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

Black Combe LD-030

 

Black Combe, G/LD-030 - 600m ASL - SD 135 854 - OS Explorer OL6 - 4 SOTA points       Map & summit information from SOTAwatch      Click to return to summit index

 

On Sunday 13th August 2017, our only objective was Black Combe, followed by the 150 mile drive home.  It was a beautiful day, and already very warm and sunny as we were parking up by St Mary's Church in Whicham.

Church car park        Initial walk up the lane

The walk commenced by passing through a narrow alleyway and onto a quiet lane.  We then followed the lane towards the hill and past a farmhouse.  We were then onto the main footpath proper, and a fairly long, but fairly easy walk.  Jimmy M0HGY was soon well ahead of me, so I found myself using my VHF handheld radio for company, chatting to SOTA activators in North Wales, and to my friend Rob G4RQJ on nearby Walney Island.

Early stage of the walk        Plenty of people on the hill today

This was a very enjoyable walk, and made up for the first time we did it - in thick mist!  So that time, we did not have any views whatsoever, whereas this time everything was clear as a bell, and over the sea the Isle of Man was clearly visible.  The footpath was fairly busy with other walkers, some of whom were in large groups.  It was a beautiful morning though, so this was entirely to be expected.

Fantastic sea views all day        This way to the summit

I found myself walking with an elderly chap who was struggling.  He was considering turning back, but then asked if he could walk with me.  We walked and chatted for a while before he took the decision that he was definitely going to play it safe and descend.

Trig point within the summit shelter        Summit of Black Combe

When the trig point came into view, so did Jimmy's MFD.  He was already deep into his activation - which I knew, as I had been monitoring his frequency on my handheld for the last few minutes.  As usual, he did 2m FM, but I fancied a change and put my 15m groundplane antenna up.

Jimmy M0HGY        Tom M1EYP

I kicked off with some CW, but while the band was just about open, conditions weren't exactly great, and after seven QSOs, I decided to try something different.  I connected my phone to the FT-817 and tried some JT65.  I was glad I did because it worked really well and I enjoyed a steady stream of callers on that mode.  Many of them were German stations, which indicates there may have been a Sporadic E event taking place.

Jimmy M0HGY & antenna        Clear views today

Enthused by this, I then went onto PSK31, and had five QSOs on this datamode to go with the six on JT65.  Finally, I called again on CW, adding just two more QSOs to the logbook.  Jimmy had made 25 QSOs, all on 2m FM.  This did include a S2S with 2E0TUE/P over on Lambrigg Fell G/LD-046.  I legged it over to Jimmy's operating position in order to tail-end his QSO and grab the S2S and chaser points for myself as well.

View over the offshore wind farms coming off the summit        A lovely day on Black Combe

Fairly early into an uneventful drive home, we decided to stop for something to eat.  A pub on the roadside - the Farmers Arms in Lowick Green - was doing Sunday roast dinners, so we both partook, with a pint of ale of course.  The drive home was accompanied, as per most of the last 36 hours, by the sounds of Radio Caroline being relayed by Manx Radio 1368kHz MW.  Many thanks to the following stations that worked us on this activation:

 

Time

Call

Band

Mode

S2S

Op

11:39z

M1AVV

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:40z

G7CDA

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:41z

G1OHH

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:42z

G4ZRP

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:44z

M0GIA/P

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:45z

M6IXM/P

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:48z

M3NEL/M

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:50z

G0HRT

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:53z

GW4ZPL/P

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:54z

GD0BFN

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

11:55z

2E0GBA

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

12:07z

OK2PDT

21MHz

CW

 

M1EYP/P

12:08z

DL8DXL

21MHz

CW

 

M1EYP/P

12:09z

RW3XZ

21MHz

CW

 

M1EYP/P

12:10z

OK1DVM

21MHz

CW

 

M1EYP/P

12:11z

MD3OED

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

12:11z

SQ8JMZ

21MHz

CW

 

M1EYP/P

12:12z

OM6AN

21MHz

CW

 

M1EYP/P

12:14z

2E0BAX/M

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

12:15z

G4RQJ

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

12:18z

MW0JWP

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

12:18z

2E0TBT/P

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

12:20z

2E0TUE

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

12:21z

JA2KKA

21MHz

CW

 

M1EYP/P

12:23z

MI0TLG

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

12:34z

DO2STA

21MHz

JT65

 

M1EYP/P

12:44z

DO6DB

21MHz

JT65

 

M1EYP/P

12:50z

DL1HAZ

21MHz

JT65

 

M1EYP/P

13:00z

M0XRS

21MHz

JT65

 

M1EYP/P

13:06z

DC5ES

21MHz

JT65

 

M1EYP/P

13:11z

M0XRS

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

13:11z

DK2FE

21MHz

JT65

 

M1EYP/P

13:14z

M0XLT/P

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

13:30z

DL3APY

21MHz

PSK31

 

M1EYP/P

13:31z

OK1AW

21MHz

PSK31

 

M1EYP/P

13:32z

MW0BYT

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

13:36z

2E0EVD

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

13:38z

G8ALB

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

13:39z

SP3RBQ

21MHz

PSK31

 

M1EYP/P

13:42z

DL7RU

21MHz

PSK31

 

M1EYP/P

13:43z

HG3FMZ

21MHz

PSK31

 

M1EYP/P

13:50z

2E0LBI

144MHz

FM

 

M0HGY/P

13:53z

2E0TUE/P

144MHz

FM

G/LD-046

M0HGY/P, M1EYP/P

13:59z

DL2VGS

21MHz

CW

 

M1EYP/P

14:03z

OE8SPW

21MHz

CW

 

M1EYP/P

Black Combe 2012