Activating GM/CS-111 Creag Bheag July 2026

 A pleasant summit and easy hike, accessible from Kingussie town worth 1 SOTA point

I found myself without a car and, to be frank, fancied a simpler, low summit where I could spend more radio time and a bit less effort on hiking and navigation.  I took the train to Kingussie station and walked from there, about 45 minutes from station to summit.

My route started through residential streets and into the forest, then emerged to a well made path that rose steadily to the summit.

 The summit is marked by a trig marker, but I chose to activate in a sheltered cairn a few metres below the summit.  This was a busy summit (even on a weekday) and I didn't want to trouble a steady stream of hikers and dog walkers.

 The shelter provided an excellent shack, with wind protection and comfortable operating surfaces.  Even so, a few of the walkers came over and a couple asked what I was up to.  I was pleased to explain to a Slovenian couple that I had just spoken to S57ILF!

Even on this lower summit the wind was strong and I needed to anchor my Sotapole against the cairn with 3 heavy rocks, a bungee and the antenna's string restraint at the top.

 Once set up, my antenna stayed in place and I enjoyed 19 SSB QSOs on 40, 20 and 15m including 2 Summit-to-Summit contacts.  I then had time (and mental space) to try some CW, and added 14 QSOs on 30m and 15m.

I retraced my path back to Kingussie station and dropped in to the Railway Cafe for a cuppa and piece of cake before my return train arrived.

Activating GM/ES-024 Geal Charn July 2026

 A (perhaps unnecessarily) long walk and a tiring ascent, worth 4 SOTA points

 The route to this summit is a hike of two halves.  The first part (2/3rd of the distance) is an easy walk along a farmer's track, which could be done with a normal family car.  The final third is a steep incline through fairly dense heather and peaty moss covered land, with no clear path which made it tiring and hard on the legs.

I parked at the start of the track on the Dorback Road but did consider driving through the "No Vehicles" gate.  By the time I reached the summit I wish I had!

 Beyond the gate is a derelict house and farm, an occupied house (possibly a holiday home), the occasional farm building and then just farm track for 3 or so miles.

 

The track rises gently providing 200m elevation from the car park, but the route then takes a right hand turn at the junction shown below:

 The right hand turning is not worn away or marked as you leave the track, but a white stick indicates the direction to head.  Then just keep on in the same direction through the heather to the top.  The route undulates up and down but overall provides another 300m elevation.  It becomes steep at times, it felt like 45 degrees at one point, but the vegetation provided plenty of grip despite wet moss underneath:

 Just before reaching the summit there is a small cairn and a potentially useful stake that could be used to anchor an antenna pole, within the activation zone...

 

...but I went on to the summit cairn which provided a bit more (but not much) shelter against the wind.

 I enjoyed 4 SSB QSOs on 20m followed by 8 on 15m (40m provided no replies to my CQ).

I am a CW novice but rarely have time or feel relaxed enough to try CW on a SOTA activation.  But this time I was not in a rush so called CQ SOTA and self spotted on 15m.  I enjoyed 6 CW QSOs, the most for me ever, and was astonished when I decoded JG0AWE.  I checked the callsign several times, and even when walking back was convinced it must be DG0AWE or something similar.  He gave me a 449 report and thinking back there was a bit of a flutter on the signal, often associated with polar signal paths.  I then received an email from him asking if I had logged the QSO, so yes, my first portable JA QSO!

The descent was fairly straightforward, but when I reached the farmers track I wished that I had driven that part!

Next Activation:  GM/CS-111 (Creag Bheag) >>

 

Activating GM/CS-039 Carn na Caim June 2026

 A nice climb to a large activation area, but with no shelter, worth 8 points

 I parked in Layby 88 on the A9 Southbound and walked along to the pedestrian gate and along a well made stony path.

 The first half of the walk is on good stony track and provides almost all of the elevation gain, so the hard work is done early before the legs start complaining!

 

The second half is a fairly flat, on grass with the occasional boggy patch.

 

The summit is large and flat, offering no shelter but it did have a handy metal post that I used to hold my Sotapole.  In the picture below the small summit Cairn is on the left.

 

 

This summit is evidently popular with hikers and I saw at least 8s while I was on the summit.  2 people came over and asked what I was doing, and seemed interested and even impressed!

I enjoyed 5 SSB QSOs on 40m, then 6 on 15m including a S2S with IK2LEY/P on I/LO-457.  I finished off the activation with 5 on 20m.

Next Activation: GM/ES-024 Geal Charn >>

 

Activating GM/CS-043 Geal-charn June 2026

 A straightforward hike to a stony summit, worth 6 SOTA points

 I returned to activate Gael-charn in June 2026 having first climbed it in September 2025.  I parked in a large car park just off the A9 near Balsporran Cottages, which was filling up with other hikers and dog walkers.

The walking route passed the B&B, over the level crossing, and was  a good stony track for about half of the ascent.  A useful early sign kept me left, but the next turning was right.

 

 

The stony path transitioned to peaty moorland which made it harder to stay on the correct route, but using the SOTL.as map on my phone kept me moving in the right direction

 Once on top I had high winds to contend with and sheltered in the cairn.  I only extended my Sotapole 3/4 height and restrained it against the wind with the cord strapped to a heavy rock.

 I started on 20m with 3 SSB QSOs, and was very pleased to include a S2S with Fabio IK2LEY on I/LO-451, over 1500 km away.

