Monday 6 July 2015

GW/SW-022 – Trichrug



Busy few hours...

GW/SW-022 – Trichrug

04/07/2015

Barry M0IML had alerted that he would be out on a summit as a tribute to our ‘SOTA friend’ Dave G4ASA who had sadly passed away at the beginning of the week.  I had met Dave at the Blackpool radio rally last year and he was always there when I was out with either an s2s or just a chaser contact and a friendly chat...he will be truly missed.
 
Trichrug - GPS track
It was wet and windy when I arrived at the parking spot at SN694226 which is approached via a drivable track starting at SN694218. 
Wet and windy - over the stile then follow the wall  to the summit
Knowing the weather was going to be ‘iffy’ for the first few hours I threw in a ‘tarp’ and on arrival at the summit I quickly set it up against the stone wall next to the trig (TP6585).  Trichrug is a summit where three stone walls meet so you can get protection whatever the conditions. I arrived early on summit so I gave a few calls on 2m and quickly qualified the summit and also obtained my first point for an APROC certificate (see my Blog list). Thanks everybody for the contacts and brief chats.
10:22z
GW6OVD
144MHz
FM
Mal
10:22z
GW6DGU
144MHz
FM
Roy
10:24z
MW0YCC
144MHz
FM
Alan IO82hf
10:26z
2W0XOT
144MHz
FM
John IO82hf 5/4 5/5
10:27z
2W0LLT
144MHz
FM
Lloyd
Barry had by now popped up on 60m and was immediately in the log. A few reflective moments in respect of Dave G4ASA and I let Barry finish his visit to the band saying that I would take over once he had finished. I only had to wait a few minutes and he handed me the frequency..thanks Barry.  It was a short visit and with a request from Don RQL for me to give him a call on 2m I gave a few ‘last calls’ and left the band.
10:36z
M0IML/P
5MHz
SSB
Barry s2s t2t TP6473
10:41z
G4WSB
5MHz
SSB
Bill
10:42z
G8MIA
5MHz
SSB
Andy
10:42z
G0RQL
5MHz
SSB
Don
10:43z
G8VNW
5MHz
SSB
Nick
10:45z
G4JZF
5MHz
SSB
Graham
Now that contact with Don brought another 2 contacts and a fairly long chat with my friend Peter GW4JQP from the Carmarthen Amateur radio Society.
10:47z
G0RQL
144MHz
FM
Don diff band
10:48z
M3BPZ/M
144MHz
FM
Neil
10:51z
GW4JQP
144MHz
FM
Peter

