Tom Read - click to email meBDXC ISWL WAB SOTA RSGB IOTA - see my radio page for more detailsLiam & Jimmy

Bishop Wilton Wold 2010

 

Friday 19th February 2010 - Liam's Road Trip, Day 5 - Purdy Lodge (A1) to Macclesfield    Click to return to summit index

 

Ready to set off on a snowy morning    Heavy snow on the A1 in Northumberland

Friday 19th February 2010, and Day 5 - the final day of Liam's Pennine Way road trip. Having completed all of Liam's itinerary, it was time for me to return to a bit of SOTA for me. It would be curtailed though - my fatigue last night meant that we were starting out from much further north than anticipated.

We breakfasted on "Warm Devilled Eyemouth Crab with Buttered Toast" and fresh orange juice, as we looked at the heavy snow outside. A couple of inches had fallen in the local area, but the A1 was still moving well, even though it was down to one lane in each direction. By the time we were passing through Newcastle-upon-Tyne, there wasn't any snow to be seen, and progress was good down onto the A64 and A166 for Bishop Wilton Wold G/TW-004.

Summit of Bishop Wilton Wold G/TW-004        Liam on Bishop Wilton Wold

I parked in the usual lay-by, just a few yards from the trig point at the summit, and wandered further along the grass verge to find a suitable operating post. I set up for 80m after soliciting a spot by text. Again, coverage was found to be patchy enough to disrupt phone calls, disallow WAP, but accept texting.  A pleasing run of contacts was had on 80m CW, followed by a handful on 80m SSB. Many thanks to Roy G4SSH and Sean M0GIA for the spots. Thanks also, and apologies to Graham G3OHC who posted information about my next summit (intended to be Normanby Top TW-005), but which I soon cancelled via Jimmy as I realised that I really ought to be going home!

Tom M1EYP/P on Bishop Wilton Wold G/TW-004        80m dipole on Bishop Wilton Wold

Many thanks to the following stations worked on this activation:

G4SSH 80m CW
M0CEF 80m CW
G4ELZ 80m CW
EI2CL 80m CW
G3WPF 80m CW
DL1FU 80m CW
HB9BIN 80m CW
G4OBK 80m CW
DJ5AV 80m CW
GM7UAU 80m SSB
G8ADD 80m SSB
M3EYP 80m SSB
G3OHC 80m SSB



The final activity of the outing was on approach to the Pennine Way crossing of the M62. I exited the motorway at the A672 junction, and led Liam through the snow along the Pennine Way to the famous Pennine Way footbridge for photos. This had been pencilled in for Day 1, but was thwarted by torrential rain at that point.

Heading down to the M62 footbridge    Liam near the M62

Liam on the Pennine Way M62 footbridge    Liam on the Pennine Way M62 footbridge

I drove home to Macclesfield while chatting to friends and family - Bob 2E0RHM, John M3GHI, Jimmy M3EYP, Richard G3CWI and Sean M0GIA - on the GB3MN repeater, arriving (of course) at the Weston Balti Raj to pick up the family tea and enjoy a pint of Bangla beer.  A five day SOTA outing with a difference - just two SOTA 1-point activations! - but some great outdoor (short) walks anyway. And also a bit of my "old" hobby of broadcast SWLing as well, with the following 'catches' of interest:

972 kHz MW - BBC World Service - Europe Today programme in English, relayed from NDR in Germany
1350kHz MW - URY (University Radio York)
87.7 MHz FM - Radio Milaad, Huddersfield
95.0 MHz FM - BBC Tees, Middlesbrough (new ID for BBC Radio Cleveland)
95.7 MHz FM - Penistone FM, Penistone
97.5 MHz FM - Smooth Radio, North-East regional
98.8 MHz FM - Spice FM, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
100.3 MHz FM - Real Radio, North-East regional
101.8 MHz FM - Real Radio, North-East regional
102.1 MHz FM - Teesdale Radio, Barnard Castle
102.5 MHz FM - NE1FM, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
102.8 MHz FM - Star Radio, Durham
103.2 MHz FM - Star Radio, Darlington
103.4 MHz FM - Sun FM, Sunderland
105.5 MHz FM - Teesdale Radio, Barnard Castle
106.8 MHz FM - Star Radio, Durham
106.9 MHz FM - Drystone Radio, Cowling
107.7 MHz FM - Smooth Radio, North-East regional
107.9 MHz FM - Pennine FM, Huddersfield

Home at last!