Indeed, but add in the drive distance / time from my Northumberland base, then it really has to be done with another, preferably several other summits as part of a stay up in the area. I am working on it! I chose Meall nan Tarmachan for the Trans-Atlantic S2S event as it only required a 350 mile drive and I knew I could manage the walk distance / ascent with 14kg on my back. Heck, i must be mad.
Born in Nottinghamshire, living in Northamptonshire, head in Scotland… yes, we’ve had the conversation before!
Pleased to work you on the first one. Pity you were in the noise on the second… and I did listen for Ben in case there was a duct. You never know… stranger things happen in amateur radio.
Same here, probably in several pieces! I’m sure the guy was bonkers (after all, he was a psychologist), he was an early pioneer of sea cliff climbing in Cornwall and had an interesting way of starting climbs on cliffs that fell sheer into the sea. He would let a high wave throw him up the cliff face to where he could grab a hold on the rock. It is said that couple of commando trainees drowned trying to imitate his technique…
Great report @MM0EFI Fraser! It was a cracking day out, excellent company and a pleasure activating with you. Couldn’t of wished for a better trip, and to end with one of Mo’s amazing Currys thanks Mo! Will deffo be coming up the road again soon for another adventure!
Hi Ben,
Yes I did enjoy the activation. My plan was to go early, that is not unusual, but to complete prior to the rain forecast for late afternoon. Looking at your equipment you are very well equipped and your radio equipment matches your mountain craft.
Many years ago I walked from the Llyn of Dee to Aviemore via the Lairig Ghru. Having driven from Aviemore at silly o’clock, I had to change a flat tyre before my wife could drive back!
When I was approaching my 1000 activation points, I booked a trip with a friend of mine and we activated GM/ES-001 and the following day GM/ES-002.
Here are a couple of pictures from that trip in 2018:
I have a lot of respect for the conditions on the Cairngorm plateau, it does not take prisoners.
On Cheviot I worked 28 stations on 40, 10 on 30m and 18 on 20m plus a good handful on 2m.
My equipment, FT857 running 50W to inverted vee link dipole at 5m and IC92D running 6W
to end fed dipole at 6m and 10Ah of Lipo.
I was not aware of the poor HF propagation.
David, Thanks for the QSO! I forgot to mention it in the report. We’d descended around 100m from the summit of Ben Macdui and heard your CQ come through on Bens handheld. He passed it to me so we could have the contact. So, it was just the HT plus whip at our end.
There is a great path from The Cheviot to the Cairngorms, as @MM0FMF said earlier in this thread and I’ve worked that summit on more than one occasion now just using a handheld plus whip.
Hi @G0EVV David, I’m glad you enjoyed your activation. The wx was cold so you did well to hang around on the summit for two of our activations - thank you very much!
After trying quite a few different 2m FM setups on the mountains (including home made antennas), I find my Yaesu FT-65e hand-held connected to the slim-g (made by spectrum communications) on a 4m pole works the best and has good reports. As for HF, I now use the new Xiego X6100 running into a home made linked dipole, that also seems to work well.
Looking at your photos, it looks like you had a good time on ES-001 and ES-002. Well done on the 1000 points, it takes some doing! I’m looking forward to hitting my MG, it’s been great fun so far!
I agree with your comment reference the Cairngorm Plateau, I’ve activated and hiked/scrambled in Snowdonia park for years, but the Cairngorms are something else, very spectacular!
Again, thanks for both S2S contacts and I’ll listen out for you in the future.
That is a nice cycle Brian. Easy to White Bridge and do-able on single track up the west bank of the Dee for a couple of more km. The start of the walk can be wet, but a path soon appears. Unfortunately a subsidiary top needs to be climbed, however all worth it, as Ben Bhrotain sits on the edge of the massif and has great views all round.
thanks Mo! Will deffo be coming up the road again soon for another adventure!
