GM4ZFZ/P - Mountain Adventures with a Radio

Ben Nevis & Carn Mor Dearg

30/31 July 2004

The weather wasn't quite as good as I was expecting. Instead I had clag most of the time so no nice photos (apart from one of the arete below). However, I managed to get a few Top Band qsos on Ben Nevis.

Carn Mor Dearg - GM/WS-003 - 1223m - 10 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 3, 2m FM - 1

This is normally a great place for a dramatic view of the north face of The Ben but unfortunately thick cloud was stubbornly hanging around the mountain. Got a view south towards the summits of my last trip, looking so different from this angle.

Arrived just before 1800bst and found a nice perch just south of the summit. 40m was strange with stations fading in and out fairly rapidly making it hard to find a clear frequency. However, a call on 7.028MHz with 1 watt quickly brought back G3OVL in Kings Lynn. No other G stations were heard but as usual the Netherlands were strong with good reports from PA0XAW & PA0FEN on 7.029MHz. Then worked Andy MM3USU on 2m FM but there were no more takers.

So then off around the Arete (see photo) and up the final slog to the summit of Ben Nevis.

Ben Nevis - GM/WS-001 - 1344m - 10 points
QSOs: 2m FM - 4, 160m CW - 7, 160m SSB - 1

First priority was to find a comfy bivi spot. That found I then set up my Mark II portable Top Band antenna, the main feature of which is a slinky (containing about 18m of wire) as a helical radiator, some more wire and a couple of radials. However, conditions sounded difficult so wandered up to 2m for a while where I worked GM4XQJ, MM3USU, MM0EMC & GM7PKT.

Back down on 160m at about 22:15 I heard John, G4YSS calling and we just about managed to complete a QSO on CW (1.836MHz) and then on SSB (1.846MHz). Hard work, only just made it but very satisfying to do a summit to summit for my first portable 160m QSO. Then after several attempts I was very pleased to work Pete, M0COP in Birmingham.

My main problem was S9+ noise with static crashes thrown in. Obviously using a vertical has its draw backs. Throughout the night I was able to faintly hear other CW stations calling but just too low down in the noise. My apologies to those stations - thanks for trying. Faintly in the background I heard "....keep trying....keep trying..." from G4YSS. Thanks for all the encouragment John!!

At midnight however things started to open up with good reports from Age PA0XAW, Bill G4EHT (Lichfield), Bob G3ITH (Dudley), Dave GW4GTE (Chester) and Bill GI3MMF (Belfast) on on 1.836 MHz CW. So although I had the 2m QSOs as a fall back it was good to get the qualifying number of contacts for Top Band.

I was very ready for sleep when I crawled into my sleeping bag at about 1ish. Again, emerging from the warmth was quite a battle in the morning but hearing the first voices from the summit hurried me on to disappear before the crowds arrived! Descent down the Pony Track to the Red Burn and then the bog trot to Torlundy.

I am already thinking about the Mark III antenna so expect another Top Band activation soon!

Leum Uilleim, Beinn na Cloiche, Glas Bheinn

11/12 July 2004

Managed to activate 3 summits from an ambitious plan for 5. Even this resulted in a manic forced march for the 1110 train from Corrour with only minutes to spare!

Leum Uilleim - GM/WS-110 - 906m - 6 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 2, 2m FM - 2

Arrived at the summit to find difficult conditions on 40m. Nevertheless Pete, EI7CC came booming in as usual from Dublin following by a 339 report from G3TFV in Leicester. On 2m FM, GM7PKT (at home) & MM0PWR/M in Falkirk completed the activation in about an hour. I was unable to hear MM3USU, Falkirk just a few miles away from PWR or GM0AXY who had also tried earlier to work me from Edinburgh on 40m (I could hear him about 519, but he couldn't hear me).

These hills are about 200/300m lower than the Grey Corries last week and therefore *much* more difficult to get out to the central belt on VHF.

Beinn na Cloiche - GM/WS-253 - 646m - 2 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 4

A longish walk to this top took me past a temporary village of a bothy working party (about 10 tents). These were the only folk I saw for the whole trip.

Didn't even bother trying on VHF for this one, wouldn't have stood a chance. But 40m was also extremely difficult with the skip being too long for inter G contacts. Long calling brought nothing until Age, PA0XAW appeared strong as usual from the Netherlands. EI7CC from Dublin also seems to be completely independant of any propogation and thundered in at 599 again but it took me it two me about two and a half hours to activate the summit. Two other PA stations finally came to the rescue and allowed me to move on.

Glas Bheinn - GM/WS-177 - 792m - 4 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 5, 2m FM- 2

Obviously something had shifted in the ionosphere in the hour or two it took me to arrive to the top of Glas Bheinn. After working GM7PKT & MM3USU on 2m I put up the Walking Pole Dipole and on switching on the rig found G3CWI just finishing off a QSO. He came back to me for my first HF contact and then EI7CC, PA0XAW, GM4UBJ & GM0AXY all with strong signals. Sorry Richard for rather monopolising the frequency for a while!