I then switched to 40m and a further 10 in the log, including 3 S2S with operators on Welsh summits, it being the GW SOTA weekend.

The weather was too changeable to stay too long so I packed up and headed back to the car.

Next activation GM/CS-039 >> 

Activating GM/ES-041 Carn a'Ghille Chearr June 2026

 A straightforward activation in the cloud, worth 4 SOTA points

 In June 2026 I found myself in Aviemore again while my wife was on a course.  Plenty of opportunities to climb some new SOTA summits, and revisit some previously activated ones.

While England, Wales and continental Europe were sweltering in a record-breaking heatwave the heat had not reached the Highlands and in fact it was pretty dreary for this activation.

I parked just off the A'anside Road, taking a bridge across the river where there was plenty of parking space next to a Glenlivet notice board. I walked up the stony driveway and through a farm yard where a public path was signposted. 

 This proceeded as a rough track for about half of the way, and then became a much less distinct route through boggy peaty moorland which was hard to follow at times.

 The visibility deteriorated as I climbed and by the time I reached the top I was in the cloud, with a mixture of drizzle, hail and gusty winds to contend with while I set up my sotapole.

 Propagation was reasonable and I managed 7 SSB QSOs on 40m, 6 SSB on 15m and then just 1 on 20m.  The forthcoming weekend was the GW SOTA event so I was glad to get 2 S2S QSOs with activators in Wales warming up for the weekend.

Cold and wet I packed up, drying my Sotapole as much as I could and headed back to the car.

Next activation GM/CS-043 >> 

Activating I/LO-149 (Monte Colombine)

 A longer than expected hike but nice ascent and great summit for activation, 8 SOTA points

 I had planned my 3 day SOTA holiday to be near a cluster of 8-point summits but on Monday 18th May 2026 I had to abandom my drive from Darfo Boario Terme as the main mountain road through the Crocedomini pass was closed, and indeed always closes over the winter season.

On Weds 20th, I planned to take the long route round to I/LO-149 as shown below, but came across another road closure about 4 km from the summit (closure shown with C).

I drove down to I/LO-167 Dosso Alto to see if this would be a possible alternative summit to activate, but the map suggested it was a steep ascent from the skiing car park, and the track to the easier hike was closed to unauthorised vehicles,

I returned to LO-149 and decided to walk the additional 3km from the closed road to the start of the summit ascent.  This was a gentle ascent on the tarred mountain road followed by a well worn track zig zagging up to a succession of smaller summits.  The trail was snowy in parts but always passable.  In the winter the snow drifts could be much deeper requiring better walking equipment.

 Progressing towards LO149 gve a good view of the NATO Ionosond installation across the valley:

 The summit provided plenty of space to set up, a comfortable wall to sit on and a handy sign post to attach my Sotapole.

 Once set up I realised that there was no mobile phone signal on Vodafone or TIM which would make self spotting impossible.  As soon as I switched on my KX2 I heard Andy I/OE6ADE/P activating I/VE-208 so gave him a call fior a S2S.  I then walked around the summit until I could pick up enough 2G signal to send an SMS Text spot, but was not convinced that it had sent.

Returning to my KX2 I heard IK2LEY/P calling me from I/LO-290, confirming my spot had worked (TIM network), and so got the next S2S in the log.  I then had a mini pile up, working 14 stations in total with 5 S2S QSOs.

A nice summit to end my visit to I/LO, but a long tiring walk back to the car despite being all downhill!  I headed back and reached the car just as torrential rain started, returning the hire car in Milan nicely washed! 

 Next activation GM/ES-041 >>

Activation of I/LO-195 and LO-176 May 2026

 Two straightforward summits in skiing area, 6 points each

 Staying in Darfo Boario Terme provided access to a cluster of 6 and 4 point summits, so today I planned to activate 2 of LO-330, LO-195 and LO-176.

LO-330 is close to the road and I took a look to see if it was possible to drive up the track to the top of the chair lift to only need a short hike to the top.  Unfortunately there are several clear signs allowing authorised vehicles only, and in fact the track was in too poor a condition for my small hire car.  On to the next... 

I/LO-195 Monte Lantana sits above a skiing village.  I parked towards the top of the zig zagged roads serving skiing accommodation where a well worn path started working through the pine forrest.

The route then turns right up a grassy bank, with an interesting looking 'dish' near the top.  I did not investigate this but it looked like some kind of reflector rather than an antenna - might microwave signals be reflected round a mountain?

The summit provides a very comfortable activation area with a pleasant wall to sit on and plenty of space for antennas.

 

I worked  13 stations on 40m SSB including 2 Summit-to-summit QSOs with Swiss hams on a summit in France.

 

I/LO-176  Monte Pora

Back at the car I then headed further South to the next skiing resort of Malga Alta di Sotto and drove part way up a track to park near the small reservoirs (P on the map below).  There were a few staff around cleaning tables and engineers attending to the chairlifts, but no one challenged my paking.  I could have continued driving along the good track North East which ends at the top of the chairlift.

 

I started walking along the track but diverted up the steep grassy bank to the top of the chairlift to find an activation spot.  The summit sits just above the chairlift station and there is plenty of space towards some commercial masts to set up.  I imagine this would be busy during the skiing season. 

 I enjoyed 10 QSOs on 40m including 2 summit-to-summits, then 4 on 20m SSB.

Next activation I/LO- 149 >>