Manod Mawr SOTA Activation

Summits On The Air reference GW/NW-035, 4 points

Activity Summary

Date : 2nd April 2026
Distance : 2.89 km
Ascent : 166 m
Max Altitude : 661 m
Time to Summit : 1:00 hrs
Total Activation Time : 3:16 hrs

Weather

Partly Cloudy
Temperature 5 ℃
Feels like 6 ℃
Humidity 81%
Wind Speed 3.2 km/h
Wind Direction SW

Equipment Used

Icom IC705 (10w)
2m, roll up slim jim
Decathlon 6m travel pole (fibreglass)
PoLo logging app on iPad mini

Parking Location What3Words

///thrillers.reliving.families

Activation Report

My wife had managed to clear her desk of work for the upcoming Easter holiday and so was able to accompany me on a walk. We had decided on Manod Mawr, ideal for a leisurely type of activation, if approached from the quarry. The parking area is just outside the gates of a working quarry. The parking area is located at SH 73266 45606 and is approached via a long single track road. When you reach SH 71576 43106, keep right and follow the signs for the quarry.

We started out at about 10:40 am, following the clearly marked foot path sign. The path takes you around the back of the quarry and then climbs up. A couple of minutes away from the carpark, you pass the large gates that guard the entrance to some underground caverns. I had no idea until Gerald, MW0WML, told me, that these caverns were used to store paintings from the National Gallery during WW II.

After the initial steep ascent away from the quarry, the remainder of the route to the summit was easy going. Once on the summit we were welcomed by the fantastic views across the North Wales mountains and out to sea across Porthmadog.

We made ourselves comfortable in the summit shelter and I deployed my human pole support😊 I then setup my station using the IC705 and a slim Jim antenna on the pole.

First in the log again was Don, GW0PLP. I worked four more callers on 2 SSB before chasing Gerald, MW0WML on Hope Mountain. After a call on 144.300, I managed another couple of SSB contacts, including a summit to summit contact with Andy, G8CPZ in the lake district. I then switched to 2m FM and worked a few more familiar callsigns, including another summit to summit with Martin, M8BIA on the Gun near Leek.

After about forty minute on air I went QRT and packed away. It was nice to be able to relax on the summit and enjoy a flapjack and a cup of coffee in the spring weather. After taking in some more views we headed back to the car, whilst also planning our non SOTA walk for Saturday. Well maybe a handheld transceiver will find its way into the rucksack, just in case 😊

The interactive map below shows a track of the route taken. You can zoom in or out to change the scale. The map can also be shown in full screen. The GPX track can also be downloaded using the link below the map.

Download file for GPS

Further information can be found on the SOTA resource page for the summit

Moel Llyfnant SOTA Activation

Summits On The Air Reference GW/NW-018, 6 points

Activity Summary

Date : 26th March 2026
Distance : 10.75 km
Ascent : 517 m
Max Altitude : 750 m
Time to Summit : 2:03 hrs
Total Activation Time : 4:45 hrs

Weather

Partly Cloudy
Temperature 3 ℃
Feels like 3 ℃
Humidity 80%
Wind Speed 8.3 km/h
Wind Direction NW

Equipment Used

Icom IC705 (10w)
2m, roll up slim jim
Decathlon 6m travel pole (fibreglass)
PoLo logging app on iPad mini

Parking Location What3Words

///flop.revives.multiple

Activation Report

Once again, I found myself obsessively studying various weather apps, trying to find a window of opportunity. The cold, wet and windy spell of the last few days, hadn’t done much to fuel my enthusiasm to get out. But an opportunity had appeared, a day with no rain and reasonable winds in the forecast, if not a bit on the cold side.

I arrived at the parking spot, (SH 82260 39266) with a hint of a groundhog day feel. Because, I had parked here for my walk up Arenig Fawr only four days prior. I started out along the track at about 9:30 am. This time however, the track was noticeably wetter and the peaks around me were snow capped. When I reached the stile that crosses over the wall, there was a lot more water that had collected. It was just about passable, without water brimming over my boots. Once over the stile, the track was more like a shallow stream for a couple of hundred metres. Luckily my trusty Altberg boots kept my feet dry.

A little further along the track, you arrive at the abandoned buildings of Amnodd Wen, before then picking up a forestry track for about a kilometre. Once out of the forest you eventually reach a house, at Amnodd Bwll, from here the track ascends more steeply into open countryside.

Eventually the track disappears, and some navigation is required to progress over the rough ground. This was also the point where I had reached the snow line. Although only a scattering of snow, it was ankle deep in places. Following my route below, you do actually pick up a path that is not marked on the map, at about SH 80865 35655. This makes the final ascent easier than other routes that I have previously used.

After about two hours of walking I was standing on the summit, taking my usual 360 video from the summit.

