Wales Invade Scotland 2010

GW7AAV, GW7AAU and 2W0YLO will be in Scotland activating summits as GM7AAV/P, GM7AAU/P and 2M0YLO/P for two weeks from the 14th - 30th August 2010.

Hopefully we will have Internet access and be able to post alerts, but I am not holding my breath. Mobile coverage has been problematic on our previous trips but I will self spot if possible. In case we don’t alert I will call first on ssb 5.3985, then 7.118, 3.666 if time and conditions allow 14.285 and 28.495. We will also operate on 2m FM.

Summits should include…

GM/NS-135 Cnoc Corr Guinie
GM/NS-138 Struie
GM/NS-148 Cnoc an t-Sabhail
GM/NS-150 Cnoc Mor
GM/NS-151 Mount Eagle
GM/NS-152 Hill of Nigg

All of which have rarely been activated for SOTA. This hopefully is not an extensive list and if we get some good weather we may be travelling a bit further afield to find some more. We may break our journeys to and from GM to squeeze in some outside of the target area as well.

We also hope to be able to set up station in the holiday accommodation which is on the A9 Evanton, Dingwall, Ross-Shire and will be looking for chaser points. Calls from WAB collectors will be welcome for NH66. IARU locator IO77tp.

Hope to speak to as many of you as possible.
Regards Steve GW7AAV

In reply to GW7AAV:

OK so that’s your schedule for the 1st day! What else?

Seriously, I hope you have decent weather. We’ve had 6 weeks of rotten weather. Can you bring some sun up north with you. The last decent weather we had was when Martyn M1MAJ and Caroline M3ZCB were up and I think they took the sun back down south with them!

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

Six weeks of rotten weather here too. Much gnashing of teeth thinking we had all the good weather too soon. I should have had my Tennamast in by now but with work and bad weather the welding is only just finished and the hole for the ground post 3/4 dug. I can’t promise to bring any sun but if we get some I will sure as **** take the credit for bringing it with me. It has been mixed here today with some lovely bits and some muggy and overcast. Just looking forward to chilling out and watching the seals on the Cromarty Firth from the window of the cottage and getting out in the fresh Scottish air.

73 Steve GW7AAV

In reply to GW7AAV:
Hi Steve,

Staying in Evanton and not going for the thoroughly miserable trudge up to NS-058?
Actually, in fine weather, it is a pleasant walk and can be made into a round trip BUT you have to ignore all those ****** windmills and hopefully, for you, it will not snow!

Barry GM4TOE
PS Don’t forget NS-105 for an evening stroll

In reply to GM4TOE:

Hi Barry I have a much bigger list but the ones listed are all quite close, I think we picked those as being under 10 miles away from base camp, so more likely we will do them. If the weather is good then we will travel further as time goes by. The ones we have mentioned we also have details of parking spots and walks from various sources.

NS-105 and NS-058 seem to be top secret. There is no satellite imagery at a decent resolution. :0( If you have any details of parking and route could you please email me. My email is correct on QRZ.com

Steve GW7AAV

In reply to GW7AAV:

The OS 1:25000 map is available at Bing Maps - Directions, trip planning, traffic cameras & more

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to GW7AAV:

I think we picked those as being under 10 miles away from base camp, so more likely we will do them.

Nice idea Steve to set out from base camp and leave the car behind :wink:

Have a great time you lucky people!

73, Gerald G4OIG

In reply to GW7AAV:

I have a much bigger list

If you try hard enough Steve you should be able to beat Billy Whizz’s claimed record of 60+ hills in 15 days. :wink:

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

I am up for it if I can get a few horses. Will have to be big uns though for me. ;0) Somehow don’t think Helen would want to give up her chill out time though. You never know I might even get her out on a boat, she fancies the Dolphin spotting, but she “doesn’t do boats” even though I got her out around the Farne Islands in a boat last year. GM7AAV/MM?

In reply to GW7AAV:

I got her out around the Farne Islands in a boat last year. GM7AAV/MM?

The pedant in me suggests your callsign would be GM7AAV/M whilst inside territorial waters and GW7AAV/MM once out at sea. :wink:

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:
G7AAV/MM…

The Farnes are in Northumberland!!

Rob (G1TPO)

Northumbrian and proud of it…

73s

In reply to MM0FMF:

The real pedant would look at the Terms here:

http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/spectrum/amateur-radio/guidance-for-licensees/samplelicence07.pdf

…and would note that 17(1)(e) applies and that it is not quite what you seem to think it is.

