(Dec) Radio Days ’11

Not a busy month due to the continuing bad weather. Here goes with the last ‘Radio Days’ for 2011.

SOTA..

No activations to report, the varied wind and rain that battered December had kinda blew any plans out of the water.

Chasing…

Adverse weather made this not a busy month except for the following.

First Saturday of the month, I managed to catch Iain WJZ who was on the Loch Earn area Ben Vorlich, the following week I heard and worked Craig HCF whilst I was on the Side Hills area near Kilmacolm on the Pap (see this blogpost) to be more exact, Craig was on Scald Law in the Pentlands. The following Sat, Iain WJZ activated a snowy Ben Lomond, I had spoken to Iain from the local golf course car park, a line of sight contact. Iain kindly sent me some photos of his day and you will see one on this blog post showing the snowy last ascent of the Ptarmigan Ridge to the summit. I’ve used the image in a previous blog post but cannot resist the opportunity to use it again…

Final approach to the summit of Lomond © Iain MM3WJZ

Finally for what has been a quiet month, I had nipped up to the local trig point to catch Neil 2MØNCM who was on Corse Hill and whilst I was chatting with Neil, Jack COX popped in from Tinto and I caught Jack for an extra 4 points.

The weather made the holiday season a quiet time..

HF… 

Due to other things happening, I was not as active during the month as I would have liked. Conditions were variable from day-to-day and I seemed to miss the better conditions. JT65 and PSK was the main modes that I was using although I caught a DL2 station on Contestia whilst I was monitoring 30m data, a surprise and my first contact in that mode although for some reason I have a couple of eQSLs for the mode. Downloaded and am presently having more than a serious look at O_P_E_R_A, another data mode created in conjunction between a G station and the creator of ROS, a quick guide FAQ is here.

Contacts in Euroland, Asia and across the pond to North America. DXCC wise I finally managed to snaffle Andorra on 30m.

Other…

Still pounding the local byways and trying to catch the activations as I head out but unfortunately I’ve missed a couple as I have been on the wrong side of the hill, if I am out in the summer months, I have more than a few cracking high spots in which I can sit and wait providing the sun decides to pay us a visit. I live in hope….

Once again thanks to Iain MM3WJZ for the use of such an inspiring picture, it makes me want to treat myself to crampons, ice axe etc. The image is copyright of  Iain.

Thanks per usual to Wikipedia and other sources for information.

Whilst I’m here..

I was out tramping the local cycle track and came across this ‘Loop Antenna’ and as it would have it, it was pointing N which covers 90% of the SOTA activators I work, I wonder if it would be able to tune in ?

Loop Antenna

The Hill With No Name

The sun was shining, it was an early finish at work….

The rukkie packed, boots laced up then the GPS satellites were found (Endomondo) and off out. It was now the back of 1pm and with no cloud cover, the pavement was starting to become slippier in the shaded areas but soon I was passing the golf clubhouse and on to the track, yep, the Green Rd. The track as it leaves the tarmac area starts flat but then quickly rises to 200m ASL splitting the golf course into two sections.

I tend to head down the 5th fairway where I cross back on to the regular track and as I turn the bend, the first mile is over, I soon meet the boggiest bit on the track but after this is it is literally dry and downhill the rest of the way.

Which way and road will I head today ? the choice as I left home was to turn left and head down the road until Penny’s Erch ( a fine example of an old sandstone railway bridge) at NS 342711 and then on to the cycle track where I would head back home but as I looked across to the south, I decided that the ‘Hill With No Name’ was the destination. At the bottom of the track, I headed east until I met the next right turn where I head down past ‘rich farm smells’ to Mathernock Bridge where the Gryfe today was more a trickle than the usual rushing torrent that it has been the last few months.

Mathernock Bridge area

Passing the field where the old AAA Battery is situated, I could see an inquisitive large, very large old bull with its beady eye on me, I think it was saying ‘Bob, no visit today’. I had no intention of finding out how friendly the big fella was. Heading uphill now, the road starts to revert to more of a track but then the gate is met which takes me on to the open hillside and after taking a detour around a flock of sheep (have to be careful if they are in lamb), I finally strike out for the top of this unnamed summit.