Trig and 'office' - weather improving
I had told Don that I would be going on to 40m shortly and I could see on Radio Rucksack Tools (RRT) that Barry was already on a frequency so I quickly got up and went to change the links. Pulling down one leg to undo the 60m link I suddenly felt that something was not quite right...I looked across only to find that the other leg had just gone ‘ping’ at the apex joint. The next few minutes were spent looking for my knife and then joining the wire again and reinforcing with some insulating tape...job done (my first breakage in at least 50 activations with this antenna).   
 An untidy 'office' under the 'tarp' today..cosy and dry :)
Barry was by now coming to the end of his visit to 40m and saying to Don that I should have been calling in by now.... I soon announced my arrival with an explanation.  I also asked Barry for a signal report with the linear on and off...no difference??  Once again I was handed the frequency and with a spot from Don I was away into a massive pile-up which included  s2s with Rod MW0JLA/P on GW/SW-020 (Craig Syfyrddin),  Martyn  G/SC-011 (Hardown Hill), David G3RDQ/P G/SE-001 (Walbury Hill), ...thanks everyone.
11:15z
G0RQL
7MHz
SSB
Don diff band
11:15z
M0IML/P
7MHz
SSB
Barry s2s diff band
11:16z
G0FEX
7MHz
SSB
Ken
11:17z
M0MDA
7MHz
SSB
Mick
11:18z
G0ELJ
7MHz
SSB
Dave
11:18z
M0IOD
7MHz
SSB
Ian
11:19z
M0JLA/P
7MHz
SSB
Rod s2s
11:20z
GM4YMM
7MHz
SSB
Christine
11:21z
GM0AXY
7MHz
SSB
Ken
11:21z
GM4WHA
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
11:21z
G6TUH
7MHz
SSB
Mike
11:22z
PA7ZEE
7MHz
SSB
Geert
11:23z
G4TQE
7MHz
SSB
John
11:23z
G4JZF
7MHz
SSB
Graham
11:23z
M3ZCB
7MHz
SSB
Caroline
11:23z
M1MAJ
7MHz
SSB
Martyn
11:25z
G4CQZ/P
7MHz
SSB
Martyn s2s
11:26z
PA0B
7MHz
SSB
Rob
11:26z
G3UKI
7MHz
SSB
Barry
11:27z
M0PER
7MHz
SSB
Alan
11:27z
G4ZRP
7MHz
SSB
Brian
11:28z
GM4COX
7MHz
SSB
Jack
11:30z
G3RDQ/P
7MHz
SSB
David s2s
11:32z
M3NHA
7MHz
SSB
Tony
11:33z
M6NHA
7MHz
SSB
Sara
11:34z
M0NVJ
7MHz
SSB
Colin
11:35z
2W0EPE
7MHz
SSB
Paul
11:37z
M3FEH
7MHz
SSB
Karl
11:38z
DK1WI
7MHz
SSB
Ed
11:38z
EA2CKX
7MHz
SSB
Pedro
11:41z
GW6DGU
7MHz
SSB
Roy
11:43z
2E0CQW/P
7MHz
SSB
David s2s
11:49z
G0TRB
7MHz
SSB
Roger
11:59z
MW0PJJ
7MHz
SSB
Phil
12:02z
G0VWP/P
7MHz
SSB
Terry s2s
12:05z
MI/EI7GEB/P
7MHz
SSB
David s2s
Finishing off my pile-up with an s2s with David 2E0CQW/P on G/SB-009 (Ros Hill) I called in to have chat with Rod MW0JLA/p who  had just finished his 40m activation saying that he was waiting for an EI/p station to pop up.  A text from Phil MW0PJJ asking if I had finished resulted in a QSY back onto Rod’s frequency and Phil was in the log. I then noticed on RRT  that Terry G0VWP/p was on G/NP-002 (Mickle Fell)...he was soon in the log followed by David MI/EI7GEB/p on GI/MM-004 who was taken aback when both Rod and I hit him with our s2s calls on his first CQ...great stuff...thanks for all the s2s....time for coffee and a sandwich then the WAB net to give them the Trig and square. As I was having a cuppa I looked down and noticed that the linear was not connected as in my haste to perform the running repairs I had forgotten to hook it up...another ‘Doh’ moment!
Towy valley-towards Llandeilo/Carmarthen
Switched linear on....It was quiet on 7.160Mhz when I called out but I soon had a response from Harry G3NGX and suddenly the net came alive and a good run of WAB chasers were in the log including Tristan MW3VJN with a good signal from Newcastle Emlyn...thanks everyone.
12:08z
G3NGX
7MHz
SSB
Harry
12:11z
G0FVH/P
7MHz
SSB
David
12:11z
G7AFM
7MHz
SSB
Phil
12:11z
G4EST
7MHz
SSB
Charlie
12:11z
DL7UCW
7MHz
SSB
Ben
12:12z
G0GWK
7MHz
SSB
John
12:13z
MM3PDM/M
7MHz
SSB
Peter
12:16z
MW3VJN
7MHz
SSB
Tristan
12:16z
G0GWY
7MHz
SSB
Geoff
12:17z
F5DMY
7MHz
SSB
Gerard
12:17z
G4EOB
7MHz
SSB
Joe
I then moved on to 10m as I had set up my home brew dipole above the Band Hopper 3. Switching the linear to the appropriate band setting I notified my presence on RRT and hoped for the best on a very quiet band. No exotic DX but it was nice to hear some familiar call-signs responding to my ‘CQ SOTA’.
12:53z
OK1SDE
28MHz
SSB
Borek
12:53z
EA2DT
28MHz
SSB
Manuel
12:55z
DD0VE
28MHz
SSB
Ralf
12:57z
DG0JMB
28MHz
SSB
Joerg
13:01z
IK4DRY
28MHz
SSB
Stefano
13:02z
OE5REO
28MHz
SSB
Martin
15m seemed busy so I added my little extensions to 40m and gave a few calls after notifying on RRT. Not many chasers but welcomed nevertheless with some good signal reports each way from the USA and Canada (5/5 to 5/7) and ending with I think my first QSO with Ed DD5LP...thanks everyone.
13:38z
VE2JCW
21MHz
SSB
Jean
13:40z
N4EX
21MHz
SSB
Richard
13:42z
DL2DXA
21MHz
SSB
Bernd
13:42z
OK1AHJ
21MHz
SSB
Jaroslav
13:43z
W1MBB
21MHz
SSB
Matthew
13:44z
KF4BI
21MHz
SSB
Keith
13:45z
DD5LP/P
21MHz
SSB
Ed
The linear and LiPo..must tidy up the wiring :)
I was hoping to catch Rod on his next summit but it was not to be so I ended my activation with a nice chat with my friend Aled  MW3DLA in Newchurch, Don RQL in Holsworthy and an s2s to Rick M0LEP/p on G/SE-003 (Black Down) ..thanks Rick.
14:25z
MW3DLA
144MHz
FM
Aled
14:44z
M0LEP/P
5MHz
SSB
Rick s2s
14:48z
G0RQL
5MHz
SSB
Don.. again :)
 Thanks everyone both chaser and activator alike and to those who spotted me....looking forward to the next one which seems will have to be up in North Wales.

73 de Allan GW4VPX


4 comments:

  1. Wind and rain in Wales, c'mon:-) Looked a successful activation.

    73,

    Mike AD5A

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Mike..you forgot to add 'and sunshine' which did eventually appear later:) Great day playing radio and experimenting. Take care. 73 Allan GW4VPX

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. Hi Jean. Just saw your comment whilst tidying up the blog...thanks for the contact and great to get some DX in the log. 73 Allan GW4VPX

      Delete