I setup using the IC705, but today I was using my Decathlon, 6m fibreglass travel pole, and a slim Jim antenna. On my last few activations, I had experienced some odd SWR variation, whilst operating SSB using the flowerpot antenna suspended on the carbon 6 pole.
I soon had two regular chasers in the log, Don, GW0PLP and Dave, G6AEK on 2m SSB. After another ten minutes of calling on SSB with no takers, I switched to 2 FM and soon had Mark, M7DBF, another regular caller in the log. Getting the fourth contact, that I needed for me to get the summit points, was not easy. Many thanks to Don, GW0PLP who was trying his best to find me a fourth contact. Eventually after 18 minutes of calling on 144.300 and 145.500, MW0WMW came back to my call, giving me the crucial fourth contact. I had only been on the summit for half an hour, but I was already feeling the cold, and ready to get down.

After packing away, I found shelter from the cold wind below the summit cairn, where I enjoyed a coffee and a well deserved Eccles cake before heading down.

Download file for GPS

Further information can be found on the SOTA resource page for the summit

Pumlumon Fawr SOTA Activation

Summits On The Air reference GW/MW-001, 6 points

Activity Summary	Weather
Date 10th November 2025 Distance: 9.45 km Ascent: 365m Max Altitude: 752m Moving time: 2:33 Total time: 3:54	Rain Temperature 9 ℃ Humidity 92% Feels like 6 ℃ Wind Speed 11.9 km/h Wind Direction SSW

Equipment Used

4000 mAh LiFePO4 battery
Xiegu 6100
SRH770 2m antenna
Yaesu FT65
20m 1/4 wave telescopic antenna
PoLo logging app on iPad mini

Parking Location What3Words

///remix.daydreams.unite

Activation Report

I had chosen to approach Pumlumon Fawr, GW/MW-001, from the South. The starting point was a carpark at Eisteddfa Gurig, just off the A44, (grid reference SN7980 8407). The carpark costs £5 for the day, the fee is paid at the farmhouse.

It was 9:30 am, as I set off from the carpark. The morning air felt cool and there was some light rain. Leaving the carpark, I zigzagged through the farmyard and then climbed up the track heading away from the farm. As I continued to ascend, I was soon walking in the mist and the rain became that fine rain, apparently that’s the worst kind 😀.

After walking for about an hour and a half, the summit started to appear out of the mist. On the approach, I thought I could see someone crossing the stile ahead of me. A few moments later I crossed the stile to arrive at the summit. As I walked past the shelter, I looked over the wall expecting to see a fellow walker, to my surprise nobody was there, I assumed that they must have carried on walking. I climbed up to the trig pillar and even though there wasn’t much of a view, I still took the usual 360 video.

Next job was to setup my shelter, so I could get out of the rain and get on the air.

First up was 2m, I was using the SRH770 antenna on the FT65 radio, with an external hand microphone. I could poke the aerial out of the shelter, with the radio wedged in the rocks. After quick spot, almost instantly, Don, GW0PLP was in the log. After another ten minutes I had three more contacts in the log making four contacts on 2m. It was then time to brave the rain, and setup the 20m quarter wave telescopic whip for HF. To my surprise when I got out of the shelter, the rain had almost stopped and the views had opened up. I grabbed another quick video while I had the chance.

Now here is the weird thing! Whilst setting up the antenna, I could have swore that I saw someone, again, in the corner of my eye. I looked up but nobody was there. This definitely felt a bit eery, I rationalised it to the fact that I kept thinking the trig pillar was a person when the mist was drifting across it.

Back in the shelter I was soon on the air with 20m, the band was very active, and after a spot, I had a pileup to work. Stations were really booming in, with many callers being 59. I managed to log another twenty two contacts. The total QSO count was now twenty six, with four 2m contacts, twenty two, 20m contacts, and two summit to summit contacts. I was happy with another successful activation.

At this point I was now beginning to feel a bit cold, and I was glad that I had a fleece in my pack to put on before packing away. Fortunately the rain had now stopped and so I packed away, then took one last look at the view before heading down. After jogging for a while I had soon warmed up again. Continuing to walk down, I pondered on the figure I thought I had seen on the summit. Surely it must have just been the trig pillar? It didn’t seem to take long to get back to the car and I very was happy that I had completed another activation and accumulated another six points.

Download file for GPS

Further information can be found on the SOTA resource page for the summit

Yr Aran SOTA Activation

Summits On The Air reference GW/NW-019, 6 points

Activity Summary	Weather
Date 7th November 2025 Distance: 9.21 km Ascent: 700m Max Altitude: 747m Moving time: 2:50 Total time: 5:15	Cloudy Temperature 11 ℃ Humidity 89% Feels like 8 ℃ Wind Speed 15.5 km/h Wind Direction SE

Equipment Used

4000 mAh LiFePO4 battery
Xiegu 6100
SRH770 2m antenna
Yaesu FT65
20m 1/4 wave telescopic antenna
PoLo logging app on iPad mini

Parking Location What3Words

///lightly.gentle.airbase

Activation Report

For the walk up Yr Arran, I began on the Watkin Path. I parked at the National Park car park (grid reference SH6281 5070), which is conveniently situated just across the road from the start of the path and has toilets. Parking costs £3 for four hours or £6 for the day, although I was lucky, the machine was out of order, and the man fixing it told me not to bother paying.

