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

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.

       

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!

       

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.

   

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