Sota summit - Aylesbury?

Morning All,
The day job is taking me to Aylesbury tomorrow, can anybody recommend a nearby qualifying SOTA summit please? Anything considered as I only need one more point to reach the magic 100 activator points!!

Cheers

Tim
G4YTD

In reply to G4YTD:
Wendover Woods?

Roger G4OWG

In reply to G4OWG:
Thanks Roger,
WX permitting may just have to give it a go!
Thanks
Tim

Hi Tim,

The SOTA reference for Wendover Woods is G/CE-005.

Jimmy M3EYP

Hi.

Rather than thrashing around in the woods, can I suggest activating from the trig point in the field to the north of the true summit. The VHF takeoff is better - as are the views!

Park on the north side of the road at SP890101 on the wide verge. There’s room for half a dozen cars. (Some older maps show a car park but the mountain bikers have it all to themselves now. You’ll get asked to leave.)

Walk all of 100 metres back up the road and take the footpath to the trig point - a further 100 metres.

73, Richard

In reply to M3EYP:
Thanks Jimmy. Hope to catch you on 2m SSB tomorrow.
Tim

In reply to G4ERP:
Thanks for the info Richard.
All noted. I hope to be active around 1800 local (Motorways allowing) with the usual 857/5 ele kit on 2m SSB.
Not as hectic an activation as Ingleborough and Whernside last week hopefully!
:slight_smile:

Tim
G4YTD

In reply to G4YTD:

Hi, Tim.

In that case, I’ll look out for you /M on my way home from deepest Oxfordshire. I normally leave some time just after 6 but if I see a spot, I’ll be there!

(I hope you have better luck with the traffic than I did when I activated it on my way back from Duxford the other day. I got stuck in traffic for an hour near Hitchin. No idea why.)

73, Richard

Hi Tim,

I won’t be able to catch you on 2m SSB, because there is no take to Wendover Woods from Macclesfield.

Jimmy M3EYP

In reply to G4ERP:
Hi Tim

Richard is certainly right about the trig point field. Parking just before the mountain bike area in the lay-by on the way up to the top of Aston Hill (site of the famous hill climb lending its name to Aston Martin Cars) is a good option. The trig point field is a nice spot for VHF/HF activations. (unless you suffer from hay fever!)

However, if you really want a good take VHF take off to the North through West, drive up the main forestry road toward Wendover Woods proper (entrance opposite Chiltern Hills Golf Club) and then stop at a large lay-by just at the top of the hill with a couple of benches to the right overlooking a view across the Vale of Aylesbury. This is in the AZ and I have found that the steep drop off away to the NW helps out (although it does shield the London direction somewhat.

Anyway good luck although I wont be around to work you.

73 Marc G0AZS (currently QRL in JA)

In reply to G0AZS:

In reply to G4ERP:
Hi Tim

Richard is certainly right about the trig point field. Parking just
before the mountain bike area in the lay-by on the way up to the top
of Aston Hill (site of the famous hill climb lending its name to Aston
Martin Cars) is a good option. The trig point field is a nice spot for
VHF/HF activations. (unless you suffer from hay fever!)

Well, I never knew that … It’s probably just as well that we don’t compete on it today. It would be blisteringly quick in our modern hillclimb cars.

http://ox.mx5oc.co.uk/events/AstonHill/Aston_Hill.htm

73, Richard

In reply to G4ERP:
Fascinating info Richard, I never knew that either, pity about the spelling mistake (“hear” rather than “here”) on the Aston Martin plaque though !

73 Graham

In reply to G3OHC:

Hi, Graham.

A bit OT, this, but I suppose it relates to one of “our” hills.

I noticed the mistake but I think the image has been transcribed from the plaque as they don’t quite look the same so I guess the original is correct. There’s a fair chance that I’ll be re-visiting Duxford in a couple of weeks so I’ll just have to pop up there again en route home and check. I’ll alert in advance in the usual way.

Interesting comparison with Shelsley Walsh which is also 1000 yards. The hill record at Shelsley is now 22.58 seconds. Aston looks quicker with less ascent. I can only imagine what times we would be doing.

73, Richard

In reply to G4ERP:

Aston looks quicker with less ascent. I can only imagine what times we would be doing.

Indeed Richard… might be worth asking the F1 driver who lives in the village at the bottom of the hill. I’m sure he would have had a go :slight_smile: …especially as he broke his duck at the weekend.

Sorry for going OT too… 73 Marc G0AZS

Thanks for all the comments chaps.
Interesting reading too as I was course photographer and club sport/rally sport and occasional motoring news Northern correspondent at Harewood hill climb for quite a few years.
Happy days…
Tim
G4YTD

Hi, both.

Marc - if you can arrange to close the road I’ll bring the car. Actually, as ours was originally driven by an unusually tall F1 pilot, I guess the one to whom you refer would also fit. :slight_smile:

Tim. I wonder when you stopped at Harewood? Although I haven’t competed there for a few years, we have brought both our cars “up north” in the past chasing various championships.

73, Richard

In reply to G4ERP:
Hi Richard,
Harewood and the Northern circuit was from around 1988 to 1993 when an unfortunate theft from the car and small print on the insurance policy sucked my will to live, and left me with a settlement of £83.43 for a claim of £6500 worth of stolen Canon SLR equipment and lenses!! I wouldn’t mind so much but I was on the other side of a dry stone wall to where the car was parked taking a sunset picture with a field camera (old style with a curtain over my head - 1850’s style) and didn’t hear a thing. They also stole a Tesco bag containing bacon and eggs I was going to have for my evening meal. I can only hope it choked them. Since then I only use a compact camera I keep in my pocket, or a Nikon Digital SLR that never leaves my neck whilst out. Shame, the press photography was good fun.
Sigh

Tim

In reply to G4YTD:

Hi, Tim.

I’m sorry to hear that. I do remember we used to get the occsional “visitor” appearing from the main road. Anyway, I don’t think our paths would have crossed.

Hopefully they will tomorrow. I’ll take the FT857 etc with me and if necessary, I’ll stop somewhere on the way home. Don’t forget to beam west occasionally!

73, Richard