In reality, the summit is not much higher than the other high spots in this area. I have found out that this area of ridge is named ‘Side Hills’, it has a mention in an old archaeological digest but a ‘googling’ finds no other mention but Roddy IOB’s suggestion that of local farms which lie either side of the ridge have the name ‘Side’ or ‘Syde’ in their name and the probable reason for the ‘syde’ part is there was a ‘Chapel of Syde’ located in the area to the S of the ridge this chapel was commissioned and built by  one of the Lyles of Duchal. There is a house or farm in the area which has the name ‘Chapel’, I guess this may have connections. No definite date is given for the ancient chapel.The word ‘Syde’ has meaning of  ‘Long hill-slope’ which is self explanatory when you see the local lie of the land.

The summit or top is at the area of  some gorse bushes and a drystane dyke. I stopped and took in the views of the local farms and beyond and listened for any activity on the radio. There was a few PMR channels in use although mostly business by the sound of things. I did hear one GM station call out on occasion as I headed to the top. I took some photos and the usual panorama, the views stretching out before me, to the west was Corlic and the Cowal hills and moving NW, the higher Cowal hills such as Beinn Mhor then blending into the Arrochar area, Beinn an Lochain showing snow on its top. The Luss hills with Ben Lomond and the Crainlarich Alps just visible through a shimmering haze. Eastwards was Kilmacolm and views towards Paisley and finally the Hill of Stake and Misty Law to the south. A good day to have come out.

Looking To Luss and Arrochar Hills

Fed and watered it was time to head back, I took a walk down to the SW of the field and left it through a different gate, I may use this gate in future as it saves diverting some damp areas and drystane dykes. I now retraced my steps and before long I picked up the GM station calling again, I noted he was on 70cm FM and surprisingly found he was in the Borders area.

The road and later the track in the shaded bits was showing signs of icing up with the sun now setting, I quickly dropped back down the hill and when on the local ‘black stuff’ care had to be taken .

There is a couple of mentions of ‘Cauldside’  in Canmore.

I had checked information of the area previously and had known about a possible enclosure but I could see no evidence ( see link next)

Enclosure and Obsidian Scraper <HERE>

Hilltop is at NS 325702

A good day to have headed out.

Black Friday indeed, my trusty boots have split unfortunately. Ces’t la vie !

Thanks go to Wikipedia and Archive.org

Geograph images <HERE>, good site to check images of the  immediate area

Looking Towards Ben Lomond

Kilmacolm

HWNN panorama

Creuch, Little Cruech and Cairncurran Hills

Corlic Hill In The Distance

The Pap Of Kilmacolm

Looking To Luss and Arrochar Hills

Mathernock Bridge area

That Was The Year That Was….Pt 2

Have you wakened up since Pt 1 ? don’t worry the end is nigh.

July – Dec……

SOTA activations continued..

Skiddaw near the end of July was my first activation in England, the Lake District to be precise. I was away for a few days as part of a celebratory 30th anniversary break and being based in the north-west lake area, a compromise was made as I don’t shop so I got allowed to play ‘radio’. Skiddaw was memorable more for the crazy parking area and being passed by mountain bikers just before the last climb to the summit plateau. I activated on both 4 and 2m FM with no problems and made three STS (summit to summit) contacts, two locally on Pillar, Arnside Knott ( the lowest ‘Marilyn‘ in England) and one to Jimmy EYP on Sighty Crag in the Border region.

Derwent Water from the ascent of Skiddaw

Two days later, I returned to old pastures with a quick nip up to Dale Head from the top of Honister Pass, I first visited this summit in the early ’80 and was blown away with the view north to Skiddaw and yep, the view is worth the visit. I had intended to try to fit in the nearby Robinson but alas we had to head home early so one for the next visit. There is a convenient fencepost at the summit so off I called and worked the same friendly group of chasers I had worked two days earlier on Skiddaw. Only STS was again Jimmy EYP who was on Peel Fell. A quick activation then to Honister Hause and sadly off back home.

