After my comfortable victory over Storm Eva recently, I will be going into battle with Storm Frank tomorrow morning. I have activated on every day of my Christmas holiday, 11 consecutive days so far. I’d like to keep that going until I return to work in January, but that does mean a showdown with Frank tomorrow. It’ll have to be early morning as we’re going to see a show later.
Speed will be of the essence, both because of my later commitments, and because of the likely poor weather. Therefore it will be 2m handheld only, work whoever is there - then leg it!
Hoping to break the 800pts barrier tomorrow but will probably miss your early morning call! Either alchol or a Night Nurse will keep me in bed until 09:00 at least
Dave
(M6RUG)
I remember all the advertising about said film from 38 years ago. I think of the name every time I hear the words night nurse.
Anyway, it was a lovely morning and afternoon here. 10C and sunny with no wind. From 4.00pm onward it has been getting miserable and breezy. It’s now drizzling hard and the breeze is a blustery wind. I’ve been looking at the pictures of the flooding and thinking of the people involved. It’s bad enough being flooded but at Christmas is worse. Still we’ve been better off than the terrible weather in Texas. Flooding isn’t a worry when you live on a hill. But gales are. We’re about 550ft ASL here but for once, facing North may be a bit of a blessing as the worst winds are predicted to come from the South-West and South.
Fingers crossed for those who may get worse weather than here. Maybe Paul and Gerald will get out tomorrow. ISTR the path to Nutberry past the Covenenter’s Grave can be a bit wet. After the rain we’ve had they may need their bog-snorkling gear to get to the summit and some strong ropes to lash everything down when they do.
Well we’ve just spent a happy hour reviewing the weather forecasts, Nutberry and possible alternatives and decided that though we may be generally considered barmy we are not suicidal to the degree that a study of MWIS would indicate we could be for venturing out onto hills in the Galloway area :-s So we have taken the (almost) unprecedented step of deciding to bale out tomorrow and return home for an early bath…
Apologies to anybody who was aching to get Nutberry in their chaser logs, be assured like the man said (nearly) “we"ll be back” !
While I’m on, sorry for the hijack but many thanks to those who have called us on Hill of Stake and Lamachan Hill the last couple of days, we’ve had a great time and thus far stayed more or less dry!
Happy New Year to all and see you in the New Year - next planned expedition our traditional end of Feb outing, when we’ll be back over towards the Pentlands.
“From 4.00 pm onward it has been getting miserable and breezy”
For that read… from 9.00 pm I am hoping the glass doesn’t break in the window in my room. Just pleased the car is parked on the north side of the building. It is going to be fun driving home tomorrow. At least we won’t have any kit to dry out… but that is little compensation for being beaten by the weather for the second time in almost 10 years of SOTA activating.
If you are venturing out on the hills take care and stay safe.
A gentle breeze it is. Passed right over us on the Ayrshire coast. We are still alive. More than I can say for the motorcycle that decided to take shelter on it own. Lying in a heap and parked in the same spot for several years through all the storms. So what was different? The wind direction probably.
Missed you both on your two hills, both days you were due on just after I had to go out.
Safe home and Happy New Year - if we survive. We are all doomed I tell you, DOOMED!
Mission accomplished. 9 QSOs on 2m FM with the handheld and rubber duck. No problem at all with getting QSOs on 2, even with the most basic kit.
Storm Frank had a proper go. I was continually steadying myself against the topography and the chasers had live coverage of me being blown off my feet several times.
I’ve been doing the Christmas Cumulatives contest the past three days from the same site, but any antenna wouldn’t stay up for 5 seconds in that.
Big disadvantage here is being on top of hill here, next to south s coast is we are being battered big time rain to to bad Tamar bridge is closed to high sided motor and M/C all night and continues now. Sheds still there ( Metal) JUST, would not be if not roped down. but is making some strange sounds at times as it vibrates in the wind gusts been clocking 60 to 70mph currently dropped to about 45mph I past hour
Been rough night.Frank has left it mark.
BUT heart and thoughts go out to those in the NW to whom don’t need more of this and as you going up that summit ya bloody mad
