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 

Time	Call	Band	Mode	Notes
10:30z	G0LGS	144MHz	FM	Stewart
10:38z	2W0DSP	144MHz	FM	Andrew
10:38z	G8MIA	144MHz	FM	Andy
10:40z	MW0MZM	144MHz	FM	Mark
10:41z	G4MFN	144MHz	FM	Mike
10:43z	G7VGP	144MHz	FM	Simon
10:43z	G7VGP	144MHz	FM	Simon
10:45z	M0IBC	144MHz	FM	Dave
10:48z	2W0XOT	144MHz	FM	John
10:48z	G7VCY	144MHz	FM	Des
10:49z	GW4VPX	144MHz	FM	Allan
10:50z	G6ZFZ	144MHz	FM	Malcolm

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

Time	Call	Band	Mode	Notes
14:09z	G4GSB	144MHz	FM	Miles
14:10z	GW4JTU	144MHz	FM	Alan
14:12z	G8AOJ	144MHz	FM	George
14:12z	MW0PJJ	144MHz	FM	Phil
14:13z	G3SMT	144MHz	FM	Peter
14:15z	G8MIA	144MHz	FM	Andy
14:28z	G0LGS	144MHz	FM	Stewart
14:29z	G4AZS	144MHz	FM	Adrian
14:30z	G8XYJ	144MHz	FM	Matt
14:31z	2E0DSS	144MHz	FM	Don
14:34z	G3LVP	144MHz	FM	Ken
14:34z	GW7MMG	144MHz	FM	Phil
14:36z	G0PPM/M	144MHz	FM	Ken
14:37z	G0RQL	144MHz	FM	Don
14:38z	G0NTC	144MHz	FM	Gez
14:38z	M6KVJ	144MHz	FM	David
14:39z	GW1XUD	144MHz	FM	Robert
14:41z	GW4VPX	144MHz	FM	Allan
14:41z	2W0HFU	144MHz	FM	Gareth
14:42z	M0TTE	144MHz	FM	Simon
14:43z	G4JZF	144MHz	FM	Graham
14:43z	M0BCL	144MHz	FM
14:45z	M3BJH	144MHz	FM	Brian
14:46z	M6RUG	144MHz	FM	Dave
14:48z	G4MCQ	144MHz	FM	Steve

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

Time	Call	Band	Mode	Notes
11:23z	MW0PJJ	144MHz	FM	phil
11:27z	GW7MMG	144MHz	FM	Phil
11:28z	GW0GVY	144MHz	FM	Chris
11:33z	GW6DGU	144MHz	FM	Roy
11:34z	GW4VPX/P	144MHz	FM	Allan S2S GW/MW-003
11:38z	MW6BWA/P	144MHz	FM	Viki S2S GW/MW013
11:39z	MW0JLA/P	144MHz	FM	Roy S2S GW/MW-013
11:42z	GW4KYT	144MHz	FM	Brian
11:43z	EI9GLB	144MHz	FM	Jim
11:46z	G0LGS	144MHz	FM	Stewart
11:48z	G0RQL	144MHz	FM	Don
11:59z	G4AZS	144MHz	FM	Adrian
12:00z	GW0IRT	144MHz	FM	Phil
12:08z	M0KRP	144MHz	FM	Rod
12:11z	MW0CXH	144MHz	FM	Peter
12:16z	2E0ZST	144MHz	FM	Steve
12:24z	MW0PJJ	144MHz	FM	Phil
12:25z	MW3DLA	144MHz	FM	Aled
12:27z	G7JMZ	144MHz	FM	John
12:30z	MW0WEE	144MHz	FM	Andy
12:32z	G4EIA	144MHz	FM	Martin
12:36z	MW6WFB	144MHz	FM	Laurie
12:37z	MW0COD	144MHz	FM	Cliff