This was my first SOTA activation. We travelled from North Yorkshire early morning and arrived at Hightown by midday.
There is room for parking by the roadside at GR NY030837. We then set off up the hill, via the farm track at NY030836, before taking the fence
line to the top. A short steep climb and we were on top in 15 minutes. We had a great view across the Solway to the Lakeland Fells, and Criffel (SS-130),
south of Dumfries.
This is me operating on Hightown Hill.
I erected the "Wasp Special" (pictured). This uses an extended Leki walking pole and extension to support the SOTA yagi beam at about 7 feet AGL.
Contact was soon established with John GW4BVE in Welshpool on 2m SSB at 1151z:
| Station Worked |
Band |
Mode |
Remarks |
| GW4BVE/P |
2m |
SSB |
John |
| G4JZF |
2m |
SSB |
Graham |
| GW4ZWO |
2m |
SSB |
Adrian |
| G0NES |
2m |
SSB |
Don |
| G6LKB |
2m |
SSB |
Dave |
| M3HJD |
2m |
SSB |
Lauren |
| M0FGH |
2m |
SSB |
Steve |
| G0ORO |
2m |
FM |
Dennis |
A switch to vertical polarisation and FM only produced one contact at 1238z with Dennis G0ORO in Workington. We packed up
and enjoyed our flask of coffee and sandwiches before heading back down the hill to continue our journey to St Andrews.
