Originally planned for activating on 4 days, this outing was reduced to 3 days to fit in with family arrangements. Although the possibility of driving north through the night to fit in a fourth day remained, I decided that it would be better to spend Friday 1st November travelling the 381 miles up to Kinross in daylight. I set out from Northampton at 09:00z and arrived at the Kinross Travelodge at 16:45z, which meant I had a reasonably relaxed evening and a decent sleep before the Trans-Atlantic S2S Event the following day…
Saturday 2nd November 2024 – Geal-charn GM/CS-043
A report for this activation is posted under the reports for the Trans-Atlantic S2S Event, so I will not repeat it here. Reports: Trans-Atlantic S2S Event 2nd November 2024
Sunday 3rd November 2024 – Meall nam Maigheach GM/CS-082
After the rough weather conditions experienced on Geal-charn, I was looking for a summit with a relatively quick and easy ascent, so I selected this one near Ben Lawers as it offered just that. I had actually considered this summit for the Trans-Atlantic S2S event, but I knew that it does not have a good 4G and phone service. However, no problem for a simple activation I thought…hmm, would that be a problem?
I set the satnav for the parking spot and left Kinross at the relatively late hour of 08:10z. Initially I did not pay much attention to where the satnav was taking me and I ended up heading north up the A9 and then off west on the A822 Old Military Road to Amulree. There I was directed down Glen Quaich and over to Kenmore – not the route I had expected, but it was heading in the right direction. I had enjoyed driving this single track road in my Audi A4 Quattro back in 2022, but the suspension on the Q5 did not handle the undulations as well and I was somewhat relieved to get onto the A827 at Kenmore. From there it was an easy drive to the Ben Lawers car parking where I continued north on the single track road.
The ideal parking spot for Meall nam Maigheach is close to the boundary of the Meggerie Estates at NN580422 where there is room for just one vehicle opposite a passing place. When I arrived at 09:50z the parking spot was unoccupied, so I did a quick 7 point turn in the next passing bay and parked up. I was grateful that I did not have to use the backup parking at NN582417 which would have entailed an extra walk of 800 metres each way and an extra 56 metres of ascent on the return to the car.
View north towards the estate signboard and the start of the walk… or alternatively head up from the parking spot over undulating ground as I did.
The track to the summit is a quad bike track that runs roughly alongside a wall from near the Meggerie Estates sign almost to the summit. The wall runs straight with a kink at one point. I set off up the hill at 10:16z, taking a diagonal route across to the wall which did not save me much distance, but it avoided the boggy bottom section of the quad bike track. As per the previous day, there were no views to be seen as visibility was again down around 20 metres and it was extremely humid – the forecast had suggested 90% humidity. As I ascended I hoped I wasn’t in for another wet activation.
Looking up the line of the wall; the quad bike track is on its western side.
I was on the summit by 11:26z, perhaps the slowest time ever for anyone to climb the 1.65km route, but I was not feeling good. The humidity was getting to me and I was finding it hard to breathe and was experiencing a build up of lactic acid in my legs, something that I have not experienced since I had my heart bypass operation back in 2018. Anyway, I was in no particular rush – the joy of doing just one summit a day.
Meall nam Maigheach summit cairn.
I set up slightly away from the summit cairn and had a snack before operating. I was QRV near my alerted frequency of 7.180MHz at 11:51z, but there was no response to my CQ calls, so I decided to self-spot. The phone and 4G coverage was rather sporadic as expected, but moving closer to the summit cairn I managed to log onto SOTAwatch where I noted that Graham GW4EUK/P was spotted on 40m SSB. It took a few calls to get a contact, but we made it okay. I then went to find a clear frequency followed by a self-spot, hoping that the frequency would remain clear while this was happening. The spot produced 6 calls, but only 4 contacts. Giving this some thought, I concluded that I had a problem and on investigation found a faulty link on the dipole. Duly sorted I put out further calls, but there were no further callers.
At 12:40z I moved to 40m CW in the hope that the RBN would spot me, but it didn’t. However, I had two pleasant chat QSOs, though deep QSB was in evidence on the band. I then decided to move to 30m and after managing to self-spot I had a decent run of 17 contacts, including a welcome S2S with Tom I/HB9EVK/P on Monte Oriolo I/LO-273. When the frequency went quiet at 13:28z, a couple of QRZs solicited a call from Chris G4AJA near Swindon and we chatted until 13:40z.
I decided to give 40m CW another go, so I self-spotted. This produced just 5 contacts, but I was very pleased to work Pete G4ISJ who I had not worked for a long time and also David M6GYU. At this point I realised that I was getting quite cold, so I decided to check SOTAwatch for anything of interest before closing down. Packing up was a distinctly damp affair as the antenna and pole were dripping wet with the mist, though things weren’t quite as bad as the previous day.
I completely forgot to take a photo of the set up on the summit, but there was not much to see anyway and certainly no views. The descent took 34 minutes and I arrived at the car at 15:06z. I decided that my return journey would be via Killin, Lochearnhead and Crieff, a much more pleasant route and one where I found fuel at an acceptable price. Back at my accommodation by 17:13z, I once again stripped out the backpack to dry out any dampness before phoning home and then finding something to eat. I was surprised to find the bottom cap of my second pole had gone the way of the first, so more gaffa tape was deployed as a temporary means of retaining the sections. I now had two poles to repair when I got back home.
Monday 4th November 2024 – Beinn Chaorach GM/SS-062
The main reason for me choosing this summit for my final day of the outing was that it was generally in the right direction for heading home, but it still added 72 miles to the total for the day. I had worked out a rough itinerary on the Sunday evening and a departure by 07:00z was required. I actually bettered that by 10 minutes and arrived at the parking spot by the telecomms mast next to the A817 Haul Road at 08:34z. Much of the journey was spent behind a logging lorry, registration DB15 LOG which I thought was quite appropriate.
