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Tuesday 24 February 2015

GW/SW-041 & 003

GW/SW-041  Black Mountain  
703m, 6 points
Association: Wales  Region: South Wales   
Latitude: 52 0 30 N, Longitude: 3 5 12 W
Grid Reference: SO 255350, QTH Locator: IO82KA 
Today's Sunrise: 07:06 UTC, Today's Sunset: 17:44 UTC 

21st February 2015


As I approached the start point for my first activation conditions were looking good, "Twmpa" or "Lord Herefoed's Knob" as it's known locally was bathed in sunshine.
 


The first of today's summits is Black mountain GW/SW-041- Parking at Gospel Pass 
where there is room for 8-10 cars (SO236350)      Most of the ascent is done in the first few hundred meters. Heading north east to the trig point above Hay Bluff (SO244 365) and then south east along the Offa's Dyke path to the summit at (SO255 353)  

As there is no trig point at the summit, I set up at what looked like the highest point along the path' both of today's activation's were to be done on 2m fm only which saved a little time setting the antenna up in the strong wind.  My first call on 145.500 produced a flurry of activity and it wasn't long before I had more than enough contacts logged for my first activation. As soon as I had worked all the stations on frequency I quickly packed up and started my way back towards the car for the short drive to my next start point.











GW/SW-002   Waun Fach  
811m, 8 points
Association: Wales  Region: South Wales   
Latitude: 51 57 46 N, Longitude: 3 8 38 W
Grid Reference: SO 215300, QTH Locator: IO81KX 
Today's Sunrise: 07:06 UTC, Today's Sunset: 17:44 UTC








Parking was not so easy at SO 186-289 as the road is narrow and the verge was a little soft. As I took a few minutes for a brew and a bite to eat I could clearly see the route I was to  take for this ascent. 
I usually use another route From the east for Waun Fach but  having spoken to Allan GW4VPX who had activated this summit the previous day, I decided to  try his route. The path looked very well used and it wasn't long before a local farmer appeared on his quad bike, taking feed up to the sheep on the hillside.



Conditions at the summit were very different from the pleasant valley in which was parked, The howling wind and freezing temperature made operating a  challenge to say the least.  Nevertheless I managed to log 25 contacts on 2m before I finally lost the use of my fingers.  Many thanks to all stations worked today ans apologizes to any I missed.

Total distance 9 miles with 674 m of ascent




Date:21/Feb/2015 Summit:GW/SW-041 (Black Mountain) Call Used:GW6OVD/P 


TimeCallBandModeNotes
10:30zG0LGS144MHzFMStewart
10:38z2W0DSP144MHzFMAndrew
10:38zG8MIA144MHzFMAndy
10:40zMW0MZM144MHzFMMark
10:41zG4MFN144MHzFMMike
10:43zG7VGP144MHzFMSimon
10:43zG7VGP144MHzFMSimon
10:45zM0IBC144MHzFMDave
10:48z2W0XOT144MHzFMJohn
10:48zG7VCY144MHzFMDes
10:49zGW4VPX144MHzFMAllan
10:50zG6ZFZ144MHzFMMalcolm

Date:21/Feb/2015 Summit:GW/SW-002 (Waun Fach) Call Used:GW6OVD/P 


TimeCallBandModeNotes
14:09zG4GSB144MHzFMMiles
14:10zGW4JTU144MHzFMAlan
14:12zG8AOJ144MHzFMGeorge
14:12zMW0PJJ144MHzFMPhil
14:13zG3SMT144MHzFMPeter
14:15zG8MIA144MHzFMAndy
14:28zG0LGS144MHzFMStewart
14:29zG4AZS144MHzFMAdrian
14:30zG8XYJ144MHzFMMatt
14:31z2E0DSS144MHzFMDon
14:34zG3LVP144MHzFMKen
14:34zGW7MMG144MHzFMPhil
14:36zG0PPM/M144MHzFMKen
14:37zG0RQL144MHzFMDon
14:38zG0NTC144MHzFMGez
14:38zM6KVJ144MHzFMDavid
14:39zGW1XUD144MHzFMRobert
14:41zGW4VPX144MHzFMAllan
14:41z2W0HFU144MHzFMGareth
14:42zM0TTE144MHzFMSimon
14:43zG4JZF144MHzFMGraham
14:43zM0BCL144MHzFM
14:45zM3BJH144MHzFMBrian
14:46zM6RUG144MHzFMDave
14:48zG4MCQ144MHzFMSteve