73

Richard
G3CWI

In reply to G3CWI:

Oooooooooooooooo! Indeed Richard. :wink:

So up here he’d be GM7AAV/m until he was into the tidal waters when he’d become GW7AAV/mm.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:
at last someone that can read their license…!!! you are correct he would be his own call GW7AAV/MM NOT (GM7AAV/MM)
READ THE TERMS OF YOUR LICENSE from one that has operated /mm all over the world

your call as it appears on your license prefixed by the international waters you are in ie ZL1/GW0HUS/MM KH6/GW0HUS/MM ALSO WHEN OPERATING IN UK WATERS IF YOU LIVE IN SCOTLAND AND YOU CALL IS GM0HUS BUT ARE IN A BOAT AROUND WALES YOU ARE STILL GM0HUS/MM ANY ONE ON HERE GOT A MARINE LICENSE… I HAVE .well done that man …(ANDY MM0FMF )

Graham
GW0HUS.

In reply to MM0FMF:

Seriously, I hope you have decent weather. We’ve had 6 weeks of rotten
weather. Can you bring some sun up north with you. The last decent
weather we had was when Martyn M1MAJ and Caroline M3ZCB were up and I
think they took the sun back down south with them!

We still can’t really believe how lucky we were with the weather (though one sets different standards in different areas - we had more rain in our good week in Scotland than we had in the following month back home in East Anglia). Anyone interested in more details of the trip can see the report at:

http://www.summitsbase.org.uk/tiki-index.php?page=News+July+2010#A_Scottish_Expedition_A_Report_from_Martin_M1MAJ_and_Caroline_M3ZCB

Hoping the AAV/AAU clan get some decent weather too.

Caroline M3ZCB.

In reply to GW0HUS:

What is the callsign to use when underway but inshore of the low water mark? The license seems to have different definitions of ‘at sea’ and ‘vessel at sea’.

I’m sure that it’s all very clear to someone that can speak ‘legalese’…but I must confess to being unsure.

Richard M0EIQ

In reply to M0EIQ:

What is the callsign to use when underway but inshore of the low water
mark? The license seems to have different definitions of ‘at sea’ and
‘vessel at sea’.

Which bit is confusing you?

In reply to GW0HUS:

Thank you for the vote of confidence in my pedentry! :wink: Where does it mention prepending the local prefix to your call Graham?

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

17(1) In this Licence, unless the context otherwise requires:

(e) “At Sea” means in the Tidal Waters or territorial sea of the United Kingdom or in international waters;

(v) “Maritime Mobile” means the Radio Equipment is located on any Vessel at Sea;

(x) “Mobile” means the Radio Equipment is located in the United Kingdom: III. on any Vessel on Inland Waters;

(kk) “Tidal Water” means any part of the sea or a river within the ebb and flow of the tide at ordinary spring tides;

(rr) “Vessel” means any floating structure which is capable of being manned;

(ss) “Vessel at Sea” means a Vessel operating on the seaward side of the low-water line along the coastline as marked on large scale charts officially recognised by the relevant coastal state;

(tt) “Vessel on Inland Waters” means a Vessel operating on the landward side of the low-water line along the coastline as marked on large scale charts officially recognised by the relevant coastal state;

Reading “Vessel at Sea”:

V & X taken with SS & TT seem fairly clear. /M or /MM is defined by the MLWS line on OS maps for the UK. When close to the shore of other countries, their relevant charting should be used.

Reading “Vessel” at “Sea”:

From RR, E & KK, ‘within the ebb and flow of the tide at ordinary spring tides’ implies that MHWS should be used to separate /M from /MM.

My simplistic interpretation is that the 2nd interpretation applies to UK shores, as the UK is specifically mentioned and 17(1) specifies ‘In this Licence, unless the context otherwise requires:’ but that the 1st interpretation applies close to the shore of other countries.

My confusion is because I have doubts about my ability to navigate this language accurately.

Richard M0EIQ

The Norfolk Broads are tidal. So is the River Thames at Twickenham!

Tom M1EYP

In reply to M0EIQ:

I’d have thought it was simple.

/MM is clearly defined as when you’re on a “Vessel at Sea”. “Vessel at sea” is clearly defined, though you may need a suitable chart to be sure.

So if you’re not on a “Vessel at sea” you can’t be /MM.

QED.

Of course, we’re dealing with OFCOM, so it’s all irrelevant as they don’t know what day it is never mind how to interpret their rules. :wink:

Andy
MM0FMF