Dale Head LD-020/LDW-063 Sat 5th Apr 2025.
As Saturday 5th April was LD weekend I asked Richard 2E0XGO if he would like to do Dale Head LD-020/LDW-063 and he very kindly said yes.
We arranged to meet at a parking place about ½ mile from the summit of Honister pass on the Borrowdale side. Advantage was it was free!
We set off walking at 9.30 am local and arrived at the summit at 11:00 am local. Total distance was 1.7 miles from car to summit. Weather was excellent, in fact more or less perfect walking/activating weather.
On the way to the top we worked M5OTA/P who was on Scafell Pike LD-001/LDW-001.
Both Richard and myself set up our aerials about 30 yards apart. I was using a 2m J-POLE aerial attached to a roach pole. There is a very handy metal fence post at the top and I cable tied a metal ground spike to it and slipped the roach pole on top. It was probably up about 20 feet. I used a Yaesu FT-8800 with a 20 amp lithium polymer battery so I could run 50 watts. The 8800 has dual receive which was useful because I could monitor S20 on 1 side and transmit on another frequency on the other side. I also had an Alinco DG-J7 23 cm handheld which I used to make a summit to summit with GOJKS/P who was on Helvellyn on 23 cms.
In total I made 44 contacts and 21 summit to summits. I managed to achieve 90 chaser points to. Our best DX was GM/CS-065 Ben Vrackie which is near Pitlochry.
Contacts made were as follows:-
| 09:45 | M5OTA/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:02 | G0EVV/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-011 |
| 10:03 | M0TKF/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-011 |
| 10:07 | G4IPB/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-007 |
| 10:09 | M0JKS/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-003 |
| 10:19 | G0TDM | 144MHz | FM | |
| 10:21 | G6LKB | 144MHz | FM | |
| 10:23 | G8CPZ/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-050 |
| 10:25 | 2E0LDF | 144MHz | FM | |
| 10:40 | M0WML/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-053 |
| 10:41 | G4VPX/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-053 |
| 10:45 | M0JKS/P | 1240MHz | FM | LD-003 |
| 10:46 | G0HIK/P | 144MHz | FM | |
| 10:52 | M1BUU/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-013 |
| 10:53 | M7GTU/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-013 |
| 10:57 | G7SAT/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-024 |
| 10:59 | G6PJZ/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-024 |
| 11:00 | 2E0DIJ/P | 144MHz | FM | SP-010 |
| 11:04 | G1FVA/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-011 |
| 11:08 | M0OUD/P | 144MHz | FM | |
| 11:10 | GM1VLA | 144MHz | FM | |
| 11:15 | G4VFL | 144MHz | FM | |
| 11:17 | M7SKY | 144MHz | FM | |
| 11:23 | GW0TPS/M | 144MHz | FM | |
| 11:26 | M0YDH/P | 144MHz | FM | ON BLEABERRY HILL LDW-132 |
| 11:38 | M0PJE/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-004 |
| 11:51 | 2E0MIX | 144MHz | FM | |
| 11:57 | G6AEK | 144MHz | FM | |
| 12:01 | G7WKX/M | 144MHz | FM | HONISTER CAR PARK |
| 12:07 | G4IPB/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-022 |
| 12:18 | M0LLC/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-054 |
| 12:19 | M7RLO/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-054 |
| 12:22 | MM0CMV/P | 144MHz | FM | GM/CS-065 |
| 12:28 | G3TNN/P | 144MHz | FM | BOTA BLACKPOOL |
| 12:44 | M0YDH/P | 144MHz | FM | HIGH SEATLDW-130 |
| 12:50 | G1FVA/P | 144MHz | FM | MARDALE ILL BELL |
| 13:05 | G1GBD | 144MHz | FM | |
| 13:10 | G0EVV/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-018 |
| 13:15 | M0TKF/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-018 |
| 13:20 | M0YDH/P | 144MHz | FM | HIGH TOVE LDW-167 |
| 13:26 | G7KSE/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-045 |
| 13:49 | GW4TQE/P | 144MHz | FM | GW/NW-075 |
| 14:02 | G5TUE/P | 144MHz | FM | LD-046 |
| 14:21 | M0YDH/P | 144MHz | FM | ARMBOTH FELL LDW-182 |
We operated for about 4 hours in near perfect conditions although I was still wearing a winter coat and a wooley hat! It is surprising how cool you get when sitting about on a summit for a few hours.
Many thanks to Richard for the company and also to all chasers. I have to say it was a bit manic at times!!
On way up to Dale Head.
G4WHA/P aerial setup.
G4WHA/P radios.
Looking over to Catbells, Maiden Moor and High Spy.
My 23cms handheld.
Summit of Dale Head.
Richards station.
GPX track to Dale Head.
73’s Geoff
GM4WHA
