Wendover Woods advice

[M8GSY]

Hi any advice for activating at Wendover Woods from the Trig point. I’ve been reading various previous posts and stuff on Facebook. Not looking to annoy the land owner. Planning to do 40M with a 40/20 Band hopper and give 2M with the hand held ago. Thank you.

[GM4LLD]

Ah Facebook… best ignored.

Check the Database for both the latest and best info.

Sotadata3

[G8CPZ]

Easiest activation for visitor to London G/SE-002?

Hi Scott, You haven’t mentioned whether you intend to activate at the weekend or not. In case you’re considering Wendover Woods G/CE-005, I use to live a mile or two away and found it hard to get four 2m FM contacts during the week. You will need a better antenna for your HT than the stock rubber duck. I use a Diamond RH-770 half-wave telescopic whip. There are a number of 2m FM repeaters in range and – if you’re struggling to get contacts - you could always make requests there for simplex QSO…

[M8GSY]

Thanks. I am update with all that info already

73

Ed

[G8TMV]

I’ve done it many times in the last few years.

If you are going to use HF (recommended) then set up along the fence line furthest from the road in the field with the trig point so you are not as obvious. I’ve had zero problems doing that.

Note that at weekends and during school holidays parking can be an issue.

[G8CPZ]

@G8TMV

set up along the fence line furthest from the road in the field with the trig point

I did that on my activations. I’ve also never had a problem with the landowner or his agents. That way, you avoid the HF antenna going near the public footpath to the trig point that crosses the field diagonally. Also, the lower branches on the mature trees on that eastern field boundary can be used to tether the far end of an EFHW rather than have it sloping to ground.

[M5TEA]

I setup my bandhopper away from the trig point and didn’t have an issue.

[M8GSY]

Thanks , I did the same today from this location and all was fine

[M8GSY]

Well I activated this SOTA summit today, Friday 10/04/2026, from the trig point and I had 71 contacts, 5 on VHF on 2 meters and the rest over 40 and 20 meters. A couple of S2S and some others at trig points calling me. A few dog walkers passing by and a few people walking through from the camp site, all was fine. Apart from 2 ladies from South Africa who were interested in what I was up to, no one even gave me a second look lol.

[M9SOE]

Absolutely nothing wrong with the site; the lack of activity on 2M/70 cm is down to the general lack of people using those bands. It is actually very frustrating that, in theory, you are overlooking one of the most populated areas in the UK, and should be heard across most of the South East, but if nobody has a radio switched on, then obviously nobody is going to hear you! So if you are thinking of activating that site, drop an email to radio clubs across the region.

[M8GSY]

As I reported above, I had 5 QSOs on 2 meters yesterday, I could hear a few QSOs going on , on the simplex channels, and I did get a reply to the CQs I put out on S20. HF was easy enough as it usually is.