Wet

Old Reflector
1

Over the past couple of Sundays, I have four damp activations to report.

Sunday 4th May 2014 - Whernside G/NP-004

I did originally mean to do this one as a double with Great Coum G/NP-011 a while back. However, on that occasion I ran out of time, and needed to head home after the first summit.

Liam and I had a pass-out for this date, so I decided to head back up to the Dales to do the originally intended walk - the shorter approach to Whernside summit from the road that runs between it and Great Coum. Although this only involves around 270m of ascent, some of the grassy slopes are quite steep and taxing, and the walk from the Settle-Carlisle railway, while longer and with more height-gain, is definitely easier going!

Nonetheless, this is a fairly short route and it didn’t take too long to attain the summit. All the ascent was accompanied by very light rain in thick mist, but with a constant breeze we didn’t actually get wet. I set up the 12m GP on one side of the summit wall, and we sat on the other side for shelter.

12m was dominated by local G stations in Lancashire and Yorkshire, but 4Z (Israel) and 4L (Georgia) made it through into the log. After around 40 minutes of operating and soup consuming (Baxter’s Chicken Broth), I had logged twelve QSOs on 12m, 7 on CW and 5 on SSB. Liam and I descended the same way and got to the car. At this point I decided it was a little too late to consider doing Ingleborough G/NP-005, so instead aimed for Easington Fell G/SP-012.

Tom M1EYP

2

After Whernside G/NP-004 on Sunday 4th May 2014, Liam and I were pleasantly surprised not to be wet. The whole walk and activation had been in light rain and thick mist but it had seemed that the stiff breeze had dried stuff out as soon as it got wet. We drove to the usual parking spot for Easington Fell G/SP-012, just beneath Waddington Fell on the other side of the road.

It was now completely dry, and I enjoyed watching two young lambs frollicking very close to our parked car before setting off for the summit. We walked in a straight line all the way to the right hand end of the wooded area, whereby we turned left and headed up towards the summit between a mostly tumbled down dry stone wall, and the barbed wire fence beside the forestry.

I was amused to find the summit cairn partly arranged as a rather comfortable looking stone armchair, so placed by seat mat on it quickly to bags that spot before Liam did! 12m was quite slow going, and just 7 contacts were netted, 4 on CW and 3 on SSB. 9H (Malta) and CM (Cuba) provided particular interest.

Although huge numbers of 12m QSOs were simply not out there to be had, it had still been a satisfying day and another couple of multipliers for the 12m Challenge were collected. On the way back home, we stopped in Clitheroe for a meal at a Spanish Tapas bar, which was excellent.

Tom M1EYP

3

On Bank Holiday Monday 5th May 2014, I nipped up Gun G/SP-013 while the rest of the family remained in bed for a lie-in. I may as well have not bothered, for 12m was in poor condition. I managed to eke out just three QSOs, one each on CW, SSB and PSK31, with two DXCCs being worked - G and, interestingly, SX5 (Dodecanese Islands).

Tom M1EYP

4

The wet was back with a vengeance by the evening of Bank Holiday Monday 5th May 2014. I needed to be out SOTA portable for it was the RSGB 80m Club Contest - SSB session. Therefore, Jimmy was using the shack, but I wanted to also submit an entry so as to keep up our contest group (Tall Trees)’ leading position in the Local category.

I was a little early on the summit of The Cloud G/SP-015, so first set up the 12m GP. Just four SSB QSOs were made, all groundwave with stations in Cheshire. In the 80m SSB event, I needed to participate S+P style with my meagre 5 watts against the jam-packed 80m band full of loud splattery signals (as received on my FT-817 which is NOT a contest-grade receiver!).

I was quite pleased with 41 QSOs on 80m SSB. For the last hour of the contest, it had rained heavily and I was inside my bothy bag. But by 9.30pm local, this shelter was very wet on the inside as well as out, and to have used it longer would have resulted in me and all my gear getting wet. Hence I didn’t even report onto the Tall Trees CG’s after-contest net, never mind continue with a self-spotted SOTA frequency for the chasers. I just packed up as quickly as possible and went home!