I set off just after 9 a.m. on a clear, dry morning. After crossing the road, I went through the gate and started the gentle climb along the path. Before long, I was out in open countryside, taking in views of a cloud-capped Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). I usually have a rough picture of the route in my head, but I suddenly realised the terrain didn’t look quite right. A quick check of the GPS map confirmed I’d missed my left turn where the route leaves the Watkin Path. Fortunately, it only took five minutes of backtracking to get back on right path.

From there, the ascent became steeper. After passing through a small disused quarry, the path steeply rises to meet a ridge at around the 528-metre contour. Following the ridge gives a brief respite before the final push to the summit.

After about two and a quarter hours, I reached the summit. The conditions were better than expected, it was dry, with reasonable views, although rather windy. After taking in the scenery, it was time to get down to business.

Yr Aran summit, no trig just the brass marker in the centre of the picture

I set up my station tucked in behind the summit rocks. Initially, I tried operating sat on the summit for 2 metres, hoping for the best take-off. That didn’t really work, after my first contact with Don, GW0PLP, he mentioned the wind noise was quite bad. Things were far more civilised once I moved down and sheltered behind the rocks.

I managed three contacts on 2 metres before switching to 20 metres. Earlier that morning, the space weather app had been pinging warnings about radio blackouts, so I wasn’t sure how good propagation would be. That concern prompted a last-minute decision to swap out my QMX for the X6100, giving me a bit more power and a wider choice of bands if needed.

I was soon on air with 20m SSB, while my quarter-wave telescopic whip was bending in the wind with an alarming radius. To my surprise, 20 metres was in good shape, I logged 16 contacts, including a summit-to-summit with Gerald, GW0WML, on GW/NW-054. After finishing up on 20m, I experimented on 40 metres using the telescopic whip without a loading coil. The X6100’s auto tuner pondered for several seconds before managing a match of about 2.5:1 SWR. Clearly not ideal, but I managed three more contacts before the callers dried up. Just as I was finishing, I could see rain coming toward me. I packed up just in time as a blast of fine, icy rain arrived.

In total, I logged 22 QSOs: three on 2 metres, sixteen on 20 metres, and three on 40 metres, including two summit-to-summit contacts on 20 metres. I was pleased with that, as it also marked a milestone for me. The six points from this activation brought my overall total to 502 points—halfway to Mountain Goat!

With the activation successfully completed, I began my descent. Once I dropped off the ridge, I was out of the wind, and the weather had turned fair, making for a very pleasant walk back to the car.

Download file for GPS

Further information can be found on the SOTA resource page for the summit

Allt Fawr SOTA Activation

Summits On The Air reference GW/NW-025, 4 points

Activity Summary	Weather
Date 15th October 2025 Distance: 4.7 km Ascent: 347m Max Altitude: 698m Moving time: 1:31 Total time: 3:32	Cloudy Temperature 8 ℃ Humidity 90% Feels like 9 ℃ Wind Speed 2.9 km/h Wind Direction ESE

Equipment Used

4000 mAh LiFePO4 battery
Icom IC705
SRH770 2m antenna
20m 1/4 wave telescopic antenna
PoLo logging app on iPad mini

Parking Location What3Words

///perfected.rear.tradition

Activation Report

This walk starts from a lay-by just off the A470, at SH6989 4850. I started walking just after 9:30 in misty conditions. The path until you reach the tunnel air shaft was straightforward, however things then became a little trickier with no real path to follow.

Climbing up from the air shaft, the visibility soon reduced to about 10 or 15 metres, and I was now navigating entirely by GPS. Once I reached the reservoir, there was at least a path to follow—though I lost it a couple of times due to the poor visibility.

As I neared the summit, the sun grew brighter and brighter. I started to get excited, thinking I might break through the cloud and look down on an inversion. Alas, I didn’t gain enough altitude to break through, but the bright sun delivered an unexpected phenomenon. As I looked down at my shadow, I saw a Brocken Spectre—a circular rainbow surrounding the shadow of my head. It was my first time seeing one, and it made my day.

The Broken Spectre, it did look better in real life.

360 video from the summit

After all of the excitement, I setup my station on what seemed like a narrow ridge. To be honest, I couldn’t really see much. I was using the IC705, and for 2m and I just used the SRH770 connected directly to the BNC on the transceiver. Although there was some activity on 2m, I only managed 2 chaser contacts and that band. I then setup the 20m 1/4 wave antenna and started working on 20m. After self spotting, I had a bit of pileup and managed to log another 15 contacts. Total QSO count was 17 including 2 summit to summits (S2S).

With the SOTA business complete, I began my descent and soon started to see the path again. Once I dropped to around 570 metres, I emerged from the cloud and visibility improved dramatically. At last, I could enjoy some views on the way back to the car. Another enjoyable activation completed.

I could now see the reservoir fully on descent

Looking back toward the summit still in cloud

Download file for GPS

Further information can be found on the SOTA resource page for the summit