Monday 23 February 2015

GW/SW-003 Fan Brycheiniog


Summit Information for 
GW/SW-003  Fan Brycheiniog 
 802m, 8 points
Association: Wales  Region: South Wales   
Latitude: 51 52 56 N, Longitude: 3 42 30 W
Grid Reference: SN 825218, QTH Locator: IO81DV 
Today's Sunrise: 07:10 UTC, Today's Sunset: 17:45 UTC 

Saturday 14th Feb.  GW6OVD/P & GW7RKC/P

It's been a very busy couple of months since my last post in October and it doesn't look like things are about to change any time soon.  Never the less I've still managed to squeeze a few activation's in and now its time to get the blog going again.
Today Andy (GW7RKC) and I set off for one of our favorite summits, Fan Brycheiniog  SW-003.  This summit has an amazing view over the lake and the valley below,  or so I am told! This is my forth activation of SW-003 but on every previous visit visibility has been very poor.
As we arrived at our usual parking spot SN 852 217 the WX was not looking very promising. Visibility was down to 100m and it was raining.  Drawing on past experience I decided to ditch the walking boots in favor of wellies as the approach to the lake is wet under foot at the best of times and we've  had quite a lot of rain recently.



As we approached the frozen edge of Llyn Y Fan Fawr the rain had stopped but visibility was down to about 20m.  From here the path climbs steeply to the summit 200m above, As a lot of work has recently been done to improve the path it should have been an easy climb, but recent deep snow drifts on the face of the mountain had totally obscured the path.
  






We carefully made our way up but with no path or footprints to follow it took us a further half hour to reach the summit.  Once there We took advantage of the cairn to get out of the cold wind and got the kit set up for a 2m activation.













                                                                                



Andy working a S2S contact with Viki, MW6BWA/P       who was up on Cordon Hill  GW/MW-013.
We were also lucky enough to work S2S with Allan GW4VPX/P who was on Drygarn Fawr, GW/MW-003
and Rod M0JLA/P on MW-013
Along with many of our regular contacts and some new ones it all came together to make a very enjoyable day.




The visibility did improve briefly giving us a glimpse of lake Liyn Y Fan Fawr 200m below but it wasn't to last.











 Date:14/Feb/2015 Summit:GW/SW-003 (Fan Brycheiniog) Call Used:GW6OVD/P


TimeCallBandModeNotes
11:23zMW0PJJ144MHzFMphil
11:27zGW7MMG144MHzFMPhil
11:28zGW0GVY144MHzFMChris
11:33zGW6DGU144MHzFMRoy
11:34zGW4VPX/P144MHzFMAllan S2S GW/MW-003
11:38zMW6BWA/P144MHzFMViki S2S GW/MW013
11:39zMW0JLA/P144MHzFMRoy S2S GW/MW-013
11:42zGW4KYT144MHzFMBrian
11:43zEI9GLB144MHzFMJim
11:46zG0LGS144MHzFMStewart
11:48zG0RQL144MHzFMDon
11:59zG4AZS144MHzFMAdrian
12:00zGW0IRT144MHzFMPhil
12:08zM0KRP144MHzFMRod
12:11zMW0CXH144MHzFMPeter
12:16z2E0ZST144MHzFMSteve
12:24zMW0PJJ144MHzFMPhil
12:25zMW3DLA144MHzFMAled
12:27zG7JMZ144MHzFMJohn
12:30zMW0WEE144MHzFMAndy
12:32zG4EIA144MHzFMMartin
12:36zMW6WFB144MHzFMLaurie
12:37zMW0COD144MHzFMCliff