My English adventure was over and the next activation was two months later but what a doozy, Ben More on the Isle of Mull, I had worked Gerald AQU there earlier in the year and as I always do, I had a look at the hill etc and made a mental note that this would be a cracker and when Roddy IOB mentioned a trip, I was front of the queue.

The weather gave us a window of blue skies and sunshine and we took full advantage, 4m contacts to outside Glasgow, South Uist and Skye was surprising plus two STS to Iain WJZ on Beinn Chaorach and Robin PKT on Beinn Lora. As we descended and reached our start point, it started to drizzle. An excellent 3 days on Mull thrown in as well.

Looking towards Loch Scridain from Ben More

Finally but not least was my annual trip to Beinn Chaorach in the Luss Hills, another excellent weather day and only one STS but made not with the 5 ele 2m yagi but my wee Baofeng handie and its two watts(Nagoya 701 antenna), I was trying 4m FM with no joy and whilst I called, I had my handie monitoring s20 and heard Robin PKT on Meall Chuaich so I followed him and made contact at approx 105km with the twin peaks of Ben More and Stobinnean in the way. Another good day.

That was the last for 2011, 13 activations and plenty fun and tired legs along the way. Thanks go to Roddy 2MØIOB for his company and his suffering my snail pace and tales of yore.

Thanks also to anyone with whom I have spoken to over the past year from a summit.

2012 ? who knows…

Chasing highlights…

Leaving out the STS, all contacts are highlights as well as points!!!! It is possible I could work 95% of contacts from sitting here in the shack but a good day, sunshine, fresh air and the chance of a contact outside isn’t to be sniffed at. I have a selection of high points I use.

I achieved ‘Shack Sloth’ during the activation of Cruach Ardrain with an STS,  I only claim points after the activator posts his log online so looking at my chaser log it looks different date wise but Colwyn YCJ was on one of Beinn Eighe‘s tops and that when uploaded gave me over 1,000 pts. Over the year, I amassed at least 800 plus points doubling both 2009 and 2010′s total.

Beinn Chaorach from the Green Road

In conclusion…

My thanks go out to all those who were out in all conditions to activate and for the points I accrued from you.  I have promised to try get my golf handicap down in 2012. I said that this time last year and never.

HF…

Another year but I have not been as active as possibly the previous year but I still manage on most days for a call. In addition to PSK (I only use datamodes), WSPR and RTTY. I have also made contacts on ROS, JT65 and Contestia.

I experimented with ROS and V4 before deciding to give more time to WSPR whilst getting set up for JT65 which has taken most of my HF work lately.

A few new DXCC counties added to the list and in November, I finally worked into South America on 10m JT65. WAC achieved.

The outlook for 2012..

I’ll work away on HF mostly from 20m to 10m and have a more than close look at the other data modes I’ve not used. I had thought of looking more at WAB (Worked All Britain)this year but got bogged down elsewhere, next year ?

SOTA wise…

Hopefully to get my 150 activator points then cut back on both that and chasing.

The end of my inane ramblings for another year….I said that last year didn’t I ?

Hope the year 2012 is a good one for you in all radio and other contexts.

That Was The Year That Was ’11…Pt 1

2011..a rewind pt 1

Another busy year…..

The first 10pt summit Ben Lawers, my first English activation Skiddaw and a visit to the Isle of Mull to activate the islands only ‘Munro’ Ben More are among my highlights of this years in pursuit of both ‘activating’ and ‘chasing‘. Each summit reached and every contact made valued, 1pt or 10pt and the chance to talk to those who regularly are out on the hills or in their shack makes it all worthwhile. I have tended to make trying to chase more from the local hills, I have ‘chased’ locally from Corlic (now a HuMP), Hillside Hill, Cruech Hill, the trig point at Lurg Moor and the golf course trig  at my back door.  Handy places for chasing those out on the summit. Being oot’n'aboot adds a little more fun to it. A new name for this is ‘Extreme Chasing’….groan.

