The weather was forecast to be a bit windy on the high ground so decided to do a local one and we like Blake fell and had not been for a year .
We ascended from the farm track at the Kirkland side instead of Fell Dyke today .It was a bit breezy , as it happened , as we crossed High Pen we could barely move against the wind and could lean at 45 deg into it mind you after we made the left turn to go up Blake Fell it felt like you were being frog marched up ! At the cairn it was almost impossible to stand , so we found a slightly more sheltered spot in a shallow dip about 30 yds SE of the cairn .
I intended doing 2m 70cm and 4m FM . Got ten contacts on 2m including a SOTA S2S with Ian M0JIA/P on Wild Boar Fell NP , and five on 70cm then decided to wrap up . The wind was getting worse and the antenna pole went down a couple of times as the tent pegs holding the guys were ripped from the ground , and they have withstood some strong winds past , my Wife had to pick the pole up and hold it manually so I could work Norman MI6LNP on 70cms at which point I admitted defeat , plus the shelter was about to be destroyed . 4m was abandoned this time , I’d probably worked three of the usual four people on 70cm and 2m any way ?
It was after all that quite enjoyable as Blake’s not one of those fells you feel in any imminent danger under such conditions , no rocks precipices or ridges and there were quite a few walkers out , including a chap we met on our way down Blake who’d been over Melbreak , Hen Comb , Gavel and was heading for Burnbank .
I used the new logging facility again , I did notice it was down yesterday but I logged in and it worked fine when needed today .
Richard.
Looking to Knock Murton illuminated by a shaft of sun light.
Something I soon learned from trips out with more experienced activators . A dangling antenna remains vertically polarised even if the mast is at 45 degrees.
