SW summits on 2m FM and 70cm from 23 - 30 July - help please

We will be staying in Porthcawl for a week while Rod (M0JLA) runs (?) in a 5 day orienteering event so we will be hoping the weather will allow us to visit quite a lot of local summits, especially as I will be cycling or walking to some of them. Last time I was there I had great difficulty in qualifying these small hills (eg SW-017, 021, 028, 031, 032, 040 etc) on 2m and this time I shall be calling on 70cm as well!! I think I will need some people to be listening out for me and I will put up alerts as often as possible.

However, I have some queries with routes as I seem to be approaching the hills from somewhere different from the ‘drive as close as possible’ brigade. In particular, weather and legs permitting, I will be hoping on Thursday, 28 July to walk up Hirfynydd (SW-017) from the east at Morfa Glas 868065 on the bridleways and footpaths amongst the wind farm - do they exist?? (I’m hoping Mal, GW6OVD. reads this and will be listening out for me during the week!) I then hope to walk along the ridge, across the valley and up Mynydd Marchywel (SW-021) via Crynant and St Illtyd’s Walk. I have done the long trek to the trig point and don’t want to return this way so wish to leave the summit in the SW direction, aiming to be picked up at the road bend at 757014. The accounts I have read imply there is a track and/or bridleway going in that direction but these are not marked on any maps. Can I just follow the boundary fence/wall (on which side?) or do I have to dogleg round the non access land? How do I get across the last 3 fields from the AL corner 758022 down to the road. Sorry to ask quite such specific questions but if I get stuck there it’s going to be a long walk back to Crynant!

My other long solo effort is planned for Tuesday, 26th when I will be dropped at Mynydd y Betws (SW-028) where I will stay for a long time waiting for any contact at all! Then cycle (and push) to Mynydd Uchaf (031) and, hopefully, to Mynydd Allt-y-Grug (032). This will only be possible if a) I get some speedy contacts (on 70cm??) at each summit and b) that I can push my bike and then actually ride it on the track marked on Mynydd Uchaf towards the trig point above Pen Rhiw-fawr 735112 and join the road along Cefn Gwrhyd and the Swansea Valley. I am a rather nervous off-roader so it will have to be a good track if I’m going to ride it - does anyone know it?

Are other efforts are likely to be more straightforward except that we will be hoping to swap summits (which always confuses the chasers) between Mynydd Dinas (039) and Foel Fynyddau (029) in the late afternoon on Monday 25 July. There is a horrible selection of masts on the latter - will I need the 2m filter? We are hoping for about 17 summits, including the drive there and back, in all but will need good weather as well as good chasers to make this possible.

73

Viki M6BWAS

Hi Viki

Regarding route info I will leave that to Mal and Allen to advise. However, as you may have seen from the alerts I am planning to be through to SW on the Fri 29 Jul to do 6 1 pointers. I will be carrying 2m & 70cm so will keep an ear out for you.

Good luck to both of you 73 Glyn

Assuming Don G0RQL is around at the time, he is effectively just a cross the Bristol Channel & should be a cert in your log.

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You don’t say what sort of rig you will be using, but assuming it’s a handie-talkie you can improve your chances a lot by using an antenna like a slim-jim instead of the small rubber duck that most handies come with. A telescopic travel pole should not be too difficult to carry and a slim jim made of ladder line can be rolled up.

73, Colin G8TMV

I forgot to mention that I will be using my trusty VX-7 with (probably) a J-pole on a fishing pole rather than the dipole I have used for so long. I find the J-pole works well with 70cm as well as 2m and gives me some extra height - but I am not yet convinced that it is so good in wet weather.

I am certainly hoping that G0RQL will be able to hear me as I am that much closer than my usual venues in the Beacons area. G4CFS -yes, Glyn, I had noticed your vast array of alerts and hope that we can get S2S for perhaps the last two as Rodney has an early start on that day. I hope you will be monitoring 145-500 (and 145-425 if I can get it) as well as doing CW. I am very impressed with the speed at which you will be polishing off these summits. As you can gather, I am a tortoise! Thanks for the comments.

Viki M6BWA

Mmm…not so much a tortoise but nearly a double Mountain Goat I think Viki :wink:

I will try and get out to get you on some of those hills…I have a plan forming :slight_smile: Sorry, but I can’t help you with the routes in between the summits for your cycle trip.

Take care

Allan GW4VPX

On our 2015 GW/SW trip, - Myarth SW-035 - we didn’t manage any VHF contacts from Myarth GW/SW-035. However, as you can see if you click through each successive summit on the trip (the link to the next activation appears near the foot of each report), Jimmy had no trouble getting more than enough 2m FM QSOs on all the other summits.

Bear in mind Viki 3 of those 6 summits are Drive-ons!!

Will have 145.500 and 70cm calling freq on ‘dual watch’.