A very windy Binsey and Faulds Brow Sat 7th Oct 2023

[GM4WHA]

A rather windy Binsey LD-041 / LDW-190 and Faulds Brow LD0-060. Sat 7th Oct 2023.

I had planned on doing a higher summit but because of the low cloud and wind I decided to try and meet Reg 2E0LDF and Phil M0AYB who had alerted for Binsey. I drove to the parking place and as I parked up I saw them starting off up Binsey. I gave a call on s20 to see if Reg was monitoring and he came back to me. They very kindly said I could join them on the walk so I got sorted out and walked up with them.

The cloud level was very low and it was windy. However on the summit it was very strong. Reg had an Anemometer for measuring wind speed and it was gusting up to nearly 60 mph.

Phil had brought a 9 element beam which he put together and guyed. No easy task given the wind!

We started using Reg’s radio which was putting out around 15 watts but sadly after 2 contacts it went dead. The battery was suspected so we used my FT1D after that.

The following stations were worked on 2m FM:-

M0LLC

2E0IKM/M

2E0MIX

G1OHH

G0MTQ

G4IIY

M0XUP

2E0XGO/P

GM3VMB

GM6TVR

2 Contacts were made on 2m C4FM:-

M7BUY

M0XUP/M

After operating for nearly an hour we decided to call it a day. Conditions were awful although it did not rain.

The activation was a great success in spite of the weather. Unfortunately, we did not get any summit to summits but got plenty of contacts. I have done Binsey twice before but the last time was 12 years ago, and I had forgotten what a nice hill it is. A very easy ascent and had the weather been good, excellent views from the top.

Many thanks to Reg 2E0LDF and Phil M0AYB for the company. After that we went to Mae’s tearooms and gallery in Udale and what a great place it was. It used to be an old Victorian school Phil informed me.

Trig point on Binsey.

Reg 2E0LDF measuring wind speed.

9 Element beam being guyed.

9 element beam

Phil M0AYB

Ready to descend back to the cars.

After that I went and activated Faulds Brow as I was passing it. I made 4 contacts from there. These were:-

M0LLC

GM1VLA

M0XUP

M0YDH/P on Raven Crag LDW-186.

I spoke with David M0YDH the following day and he told me I was the only contact he made from Raven Crag so I was really pleased with that.

73’s Geoff GM4WHA

[2E0XGO]

Good effort to all three of you Geoff.
Putting that beam up in those conditions must have been a challenge too. My little three element job was getting knocked about where I was parked when I spoke to you up there . Good to get you while on Black Combe yesterday as well .
I’ll put a couple of pictures up yesterday’s “glamping” trip , but they won’t be as action packed as yours, but illustrates what a difference a day makes weather wise , and to VHF conditions .
Richard. 2E0XGO

[PhilM0AYB]

To be hones, it was fairly crazy up on Binsey, in the cloud, with 60MPH winds and a huge 2m beam to wrestle with! But I have long said it would be good to try an activation with a beam on a SOTA Lake District weekend, so this was time to put up or shut up. As it turned out, it was a morning of good company and good fun with Geoff and Reg despite the challenging conditions up there. Thanks to the chasers. Sorry I missed a contact with Sue - I was committed to beam-wrangling at the time! If anyone is interested, the beam was a Tonna 9 element (portable-ish) yagi that can be assembled then later on collapsed and elements folded back fairly easily. The short mast is a two part telecopic washing line pole. Next time it’s out it will be on a calmer day! 73, Phil

[M0NOM]

Wow, impressive, or a bit daft either way, fair dues, I wouldn’t have taken a beam. Sometimes you need some challenges in life to make it a proper adventure

I was with Nigel on Lambrigg Fell and we managed to get my Spectrum Comms Slim-J up around 6m which I’m sure made a difference, including a S2S into Ireland 59 both ways. The tarp we had setup meant it was easy going with the FT-857 and with 50w I was struggling to hear folk who were giving me 59 reports at times.

Mark.

[2e0ldf]

when Phil said we would use a yagi i did not imagine it was a 10 foot alloy monster i was not expecting that,the fact we managed to keep it up in those conditions was down to Phil skills in using the rocks to tie it to
i’ve had some memorable activations with Geoff and that is one to store in the memory banks
i must thank both Phil and Geoff for brilliant day we had a great time and Phil for treating us to a welcome coffee

Geoff trying to get out of the wind

Phil M0AYB

Geoff shielding the mic from the wind

thanks to all the chasers and Phil for getting me out i wouldn’t have gone on my own,and it was great that Geoff joined us

reg

[G8CPZ]

2m beam, wow!

I had a similar experience Saturday morning on Gummers How LDO-067 erecting my 60/40/30/20 linked dipole single-handedly in a strong wind. Cows caused me to go QRT prematurely. Full story here …

SOTA LD Weekend, 7th/8th October 2023

I activated Binsey this morning. Again, same story, summit in the clouds, poor visibility, fog water dripping down my RH770 ½-wave telescopic whip onto the 2m FT1D HT. Fortunately, plenty of chasers:

GW4TQE/P sota GW/NW-043 <John, on Cyrn-y-Brain>
M0LLC <Lee, Maryport>
G4WHA/A <Geoff, Carlisle>
M0MOL <Gareth, Barrow-in-Furness>
2E0MIX <Derek, Whitehaven>
M0XUP/M <Steve, nr Whitehaven>
G1FVA <Keith, nr Carlisle>
G4OBK/P <Phil, en route to Ullock Pike>

On the drive home via Keswick the weather improved dramatically so on a whim I decided to activate Nab Scar LDW-193 from Rydal. What a contrast - it was 19C and sunny, and on the steep climb I was sweating like a pig in a sauna wearing a long fur coat.

Some good contacts.

I jogged most of the way down because I thought my 2-hour parking ticket might expire only to find – when I checked my phone – that I had 20 minutes left. I really envied the drinkers in the Badger Bar beer garden with their chilled beers but I was tired and wanted to get home for a very late lunch.