The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge with M9TQM

Activation Reports
1

Yesterday I completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks and managed to activate all three summits for SOTA in a single day, finishing in 11 hours 27 minutes (sub-12). I set off at 05:40 in the dark.

Given the scale of the walk and the overall time constraint, I had to be disciplined with activation lengths and operate efficiently on each summit in order to keep moving.

All activations were carried out using a Yaesu FT-3D at 5 W with a Slim-G antenna. This was handheld-only equipment. Unfortunately, I do not currently have the equipment for 2m SSB - although it would’ve been great!

The first summit was Ingleborough (G/NP-005). This was an extremely early arrival, reaching the summit in darkness with heavy fog and very poor visibility. Due to the conditions, I took a safety stop until first light. As expected at that hour, chasers were still waking up, so this became my longest activation window of the day. I completed 5 QSOs, including G7VNM in Stanley Crook, County Durham.

A slightly surreal moment from this summit was having a few walkers pass me in the pitch black, seeing someone sat in thick fog with a head torch and a handheld radio. Many hours later, I crossed paths with the same walkers again near the final summit, who asked if I was “the guy on Ingleborough earlier who looked like he was in a Teams meeting for work”. Apparently I’d been a topic of conversation - definitely not a Teams call, just SOTA before sunrise. Had a nice few minutes promoting the hobby!

The second summit was Pen-y-Ghent (G/NP-010). This activation was deliberately kept short to maintain the overall schedule. I completed 4 QSOs in 6 minutes and left the summit immediately, mainly due to the fog.

The final summit was Whernside (G/NP-004). Legs were tired by this point, but conditions were workable. I completed 6 QSOs with an activation time of around 20 minutes before starting the descent.

Ingleborough
Ingleborough1920Ă—1440 109 KB

Ant
Ant1920Ă—2560 146 KB

Sunset
Sunset1920Ă—1440 190 KB

Overall summary:
Three summits activated (G/NP-005, G/NP-010, G/NP-004).
25 SOTA points including winter bonus.
All activations on 5 W using an FT-3D and Slim-G.
Start time: 05:40.
End time: 17:08.
Total elapsed time: 11 hours 27 minutes.
Very tired legs, but a memorable day.

A very special thanks to M1DHA (Alan), who chased all three summits, and to M9OUD (Tony), who also chased all three, including two S2S QSOs. The support throughout the day was very much appreciated and made a real difference, particularly with tight timing.

73
Tom – M9TQM

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2

Well done Tom!

Excellent achievement. I know the area well, as I have supported my wife who has done the Cycle race over the same summits.

In the winter too! 25 points well earned!

Martin

3

Good stuff, Tom, sorry I missed you, I was doing the Tesco run. I can usually contact each peak from here in Wirral. I did my first activation of Ingleborough about this time last year.
Hope to catch you soon, 73 John G0MHF.

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4

That’s a good outing for January! I’ve done the Three Peaks before but never for SOTA (it was about 30 years ago). I might do it again for SOTA but I think I’d need a long summer’s day for it.

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5

Hi Tom,
congratulations on your successful SOTA multi-summit outing …
The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge no less ! :partying_face:

A great achievement, one on my list for the future ! :smiley:

73 Peter GM7STP

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6

Thanks very much for your kind words Martin. It was a truly excellent day, albeit exhausting. I am so happy to have discovered amateur radio & SOTA. I am still less than 6 months into the hobby and loving every moment!

Take care :slight_smile:

73 - M9TQM

7

Thanks very much, John.

Congratulations on your Ingleborough activation. Did you activate from the shelter, or somewhere else on the summit? We certainly aren’t short for some good spots up there.

8

Thank you very much, Richard!

I hadn’t taken a long time to plan this outing, but wanted to make the most of the winter bonus. Thankfully I was able to successfully activate each one - certainly a day I’ll remember.

I hope you make it in the summer - do pop and alert out when you plan for it and I’ll try and get a S2S with you :slight_smile:

73 - Tom, M9TQM

9

Thanks very much for your kind words, Peter! And for the correction on the summit reference too - all edited, I appreciate it :slight_smile:

Maybe G/NP-006 should be the one I do next week :wink:

Happy activating and hopefully get you ITL sometime soon!

73 - Tom, M9TQM

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10

Superb achievement. I’ve been around the Y3Ps about 20 times… but always in summer. Great to do it in winter and activate the 3 summits.

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11

Thanks for a great report, Tom.

A very impressive SOTA outing! :clap::clap::clap:

I hope your legs have recovered!

73, Matthew M0JSB

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12

That sounds like quite the outing! Well done!

For those, like me, who don’t really know those summits or terrain, here’s a route (what you used?) for all three that’s on sotamaps/sotlas:

image
image1035Ă—1791 136 KB

Look at the elevation gain…and loss!..for each hill. :hot_face:

4 Likes
13

It may not be Scotland but we still have proper hills in Yorkshire!

4 Likes
14

Tom - welcome, and what a fantastic achievement.

Winter + radio kit = extra kudos. :ok_hand:

(You’re welcome down this way… but to keep it fair, you’ll have to have one leg tied behind your back.)

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15

Hi again Tom. Yes, I activated from the shelter. A quick activation as I was with my son, 6 contacts inc 2 S2S.
73 John.

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16

Congratulations! Great job Tom!

73, Robert

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17

Thanks for your kind words!

Wow - That’s quite the achievement! SOTA definitely helped keep me motivated during those long valley slogs.

I hope I have inspired you to give it a go in the winter :grin: I can’t think of too many positives vs summer months though… other than hardly anyone was there!

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18

Thanks very much Matthew! I appreciate that :smiley:

It was a tough day but thankfully the legs are alright now! It’s safe to say I didn’t use the standing desk at work today :sweat_smile: 73, Tom

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19

Hey Alex - thanks very much!

Great of you to have added an elevation map of the peaks. You’re right, that’s the route I would have used. The Yorkshire Three Peaks has a very well paved route - but that only helps a tiny bit with all of that elevation :laughing:

I’ve attached my actual elevation graph from Strava below.

Hopefully you’ll get to try out the Yorkshire Three Peaks one day :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: 73, Tom M9TQM

IMG_5105
IMG_51051284Ă—1475 79.6 KB

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20

Thanks for the very warm welcome :slight_smile: it’s great to be here - what a lovely community to be apart of!

I couldn’t resist the 25 points on offer. It seemed like a challenge well worth trying out! I’m glad it paid off and our brilliant chasers were ready & waiting :star_struck:

Maybe catch you on a S2S some day. I’m from Cardiff originally, so often come back down to visit. I do love those big hills :mountain_snow: cough cough… Fan Brecheiniog!

All the best & 73, Tom - M9TQM

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