View of the southern flank of Auchengaich Hill from the parking spot. Beinn Chaorach is hidden behind that a few kilometres further on.
I set off up the hill at 08:52z, finding the field across the road occupied by large brown cows. To avoid any potential conflict, I moved over to the eastern fence and quietly ascended to the corner of the field where there is a rough stile of sorts. In places I had to circumnavigate extremely damp areas and once over the stile and heading west it was certainly not much better. Crossing the field diagonally is by far a better route, though it was very boggy at the gateway at the top of the field.
Looking up towards Auchengaich Hill which is steeper than it looks.
The second part of the ascent is a rough quad bike track up Auchengaich Hill which is quite steep. I was feeling decidedly under par and with the high humidity again I had difficulty getting my breath. However, I had allowed ample time for a slow ascent in my itinerary, so I took it steadily and eventually the slope levelled off. Between Auchengaich Hill and Beinn Tharsuinn it was rather wet and boggy in places, with detours required to avoid the worst areas. In places the water was deeper than the toes of my boots despite my detours well off the line of the track. Not being able to see more than 20 metres I had no idea of distance and it seemed to take an inordinate amount of time to reach Beinn Tharsuinn. Thereafter the route was easier – a descent along ta fence line, to yet more bogginess at the coll and then an ascent to the summit of Beinn Chaorach which I eventually reached at 11:28z.
The final approach up Beinn Chaorach… it disappeared in the mist a few seconds later.
So I had no views, high humidity and mediocre 4G and phone coverage… sound familiar? There was a breeze at the summit, so the fence up by the trig point beckoned and I set up a rough windbreak using my tarp tie-wrapped to the the fence as I have done on many previous occasions. Cue drizzle! What a surprise – not!
Beinn Chaorach summit cairn.
With both poles being out of action I had decided on a 2m only activation using my walking poles to support the 2m yagi. I had forgotten that this set up really requires the support from guying rather than just tie wrapping the poles to a fence. It therefore took a while to set up, but I got onto 2m SSB on my alerted frequency of 144.333MHz spot on 12:00z. Response – precisely zero. Was the kit working? – yes the Northern Ireland beacon was a huge signal and at 12:06z so was Steve MM0XPZ. We chatted for a while and then I called CQ, but there were no further callers. I tried to get a self-spot on, but failed to get logged onto SOTAwatch, so what next? 2m FM… that always works around this area.
The drizzle was now getting heavier, so I decided to leave the beam horizontal to avoid messing around with the antenna. My first CQ produced at least 4 callers. Ray GM4CXM was first into the log at 12:25z and a QSY and tweak of the beam produced 59 signals both ways. The run on FM produced another 9 callers, with Steve MM0XPZ tail-ending on the mode. While this was happening I managed to get a text off to my friend Paul G4MD to request a spot for 144.333MHz and when I signed with Steve I moved there straight away. I thought I heard someone calling in the noise, but there was nothing definite. I later learnt that Don G0RQL had indeed called me, but had heard nothing from me.
Ready for the descent in the rain.
I went QRT about 13:00z and in doing so invoked the rain gods once again. Thankfully the tarp provided some shelter so the kit did not get that wet, but the rain continued all the way down to the car making the descent most unpleasant. At the car I realised that I was thoroughly soaked, so decided on a complete change of clothing for the drive home. My boots had given up on their waterproofing after three consecutive wet days, so I had wet feet as well. - the first time that has happened for many years.
I set off home at 15:15z, heading initially west to have a quick look at Faslane and Helensburgh before joining the A82 to Glasgow. There was a delay at the M8 / M74 junction and slow sections on the M6 and M1 where there were roadworks, but I was home by 21:45z. Six and a half hours, 384 miles, not bad considering and I’d get to sleep in my own bed!
Some thoughts and facts.
Driving up north without activating a summit on the Friday was definitely the right decision. I have developed quite a dislike of the M6 having travelled it many times when doing SOTA, but it is doubly wearing when I am on my own. I will try to avoid it in future when driving to Scotland. Launching outings from my Northumberland base makes better sense.
Equipment wise, everything went to plan as it usually does:
Geal-charn GM/CS-043 – KX3, MX-P50M HF linear, 30 watts, Slidewinder based vertical on pole (loading coil at 1m)., 1 x 2.2AH LiPO, 1 x 4AH LiPO, 2 x 4.2AH LiFePO4 (not all used).
Meall nam Maigheach GM/CS-082 – FT-817ND barefoot, 5 watts, 40/30/20m link dipole with apex at 6m, 1 x 4AH LiPO, 1 x 4.2AH LiFePO4.
Beinn Chaorach GM/SS-062 – FT-817ND, Microwave Modules linear, 25 watts, 5 element yagi mounted horizontally on walking poles at 2.8m, 1 x 4AH LiPO, 1 x 4.2AH LiFePO4.
Walking total over the 3 days: 20.7km, 1,517m ascent
Mileage: Friday 381 miles, Saturday 142 miles, Sunday 133 miles, Monday 456 miles.
Many thanks as always to everyone that came on to work me. Apologies for no HF on the last day, but I’ve not tested any of my antennas with my walking poles as the support. Under the circumstances I probably wouldn’t have deployed HF anyway. Over many years of activating I’ve learnt that there’s a time to call a stop…. and I did several times on this outing. Hopefully not so the next time out.
Oh… and the reason for my slow ascents (as well as my age), I had a chest infection and a head cold which became apparent on 5th November. 
73, Gerald G4OIG (GM4OIG/P)