Tom M1EYP

5

The following evening, Tuesday 6th May 2014, was still damp but not as bad as the Monday. This time it was the 2m UK activity contest, and I was just about set up in time for the 8pm (local) start time.

Well 96 contacts were made, all on 2m SSB. The multiplier count was 15, and DXCCs worked were G, GW, GI, GD, GM and F.

Tom M1EYP

6

A busy weekend in Cumbria came to an end with an opportunity to get out and activate on Sunday 11th May 2014. An alarm set for 5.11am (local BST) got me out to an early start from where I was staying in Sleagill.

I had big ideas for a 4/5 summit day, but the rain eventually dampened my enthusiasm, while distant rumbles of thunder and the sound of static crashes on my radio encourage me to “play safe”.

But that was later. My first job this early morning was to drive across to the village of Knock and up the road towards the NATS radar station. After parking beside the road on a pull-in, I first walked up the rest of the road to Great Dun Fell summit. Visibility was so poor that I couldn’t even see the “golf ball” even while walking alongside the fence outside it!

Towards the saddle before Little Dun Fell, the first of the many stone flags along the Pennine Way route were picked up. There were defintiely more flags down that last time I walked this route, meaning that the wet boggy sections between the flagged sections were fewer and farer between.

At times it seemed quite a nice day, with the sun peeping out occasionally. However, after crossing Crowdundle Head (the col between Little Dun Fell and Cross Fell G/NP-001), a stupidly intense hail shower hit, and gave my outer layers a good soaking. Heavy rain then continued after reaching the cross shelter at the summit, throughout setting up and activating. Fortunately, my bothy bag gave effective service while I was operating.

After first switching on, it appeared that activating was going to be nigh on impossible. S8-9 of noise was present, on every HF band from 1.8MHz to 29MHz. I wondered if this was static rain, and assumed that it was. I was somewhat taken aback when this noise instantaneously vanished bang on 8.32am local.

Even with a quiet band, there were still no takers in response to my CQ SOTA calls. Therefore I was delighted when Phil G4OBK called in to give me the multiplier. Things were alow going and I kept trying the 2m FM handie for the other contacts, but without success. Slowly but surely though, YU1EL, OE6WIG and OH9XX were worked on 12m CW, taking me to qualification.

I set off on the return walk, carefully peering through the clag and rain for the tall stone men that indicated the direction of the Pennine Way back off the summit. The rain continued pounding the back of my coat and rucksack until there was finally relief after crossing Little Dun Fell. Now the sun reappeared and lit up Great Dun Fell as I climbed back towards it. Finally, the seemingly endless tarmac road back down to the car was walked, and I could treat myself to a well-earned banana (courtesy of John G3WGV) for breakfast.

Tom M1EYP

7

After Cross Fell G/NP-001 on Sunday 11th May 2014, I chose to make my way to Hallin Fell G/LD-043 for only my second activation of that summit. My route took me up the A6 and down the A66, then via minor roads through Pooley Bridge and Howtown. I parked at St Peter’s Church, opposite the steep grassy path to the summit.

I plodded slowly up the relentless green bank, consoling myself with the knowledge that the route was very short. Close to the top, I found a certain Andy M0FMF/P activating on 20m CW and seemingly very much enjoying himself.

I continued up to the large (huge) stone cairn/monument and positioned myself so I could enjoy the spectacular view over Ullswater while activating. Like with Cross Fell earlier, action on 12m was not easy to come by. SOTA President John G3WGV was fairly quick to find and work me, but it was then more than 50 minute before I could attract a second QSO. This came from CT3KN (Madeira), shortly followed by a third from MD0CCE (Isle of Man).

I then really struggled to get that all-important fourth contact. In the absence of response to my CQ calls, I tried answering the loud CQ calls from PZ5RA (Suriname) and CO8LY (Cuba). Neither heard me though. A speculative call on S20 (2m FM, VX7R handheld) brought an immediate reply from Geoff G4WHA/M in Penrith. That was the qualification, and I could pack away.

