The last SOTA summit I am activating today on my first day out doing SOTA after G/WB-013 Garway Hill and GW/SW-020 Graig Syfyrddin.
This was a longer and steeper approach than the previous summits and also it was by now midday and the sun was beating down. I looked at where some activators had parked on Google Streeview but couldn’t really spot any space to park. So I decided to use a spot I know at the boardwalk start at SO293212. One good advantage is the car was left in tree cover and the woods were nice and shaded for the initial ascent. The route I took is 1.2 miles long and involves 201 metres of ascent.
Didn’t take any pics really on this activation as I was a bit hot and bothered by but I did remember to take a quick pic halfway through taking the mast and antenna down.
The view is towards GW/SW-016 Ysgyryd Fawr with the beginnings of GW/SW-020 Graig Syfyrddin on the far left.
Once set up I found clear frequency on 20m and spotted myself on SOTAwatch using Rucksack Radio Tool via the internet on the 3 network. Another nice pileup soon had more than enough QSOs to quality the summit.
When it had gone quiet I decided to try 40m again, so dropped the ends of the link dipole down to make the join to activate the 40m antenna. I eventually found a free frequency not too close to any splatter and spotted myself again. A couple of calls and the pileup was there again like magic. Lots of UK stations now as well as overseas of course. I did get some reports of an odd audio clipping which I am yet to diagnose. This is the first time I have used this rig on 40m so I hope it’s OK. Worryingly the other other alternative is I deep discharged my LifePo4 battery which is a worry. Something for me to look into.
Overall 65 QSOs and two more Summit to Summit contacts.
