At least 4 members of Paisley Amateur Radio Club will be going up Ben Bowie GM/SS-251 on 14th April.
We will be trying a variety of bands and modes and we hope to work as many people as possible from the summit. It will give us a chance to share ideas amongst each other on equipment we use in the field both for radio and hillwalking. And actually see it in use!
Hope to work some of you on that day and hopefully we will get some DX. We will get some picture of the small cluster of antennas at the top and post them here.
Rumour has it that it is to be a four day assault on the North Face of Ben Bowie doing a first ascent by the Direttisima route.
Day One is a meet at sea level in Helensburgh then the first push up the Hindu Sinclair heading slowly while acclimatising before setting up base-camp at the Colgrain Glacier.
Day Two, two of the party will head up and establish Camp One at 300ft ASL just below Lomond View and will set fixed ladders and ropes for the steep vertical ascent. The lead party will then be dropped back to Base-Camp whilst another pair will set off to the dizzying heights of 600ft ASL setting up Camp Two using the latest Pound Shop two man bivvy shelters. Hot Pies and (hot)lager will be belayed up fixed ropes to feed the advance party.
Day Three,
the four fittest will strike out and climb slowly over the Yellow Band which then leaves a short easy route over the Killoeter Arete.
Summit camp will be struck on one of the three high points on Bowie’s plateau. Operations to feed the advance radio party will be made by ‘Belay slaves’…
Day Four,
Activation…if the midge doesn’t appear.
only kidding…
Good luck to the Paisley lads and look forward to working you.
PS
Fixed ladders and fixed ropes…
do they breach SOTA etiquette ?
It will be a tough day but we will try and push on through!