I was keen to pack up as I had heard several static crashes on the FT-817, and then a distant rumble of thunder from the north. This in mind, and despite the apparent clearing of skies and improving weather, I decided to play it safe, and call time of the day’s SOTAing. Besides, if I began my return journey home now, I could call at Westmorland Farm Shops services in the M6 for some tasty food, and listen to commentary of Manchester City vs West Ham United on BBC Radio 5 Live as the Premier League came to its conclusion.

Tom M1EYP

8

In reply to M1EYP:

What grand wee hill Hallin Fell is. The view down Ullswater is good but the view back over the church to Boredale and Howe Grain is sublime. The view was much better than the WX which was showery and the much better than the propagation which was dismal.

12m was dead apart from the most welcome call from serious DX, G0TDM who was a few miles away in Penrith. 17m was quiet but I managed to get chased by CU3AA for a new DXCC on 17m. I heard JR7TKG on 17m SSB and he was S9+++. He called CQ and worked an M3 to whom he said “Lee, you are loudest signal on the band 59+60dB”. Obviously the extra 5w over an 817 must make all the difference! 20m was livelier, I managed N4EX (just) and N7UN (vy loud) on this with a few others. All the bands seem to go quiet so I packed up to see Tom valiantly trying to work PZ5RA who was loud on 12m but had a majestic pileup that a barefoot 817 wasn’t going to bust.

Back down to car just before the heavens opened. Followed by a leisurely drive up the M6/M74 back home with rain at times that had me looking for Mr. Noah and his Ark!

Andy
MM0FMF

9

I think he’s still at Crowdundle Head between Cross Fell and Little Dun Fell.

Tom M1EYP

10

In reply to M1EYP:
Thanks for these reports Tom, very descriptive. I almost felt I was with you suffering the cold and rain. Here’s hoping for some better weather from now on - some more accurate weather forecasts over here in Germany would be a big help to be able to get to some more distant summits and activate them, rather than having activations curtailed by unexpected bad weather!

73 Ed DD5LP / VK2JI / G8GLM

11

In reply to M1EYP:

S8-9 of noise was present, on every HF band from 1.8MHz to 29MHz. I wondered if this was static rain, and assumed that it was. I was somewhat taken aback when this noise instantaneously vanished bang on 8.32am local.

I was rather surprised that you hadn’t experienced this before Tom. When Paul and I were activating the Lakes summits, we often encountered a period of static rain and hastily shut down for a few minutes. I did get “bitten” a couple of times by not being quick enough to disconnect.

My experience has been that it usually diminishes slowly rather than vanishes abruptly. Maybe there was a weather front passing you with a sharply defined back edge. I did carry out an entire activation once during a static rain storm - Gwaunceste GW/MW-010 back in 2006 before I got wise. It wasn’t easy to hear those calling!

73, Gerald G4OIG

12

In reply to M1EYP:

Mr Noah was somewhere near Cold Fell NP-020!!

Like the others I also battled (!) up one of these English tiddlers. Cross Fell is a long pull up a very claggy path dumping you at the watershed above Howgill and the even squelchier walk to the summit. I set-up, spotted on 40m, worked through the callers all the time watching the black mass descending from the Scottish border hills. The collection of bright flashes in the sky, followed by the sound of Thor’s hammer ringing off his anvil resulted in a rather portly gentleman shutting down quickly, throwing evrything in the bag and making off the hill.

I stopped at the convenient stile on the collection fence to put on my waterproofs and was rewarded by the coming of the deluge. I arrived back at the car with the Paramo waterproofs wetted out but keeping me dry.

The (250 mile) drive home was horrid at times but north of Blairgowrie it was a pleasant early summer evening which rounded things off nicely.

My apologies for the rather prompt cessation of the activation but I am allergic to being fried alive!

73

Barry GM4TOE