View to the Gareloch

There has been an increase of VHF activity mainly on 2m in this past year and this is in thanks to new activators and the regulars. I occasionally head out myself to activate averaging one per month over the year.

It has been great fun in all aspects…..and a cracking year ( yet to finish !)

We’ll start with my Jan – June Activations..

No rest for the holidays as SOTA devotees decided that a VHF Fun Day was being held on the 2^nd day of the New Year. Roddy 2MØIOB had suggested a joint activation so it was a hill within easy reach and a good lift off esp to the South.

Beinn a’Mhanaich was the choice, my third visit to this hill. The day promised dry and snow free so that was a good start at this time of year and we duly activated with 4m FM contacts to Wales, Northern Ireland, England and of course, Scotland. An excellent day and 6 summit to summit contacts, apart from the STS’s the memorable part of the day was how quickly the ground froze under our feet, a cobweb clearer.

Beinn a'Mhanaich from Eich summit

I did a second activation in January on my first ever SOTA hill, the Hill of Stake, a hill no one else seems to like but I’ll be returning again in 2012, best to do this in frosty conditions. Only contacts were localish..

My next activation was a trip with Roddy IOB to a claggy Ben Venue, on a March day where the views were just not seen. The visit  topped by top quality guiding by Roddy which led to us both sinking to our erses in snow on the descent.. A good day out. I worked mostly 4m and 70cm where the latter band surprised me with more contacts than before achieved on 70cm on SOTA duty. The day finally started to clear as we finished the day.

A UHF Fun Day  proposed for late March so another hill with good take off south chosen, Ben Donich..I will recommend this to anyone who has never graced this hill. Please visit on a clear day as these views are exceptional. Mere words or photos cannot not describe these views, read my blog post HERE and click on the images. It was good to say both the Fun Days being well supported by so many fellow Scottish stations… Whilst we were descending Jack COX called out and a first in the fact that we could see Jack  across the glen on the Cobbler summit, it was not a STS but the chaser points were still most welcome.

The following weekend had a first for me, an activation on the East coast. The hill in question was Kings Seat, one of the highest tops in the Sidlaws overlooking to the east, Dundee. It was a relatively easy climb going via an unconventional route from the west. The wind was blowing strong and it was a chore keeping the 2m beam pointing the way intended. Nonetheless I worked Iain WJZ who was on Corserine in the Galloway Hills approx 110 miles away, mention also must be made as I worked Steve UAU back in Greenock on 4m plus Jim FVM in Berwick area on the same band. A hill worth returning to.

Cruach Ardrain summit from the ridge walk

The SOTA International weekend was the first one in May and another trip with Roddy IOB  made to the 8pt summit of Cruach Ardrain, wx wise the day was excellent, my choice of hill ? let us just say memorable, I had fallen for the words and advice of a charlatan, you know who you are. I struggled on this one but TBH on reflection it was an exciting day. Roddy IØB had activated the hill with 4 STS before I stumbled/dragged myself to the top. A long day..

One month later was my surprise CS visit, my son Euan had chosen unknown to me the top of the list Ben Lawers and I tried on the ascent to post an alert but no internet. There were so many people ascending it looked like a conga line heading to Beinn Ghlas, only 5 contacts and disappointingly none on 4m but a STS to Derek MIX who was down in the Lake District on Pillar. My first 10pt hill..

June was a busy month for me as I followed this with a dual activation of Beinn Eich and Doune Hill in the Luss Hills, I had done this before in 2009, the weather this day was excellent and is memorable for trying to figure out where the couple who had been just in front of me totally disappearing on the first part of the descent into Glen Mollachan, I looked and looked and finally looking back saw them appearing from what looked like a cave, strange..

That finishes what was a busy six month activation period for me.  I’ll soon finish the rest of the year in pt2 and cram everything else into it (hopefully)..

For the blog posts on each of these activations and of my earlier ones, follow this link HERE 

Thanks for taking the time to read this first part and I hope that it wasn’t a total bore..

