GM4ZFZ/P - Mountain Adventures with a Radio

Beinn a'Chaorainn & Creag Meagaidh

One gets so used to gales, blizzards, clag and cold that a day like today is quite a shock to the system!

Beinn a'Chaorainn (GM/CS-012) - 1050m - 8 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 4, 2m FM - 2

My wife dropped me off at Roughburn and after a couple of hours I arrived at the south summit for about 2330. I settled down for the night which at that time was still light enough not to have even thought about the headtorch. I slept extremely well and woke to a perfectly still and sunny morning. Wandered over to the main top and was setup and going on 40m by 0640. Worked John, G3NGN in Bracknell; Einar, SM5CBC in Sweden; Age, PA0XAW & Pete EI7CC. All giving me good reports on the 2.5 watts setting on the FT817. GM7PKT & GM8AOB were both worked on 2m FM before setting off for Creag Meagaidh.

Creag Meagaidh (GM/CS-002) - 1130m - 10 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 4, 2m FM - 3

I have been up here a few times but never really appreciated the spectacular views from this hill until today. In fact the last time I was up here I pulled a tooth while faffing about with an ice screw on Last Post (a steep ice climb). After topping out it was micro-nav through the clag and down as quick as I could to an emergency appointment with the dentist in The Fort thanks to whom I still have my grin intact!

It couldn't be more different today. While sunbathing I worked GM8AOB again in Fort William, GM4JNB in Inverness and Tiger, 2M1BYW in Dalkieth on 2m and then MW0DKF in Abergavenny on 40m CW followed by EI7CC and PA0XAW again (congratulations to Age for his 250 points!) and then Rob, G4RQJ to finish off.

And then a very pleasant stroll down the south ridge to the road where I stuck the thumb out. The 14th car picked me up and took me back down the glen!

The picture shows Beinn a'Chaorainn from the summit slopes of Creag Meagaidh. Behind is Aonach Mor and behind again, just visible, is Ben Nevis rearing its head. Behind that somewhere is a big, mean front sweeping in from the Atlantic! Not good news for the weekend!

Beinn a'Mhonicag (Bohuntine)

This is probably the most accessible hill in the area but not a soul in sight at this time of the morning! Just 45mins to the summit from the carpark/viewpoint in Glen Roy. Third attempt at activating! Successful this time and a shear pleasure in the early morning sunshine with stunning views across Lochaber.

Beinn a'Mhonicag (GM/CS-101) - 563m - 2 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 2, 2m FM - 2

Was up and running by 0700 and answered Steve, 2W0ASJ who was calling CQ on 7.0315. Got a 559 report into Swansea and then managed a 599+ report from Jean Paul, ON7AMI in Belgium. 2m FM then found GM7PKT & GM8AOB both mobile on their way to work.

Picture shows the remaining patchy snow cover on Aonach Mor & Aonach Beag (click on the photo for the big picture).

G3CWI - 5MHz on Kinder

I am staying in Oxford for the weekend and have my FT817 with Miracle Whip with me. I was able to hear Richard, G3CWI on Kinder Scout calling CQ on 5MHz CW this afternoon with only half a watt. Unfortunately, no means of responding!

Leana Mhor, Carn Dearg & Beinn Teallach

This was my second attempt at this little expedition to the hills east of Glen Roy. The first was thwarted by the lack of a bridge at Cranachan. So this time I took the car up the Bohenie Road and with care took the track to NN324845 which is an excellent access point for these hills.

Leana Mhor (GM/CS-090) - 678m - 2 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 2, 40m SSB - 2

A pleasant riverside walk leads up to the col between Léana Mhor and Carn Dearg and then to the summit.

I arrived at the summit admist thick clag an hour before the time I had announced on the reflector and so took my time setting up the pole and long wire and putting out a CQ on 40m CW. DF9RC and EI7CC were worked amidst quite deep qsb. I am still getting back into CW and find myself quite shaky and nervous. Can only manage about 12wpm at the moment but am gradually improving. I wimped out onto LSB and persistant calling on 7.045 brought M0ELS in Faversham and G3RUO in Leicester. These seemed like freak openings because no other G stations were heard anywhere on the band.

Carn Dearg (GM/CS-067) - 834m - 4 points
QSOs: 2m FM - 4

Having got my 4 contacts, I wandered off over to Carn Dearg and found a small amount of shelter from an increasing wind just off from the summit. I heard GM7PKT on 2m and so decided to try VHF on this one. GM4TOE had also just popped up on 2m having got to the summit of Ben McDui. GM4COX made three QSOs but then I got stuck for a 4th but eventually worked GM6GRE by swinging the beam towards Inverness.

Beinn Teallach (GM/CS-044) - 915m - 6 points
QSOs: 2m FM - 3, 40m CW - 1

Then down to the Loch and up the North side of Beinn Teallach (a heck of lot more interesting than slogging up the south side!). Still thick clag. I found an excellent bit of shelter near the summit enabling me to relax and settle in for a bit. The last time I was here was a battle for survival in a raging blizzard. I set up the long wire again but MM0DHY & 2M0RUP (on CS-104) were quickly worked on 2m with the rubber duck as was GM7PKT on his next summit. Since I already had the long wire setup, I got the paddle out again and worked DL0CUX on 40m CW for my fourth qso.

To round it off the clag cleared giving great views from the summit of Beinn Teallach all the way back to the car. It felt like a satisfying day. Wildlife included a multitude of little lambs on the hill, a nervous standoff with a dozen stags, a red fox, golden plover (heard but not seen) and millions of caterpillars.

Here is a previous unsuccessful attempt at Beinn Teallach in wild winter conditions.