200th activation – Long Crag, (G/SB-008), Northumberland

SOTA 4 comments

SOTA summit: Long Crag, Northumberland, England  G/SB-008

Activation Date: May 13, 2019

Unique: Yes, 162nd and 200th overall

Call sign used: M0SNA/P

Portable operation: Yes

Radio: KX2 and VX-8G

Antenna: LNR 40/20/10 end fed and 2m J-Pole

Band/Modes used: 2m/20m/40m voice

Hike:  ~4.5 miles R/T and ~450ft ascent.  (<–click left for GaiaPro track etc)

Hike and AZ profile:

  • Well maintained forest 4×4 dirt road and easy narrow paths
  • Treeless summit
  • Mast needed 3 point guying
  • Flat AZ
  • Good views west the Cheviots and The Cheviot

Recommend: Yes, very easy

Solo operation: Yes

Cell Coverage: O2 excellent

Photos: Copyright Paul Gacek 2019

Screen Shot 2019-05-13 at 1.38.06 PM
Long Crag, west of Alnwick and north of Newcastle
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Easy access off of A697 with ample “verge” parking
Screen Shot 2019-05-13 at 1.36.51 PM
~4.5 mile r/t and ~400 ft accent – too easy!
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Training hike #2 with new Zamberlan boots ….so far, so good
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View from peak looking at Cheviots
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Sandy trail was a surprise after “breaking out” of forrest
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End fed up for HF operation. Had to guy the mast as no obvious natural attachment points available
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KX2 with Scott AK6Q’s new knob and sleeve
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Buzzed again by someone’s fighter jet (hopefully NATO)
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2m J-Pole tied to handheld resting on trig point – Kenny’s (K6HPX) asked me not to lean to hard and knock any over
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Start of trail along easy forrest road for about 1.2 miles before turning into narrower foot trail
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Trail through forrest
Screen Shot 2019-05-13 at 2.07.09 PM
200th activation after 3 years, 11 months since starting SOTA
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Qualified in 9 minutes, 13 HF Qs in 29 minutes and 3 2m Qs in 25 minutes
Screen Shot 2019-05-13 at 2.11.46 PM
Quiet HF bands. 40m long and contacts out 700 miles on both 20m/40m (Dresden and Switzerland)

4 comments

  2. Paul thanks for the plug on the new VFO knob! I now have these available for sale on my web page of GEMSProducts.com and they are working out great, I will get you a new one next time we meet up so your have an all black version!

    This SOTA activation looks to be a fun one… love the jet fly by! 73 Scott AK6Q

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  3. Great write-up and pictures. Makes me feel homesick, as I was born and raised just down the road, before moving South..

    David, VK2NU

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