You can now again click on each image to see full size in a separate window.

(Nov) Radio Days ’11

The regular monthly post is running rather late this month so here we go…

SOTA

One activation to report, Beinn Chaorach in the Luss Hills area. I normally do this hill mid year but due to so much else going on, I had hoped to try catch this hill at one point although not as late as this.

I headed to do this hill on a whim on an excellent day weather wise. Ben Bowie had been my original target. Blog post on the activation is HERE

A snowy Beinn Chaorach

Chasing…..

The first weekend of the month and on the Sat, Robin PKT was out on the summit of Meall Chuaich. The following day Graeme 2MØGIL headed to the Trossachs area to activate the highest hill in the area, Ben Ledi, Graeme’s blog post is HERE.

On the Monday, I caught Neil 2MØNCM on a line of sight hill, Duncolm in the Old Kilpatrick Hills, I spoke to Neil on both 4 and 2m. Later that day, Ian MXW was out on Cairnpapple Hill to the SW of me. Good to catch two contacts outside the weekend.

The following weekend, I headed out for a walk in the back roads and returned to the trig point at the top of the hill behind me and I worked rather surprisingly Iain WJZ, Iain was on the summit of the Merrick well to the south of me. Minutes later, I caught Neil 2MØNCM on Green Hill in the Lowthers, good to see Neil getting this hill out of the roadand again within minutes I worked Jack COX, Jack was on his regular hill, Dungavel to the south-west of me…a good haul especially as all contacts were made on the 2w Baofeng handie ( dual band duck)..

Duncolm from the South

The next day, Neil was out further north on Beinn Odhar whilst Graeme 2MØGIL popped up again across the river from me on Ben Bowie, his blog post HERE. Robin PKT later popped up on Beinn Chlaonleud in the Morvern area just south-west of Fort William. I later worked Neil NCM on 10m ssb.

Finishing off the month, it was Neil’s turn to pop up on Bowie, a hill that is my nearest Marilyn.

A quiet month but typical November weather.

HF…

I spent probably too much time on JT65 and ignored PSK for most of the month. The usual European contacts interspersed with Asian and North American contacts but one lunchtime, I finally cracked South America with a contact into Argentina on 10m JT65, it took me long enough but that is the six continents finally worked, what next ?..

The Green Road (or Devol Rd) heading back home

The rest…

Quite a few miles walked in the local area mostly to the south of me, I have a track nearby which takes me into the back roads of eastern Inverclyde. 15 mins from home and I drop down the other side of the hill but with the excessive rain the track is very muddy and puddly in places. It is good to head out and decide your route just before the bottom of the track.

One Sunday morning, I headed over the Green Rd early and had reached the top of the track where it splits the golf course, I looked down the 4th fairway to see if I could see any golfers. I saw none but surprised to see 9 ponies walking towards me……across the soft 4th green. Oh boy, not good…I contacted the greenkeeper and herded the ponies into an area where hopefully they would cause no harm. Unfortunately too late as a couple of greens got damaged on their walk to the top of the course. .at least I go to play cowboy, now where is me saddle ?

 

‘Tis The Season To Be Jolly !!!!!

In the words of that famous Christmas song

” Tis the season to be jolly ”.

I would just like to wish all our visitors to the blog all the best for the holiday season ahead and hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year……

Don’t forget…

SOTA VHF Fun Day is Monday the January 2nd 2012, it was well supported at the beginning of this year with stations out over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and of course, Scotland for details who is going to be out please visit HERE.

Scottish activations will be determined by the conditions. All the  SOTA days in 2011 were a roaring success, lets hope the weather stays mild for this and all the rain forecasted for the next week disappears in time.

The Summitsbase ‘HuMP awards’ start on the Sunday the 1st of January, please take the time to head over and check this excellent facility out HERE and the ‘HuMP Awards Page’ HERE

Please keep visiting the blog, I appreciate it.

73 and Yo Ho Ho…

Bobby

PS..my wee tree has flashing lights but the blog hosts don’t let you run scripts (wise move !)