Yes it’s YANSSE time again. You may well ask what does YANSSE mean? Simple: Yet Another Northern Scotland SOTA Expedition!
The WX doesn’t look brillient for this Sunday/Monday, in fact it mentions gale force Northern winds on exposed Northern coasts which is a bit of a bummer as where I’m staying is within 400m of the sea. The next nearest place is Faroe Islands 460km NNW and Iceland at 980km NW. That can only be described as exposed I did think of cancelling but that would have cost me 50% of the cost at this late stage. It will be a bit wet as well as windy but where I’m staying has a drying room. Anyway, how wet can you get?
I did plan to pick off a few summits on the drive North but the WX looks dire for Sunday (snow/sleet for the very highest ground in GM!) so I wont be leaving home at the crack of dawn. The forecast was abysmal but has been moderating for the last 36hrs so I’m hoping to be able to bag a few summits Monday-Thursday. Of course once I leave for home then it will be balmy sunny days again. I have already conditioned myself for this!
So all the following is very WX dependant but I’ll be in the Ben Loyal NS-052 area for 3.5 days and will attempt as many NS summits as body and WX allow. I’ll give Ben Loyal a bash only if it’s out of the clouds. I’m more interested in increasing my unique score that gaining points and so bagging Ben Loyal when you can’t see the views of it on the way up, or the area around it when on the top seems a wasted visit. I’d rather return again to bag it better WX!
I’ll have a bash at some WS/CS summits on the drive back on Thursday should conditions allow.
Vague alerts (GM/NS-???) are entered so RBNgate should find me. My spot-by-satellite toy is all activated and working so I should be able to spot SSB slots too. I’ll mix SSB & CW about with SSB more likely on the LF bands. Expect to see me on any band from 60m to 15m but most likely bands are 40/30/20/17. I’ve got 7 potential summits which have never been activated before and some which haven’t been on for over 5 years, so most summits will be uniques for most chasers.
Please, try not to break the database whilst I’m away. Though I’ll have my laptop with me anyway!
Our last weeks Scotland trip was not blessed with good weather either. I made just two activations and the second one (Drummond Hill, CS-114) in rain from start to end.
In reply to MM0FMF:
I wish you very good luck and I’ll be looking forward to copying you and having my tiny QRP signal picked up by you from the pile-up… or at the end of it at least
Best 73 de Guru - EA2IF
Will be keeping a watch as to what you are activating for possible Uniques for myself. Certainly looking like a cold plunge from the Arctic most of the week so pack you ‘woolies’. Possibly out myself middle of the week if there’s a wee wx window (bit of a wimp these days :>) - S2S?
Hi Andy good luck with the NS trip, some very nice summits round there. You chose the right week to go, Gerald and I will be up your way the week after so the weather will no doubt take a turn for the even worse :-s
It’s a little annoying after the spectacular WX we had a few weeks back. The forecast has moderated a lot since Thursday. However, a good breeze will keep my little biting friends at bay.
In reply to GM4COX:
S2S would be nice. List of possible targets emailed. I took the liberty of checking your log, everything I have down is a unique for you. Of course once you have it chased you’ll need to wander up for the completion activation!
Just finalising SOTA/walking gear. Can’t take too many radios when you’re going for a long drive!
In reply to G1INK:
It was fabulously wet on the way up, the rain approaching Inverness was impressive. Very blustery and windy on the Forth Bridge. Not too bad at Kessock Bridge or Cromarty Firth. I went around the Dornoch Firth crossing at Bonar Bridge and then up the nothingness road from Lairg. Over 50 miles of single track road. The odd shower and very windy at Altnaharra. Now I’m in Bettyhill and there’s a breeze but no wind and the sun is shinning. The breakers on the beach are a sight to behold. Lovely. Must dash, my friends Stella & Artois are calling me from the bar!
I did think of cancelling but that would have cost me 50% of the cost at this late stage. It will be a bit wet as well as windy but where I’m staying has a drying room. Anyway, how wet can you get?