Activity Summary	Weather
Date: 16th September 2025 Distance: 11.63 km Ascent: 604m Max Altitude: 641m Moving time: 3:23 Total time: 4:48	Cloudy Temperature 12 ℃ Humidity 88% Feels like 9 ℃ Wind Speed 12.6 km/h Wind Direction WSW

Activation Summary

I had originally planned 3 SOTA activations whilst on our 2 week motorhome holiday in Ireland. However, the plan was abruptly changed when we arrived at the base camp for Kockanafrinn. We decided that the pitches were going to be too muddy, especially with our 2 old dogs, and so we decided to move onto another campsite. Luckily we were able to get onto our next planned campsite early. We arrived at the Glen of Aherlow caravan site and once we were setup the next job was to update the SOTA alerts. The weather for Tuesday was looking good and so I committed to activate ‘Cush’ on Tuesday. I would liked to have done the loop taking in both SOTA summits of ‘Cush’ and ‘Galtymore’, but the additional 6 kilometres, out and back, from the campsite to the carpark where the loop starts, would have extended the distance to more than I was comfortable taking on.

My route started from The Glen of Aherlow caravan site and so the first 3 kilometres of the walk was on tarmac or gravel tracks, before eventually leaving the tarmac to start the ascent of ‘Cush’.

A clear view of the summit on the approach

The path was mostly well defined and easy to follow, apart from the last 500 metres. As you hit the steep section near the summit, the path becomes more difficult to follow and has some slippy peaty sections, and so some care is needed, especially on descent.

Once on the summit I took the usual 360 video with great views across to Galtymore.

I found a perfect operating spot behind a peat bank that allowed me to shelter out of the wind. I setup on 20m’s using the telescopic 1/4 wave whip and x6100. The whip is fast becoming my antenna of choice for SOTA as it is so quick to setup.
20m band was very active and it took me few moments to find a clear frequency on the band. My data connection was not great and so I had to use SOTA SMS to get a spot out on 14.269 MHz. First in the log was 3Z9VI followed by a bit of pile up. Unfortunately, I started getting some QRM from a nearby station and had to move upto 14.274. I had worked all the callers in about 20 minutes resulting in 16 QSO’s including a S2S with IK2LEY/p on I/LO-214. I did have a quick try and 2m but without any luck .

After I packed my kit away I had something to eat whilst enjoying the scenery and then headed back down. On the descent I met up with a walker who was a regular visitor from near Cork, we walked down together as far as the carpark, the chatting seemed to make the descent pass very quickly.

Equipment Used

Xiegu x6100
Yaesu FT65
20m telescopic 1/4 wave antenna
SRH770 (BNC) 2m antenna
4000 mAHr LifePo4 Battery pack
PoLo logging app on iPad mini

Map showing the route taken

Activation Summary

This summit was the first of 3 SOTA summits that I hoped to activate whilst on our motorhome holiday in Ireland. We had booked to stay at a campsite called Bayview Caravan Park on the Gold Coast near Dungarvan, in the county of Waterford. When we arrived at the campsite on Friday, In the distance I could see the summit of Crohaun and the transmitter tower just below its summit. The forecast wasn’t great and so I was pleased that I could still see the summit on Saturday morning as I was about set off just before 10am
As we were staying in our motorhome, I had arranged for a taxi to drop me off at the start of the walk, and pick me up again 2 hours later. The taxi driver dropped me off at the end of the service road, were the route starts on the map below, there is room to park several cars at both ends of the service road.
The walk to the summit was very easy, after passing over the metal stile and following the obvious path, you walk past the transmitter and then the summit. It took just under 20 minutes to reach the summit where I was greeted by the large cross near the trig pillar. Fortunately the weather remained dry, although it was windy.

Once again I took the usual 360 video before setting up my station.

I started on 2m’s using the FT65 with the SRH770 aerial. I self spotted on 145.400, but alas 2m was as I suspected it was going to be, dead as a DoDo. And so after around 10 minutes I setup on 20m with the X6100 and the telescopic 1/4 wave whip.
I put a spot out on 14.280 MHz but something didn’t seem quite right, with no signals showing on the waterfall. Now I do like my x6100 for SOTA, but you do have to know its quirks, and sometimes it goes deaf and it needs a reboot to fix it. Sure enough after a restart the waterfall sprang into life. I managed 10 QSO’s including 4 S2S’s before the callers dried up. I would like to have tried 40m’s but I had to get back down in time for the taxi that was picking me up.

I descended back to the service road at was at my pickup point for the taxi with 20 minutes to spare. A very enjoyable Saturday morning playing SOTA.

Tag: X6100

SOTA Activation Cush, EI/IS-038

Activation Summary

Equipment Used

Map showing the route taken

Crohaun EI/IS-061 SOTA Activation

Activation Summary

Equipment Used

Map showing the route taken

Activity Summary	Weather
Date: 13th September 2025 Distance: 2.52 km Ascent: 124 m Max Altitude: 483 m Moving time: 0:45 Total time: 1:54	Partly Cloudy Temperature 11 ℃ Humidity 86% Feels like 7 ℃ Wind Speed 22.0 km/h Wind Direction WSW