. When I was there, I made contact with @M0JSB who was on Brown Clee Hill G/WB-002. Ten hours too early for it to count as a S2S…

I noted the semi-permanent camper van, but when I arrived around 23:00 that evening, another off-road looking campervan had parked up; fellow activators?

As it turned out, they weren’t; I guess they had just parked up for the night away from busy areas. (I’m sure they had not expected me to turn up).

As mentioned in a different post, I was touched by the amount of people who were still awake - some even set their alarm - just to make contact with me. It was very windy on the top and as I did not know how long I was going to be, I put up a small tarp to provide some respite from the wind. Thank you for all the contacts and grateful for the new badge!

73, Robert

[M0JSB]

@M0RWX

When I was there, I made contact with @M0JSB who was on Brown Clee Hill G/WB-002. Ten hours too early for it to count as a S2S…

Darn it. So close!