I’d decided to head out on the bike and catch some of the stations who were taking part in an European SOTA Day , I’d checked the bike over and placed the 2m handheld radio in the handlebar bag.
I was then looking in my toolbox and saw my 3 element cubical quad portable antenna, TING! a quick word with the XYL and off I ran and collected everything I needed for an activation, I still had an hour or two to allow for a midday activation so a quick top-up to both handheld radio batteries. I had to quickly print off log sheets amongst checking all the bits I needed were in place, I did however forget one item, a rubber ring which fits on the extending pole to which the guy ropes fit, it made for an interesting time in the strong breeze on top.
Back to the rush to head the 10 miles to the carpark where I would walk into towards the Bin, I had the previous Sunday been cycling up hoping to catch any SOTA activators from a nearby high spot but I thought head to the Bin but as I got to Carron Valley Reservoir it had turned to light rain and the wind had started to pick up plus the summit was obscured so I abandoned and just enjoyed the mostly descent back to home. I think looking at the grassy steep slope, I did the right thing.
The Bin summit
Mrs. M dropped me off and I started walking in along excellent forestry roads, I have activated the Bin before, see HERE .
Soon I was steadily gaining height through sections of pine forest, in no time I was on open ground and looking towards the hills to the N, I could make out many familiar ‘shapes’, the final path up the last section to the summit of the hill is up a short man made path before quickly becoming a walk up a non-defined wet grass area, the wind was fresh from the NE and was cooling after a hot tramp through the tree areas, it was very busy with family groups and others.
Looking N from the ascent
I touched the trig point then looked for a sheltered area to get out of the strengthening breeze, I quickly had listen on a handheld before setting up the telescopic mast and antenna, this is when I found out I’d have to hold the mast and antenna, the antenna is directional so it further complicated things but I heard Robin PKT on Ben Hiant on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula so a quick contact before chasing other stations doing the same. Second in the log was Tom EYP who was in the Southern Pennines on Shining Tor, a fair distance away, next it was a Northern Irish station Ian AZB on Slieve Binnian in the Mourne Mountains, it was quick fire with both John ISB and Dave IXB situated just east of Dublin on Two Rock Mountain, an excellent start to the session. I scanned around then spoke with Steve XPZ, Greenock, Stuart ROT Port Glasgow, Dave XIR in Lisburn, Northern ireland, two Ayr stations Michael MMW and Graham GTS, Martin EI3 in Co. Laois, Ireland, Iain MIM in Polmont, James WER Paisley, Trevor WCT just over the hill in Aberfoyle, Norman CNH in Edinburgh then a trip on to 70mhz FM and a quick chat with Paddy JOX in Glasgow.
My final contact was Mark MON who was doing a round of Wainwrights in the southern Lake District, he was on Pike O’Stickle when I made contact.
Looking S from the summit
I had heard many other stations but there were other stronger signal stations more local to them, I heard a couple of Welsh stations, plus more than a few English stations both on summits and home locations, propagation was lending a hand here.
I’d experienced this before at this time of year during a couple of previous activations, I took rough distances of each contact when I was logging them at home, the furthest contact was the Martin the EI3 station at 385 kms, the two on Two Rock Mountain were 342 and Shining Tor 342.
The best Scottish distance contact was over to Ben Hiant at 190 kms.
Carron Valley Reservoir
The handheld battery didn’t last long (75 mins)but I had another radio in my bag but it had gone quiet after all that madness plus the wind was picking up, I broke down the mast and beam, had a quick bite to eat then made my way back to the car park via the remains of a wing left after an air crash. I got collected and then back to home. The first activation of the year and keeping my yearly streak alive at 12 years.
Wing remains
My legs suffered the usual DOMS but it was worth it and planning to try some other local hills soon. It was great fun.
Meikle Bin SOTA Contacts
Time to look at other local ‘Marilyns’
SOTA, explained HERE
The Google map is self-explanatory, mountains and house (base stations).
To embiggen images, just click on.
aching legs and CQ 