This is an outstanding viewpoint and the evening sun was shining. Beautiful views down Loch Leven, across to a dramatic profile of the Aonach Eagach ridge and behind in the distance was the looming bulk of Ben Alder clearly visible. Most striking were the cliffs of Buachaille Etive Mor in sharp relief against the evening sky. Looking north I was able to see my route across the Grey Corries from last week. Magic.

I descended some way down the north ridge before deciding I had walked quite enough for the day and crawled into my bed for the night surrounded by inquisitive stags lurking at a distance. Had a very solid night's sleep and dreamt of a talking reindeer! Woke and a huge battle of mind over mattress (or thermarest) ensued with me eventually leaving the warm cocoon of my sleeping bag at about 7am.

The top of Creag Ghuanach is quite charming but 40m yielded no contacts and I was running rather short of time so didn't hang around too long. And then on closer examination of the map realised I was much tighter on time than I had realised. I collapsed two hours later at Corrour station with just 3 minutes to spare!

Aonach Beag, Sgurr Choinnich Mor, Stob Choire Claurigh & Stob Ban

4th/5th July 2004

Wind, rain, hail and the odd glimpse of sunshine made this an invigorating experience! Thanks to a small band of chasers, each summit was activated fairly easily making a total of 34 points for the outing.

Aonach Beag - GM/WS-002 - 1236m - 10 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 2, 2m FM - 3

It struck me as I walked across the top of Aonach Mor that this was the first time that I had been up here in the summer. It was strange seeing grass where I am used to snow fields. Having said that there are some sizable snow patches left on the east face. Apart from the top 10 feet, Easy Gully was still complete. So if you fancy a grade I snow climb in July, this is the place to come!

Some very fine views of the Ben and out beyond to the Isles. Excellent visibility.

Above is the view from the col between Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag over towards Sgurr a'Mhaim (Mamores).

This one shows the Grey Corries ridge, my route follows the ridge over to the highest peak (left of centre) which is Stob Choire Claurigh. Click for larger photo.

After this the weather closed in so no more piccies!

Got to the summit of Aonach Beag at 1630, bang on schedule and worked Age, PA0XAW and Dave, MW0MWL on 40m and Robin GM7PKT, Pete GM1CMF in Dundee and Andy MM3USU in Falkirk all on 2m FM. There were no more takers so packed up and moved on.

The descent to the col from Aonach Beag is tiresome all the way down over broken ground and the top section is really quite steep and exposed. Care needed here especially in the wet.

Sgurr Choinnich Mor - GM/WS-021 - 1095m - 8 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 1, 2m FM - 3

Got rained on and pummelled by hail on my way over to this shapely summit. PA0XAW, GM1CMF, GM7PKT and MM3USU again on 40 and 2. The skip on 40m was obviously quite long. Age was booming in from Holland but no G stations responding both now and for the rest of the trip.

Then set off for a full traverse of the Grey Corries ridge before the next Marilyn...

Stob Choire Claurigh - GM/WS-005 - 1177m - 10 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 2, 2m FM - 3

Finally arrived at 2230bst. Really quite cold, windy, misty and wet. Pete, EI7CC joined the above chasers who were all worked again. Both Age and Pete very strong signals on 40m. They were both worked after 2300 so thanks for staying up guys!

Set off from the summit about 2330 and wandered down to the col and was glad to get into my sleeping bag.

Stob Ban - GM/WS-072 - 977m - 6 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 3, 2m FM - 2

I was woken at 0430 by torrential rain beat on the bivi-bag which thankfully stopped an hour later for a few minutes, just enough time to get myself sorted and away. It was wild conditions on Stob Ban. Worked Age at 0640 on 40m CW, found Pete, CMF on 2m a few minutes later, then OK1DX (Czech Repub), DJ1PQ (nr Frankfurt) on 40m before finding Andy USU back on 2m. I was very glad to get moving again.

Once off the summit and out of the worst of the weather I sat with map and figured that I didn't really have time for GM/WS-262 and called it a day and started the long walk out.

Walking Pole Dipole, SOTABeam (which rather wonderfully fits snugly onto one of the joins of my walking poles) and 817 were used throughout. Power 2.5 watts or less. Took the 7Ah battery and still had bags of juice left at the end so could have probably got away with the 3Ah and saved weight.

Creag Ruadh, Laggan

A pleasant hill with lots of little summits with cairns on giving a variety of views of the surrounding area. A sizable lochan nestles quietly in the summit area. Easily accessible from the A86.

Creag Ruadh - GM/CS-095 - 622m - 2 points
QSOs: 40m CW - 4

Another outing for the walking pole dipole (details below). I was up for just before 0800 bst.

Variable band conditions brought Andy DL3LQM (Wittenburg), Pete EI7CC (Dublin), Alan G4UEV (Norfolk) & Dick GW3KVX (Llansantffraid). 3 out of the 4 were also QRP stations running under 5W. I was running 5 Watts for DL3LQM and 2.5 Watts for the rest. Done in just over an hour.

A number of people have expressed interest in the Walking Pole Dipole, so here are some detailed photos. Click on the photos for larger size.

This photo directly above shows the jumper link for changing the dipole from 40m to 30m. Obviously there is one of these on each leg.

Here is the view down Loch Laggan toward Binnein Shios. The dark cliffs of Creag Meagaidh are on the right with the notch of 'The Window' just visible.