Tag: Hill Fort

Foel Fenlli SOTA Activation

Summits On The Air Reference GW/NW-051, 2 Points + 3 Winter Bonus Points

Activity Summary

  • Date : 15th January 2026
  • Distance : 2.62 km
  • Ascent : 174 m
  • Max Altitude : 511 m
  • Time to Summit : 0:30 hrs
  • Total Activation Time : 1:53 hrs

Weather

  • Cloudy
  • Temperature 6 ℃
  • Humidity 92%
  • Feels like 6 ℃
  • Wind Speed 4.7 km/h
  • Wind Direction SSE

Equipment Used

  • Icom IC705 (10w)
  • 2m Flowerpot antenna (homebrew)
  • SOTABEAMS Carbon 6 pole
  • PoLo logging app on iPad mini

Parking Location What3Words

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Activation Report

This was the second of two activations on the same day. Details of the earlier summit, Moel Famau, can be found in a separate report.

After having some early lunch in the car, I started walking up Foel Fenlli at about 11:40 am. Thankfully, this summit is quieter than Moel Famau. It also has some interesting history, being an ancient Hill Fort. The ramparts that formed part of the fort, can still be seen today, and make for a useful wind break if needed.

The path is way marked, but the actual path could be missed in places, if not using any navigation aids. The path is steep in places, but the ascent to summit only takes around 30 minutes.

Looking back down to the carpark, Moel Famau in the distance

The conditions on the summit were more favourable than the earlier summit. The wind had dropped and the temperature was now milder. These favourable conditions meant that I could setup my station on the summit cairn.


After getting a spot out, I soon had four contacts on 2m FM before the callers dried up. After then switching to 2m SSB, I was pleasantly surprised to actually have a mini pileup. I managed another nine contacts on 2m SSB. So far this year, with the SOTA challenge, 2m SSB is proving to be a very useful mode for activating.

Activation log

Happy with two activations completed, I packed away, and made my way back to the car.

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