Post by Ian 2E0EDX on Nov 6, 2012 13:06:18 GMT
My first CASHOTA activation of recent years saw me heading towards the Lune Valley in Lancashire approximately 10 miles north-east of the City of Lancaster. The intended activation was to be Castle Stede at Hornby. On passing through the town of Hornby I came off the A683 onto Fleet Lane and soon arrived at the River Lune and the Loyn Bridge just before the village of Gressingham. I drove over the narrow one vehicle bridge and parked on the opposite side to the castle.
This parking location has parking for up to five vehicle and is popular with dog walkers.
Parked up at 0945 hours with clear blue skies, a winter sun shining but chilly out of the sun. Rucksack on and began to cross the bridge having to use the pedestrian passing places as I did so and soon looking at the steep slopes up to Castle Stede and the high trees surrounding both the oval bailey and motte.
Continued past the bridge for about thirty meters until I came to a hole in the wall which on going through I was presented by a field and a WW11 Pill Box of which entry can be made on the far side. Continued past the pill box until approximately ten meters further on a low wall was observed and above, the entrance to the oval bailey. At both sides of the entrance were high ramparts and a steep ditch with the steep walls onto Castle Stede further ahead. At the base of the motte is a low wire fence, easily climbed and a short scramble takes you to the top. Once on top of what is in effect a large pudding earthwork shaped mound surrounded by trees I set up the 2m FM Multi Functional Dipole and using 5w with the Yaesu VX-170 only was QRV at 0958 hours where I managed to work Colin G4UXH followed by Bob G3VVT, Rob G0HRT, Brian G0RDH and Tom 2E0VVJ.
With such a low lying area within the Lune valley and surrounded by the north Pennines my only angle of radiation getting out was in a westerly direction towards the north-west coast of England and into Southport, Morecambe Bay and Milnthorpe in south Cumbria. It was not easy to acquire the five contacts to qualify the activation as required by CASHOTA.
Would suggest that this location is best placed for an HF activation with lots of room to put up a wire dipole on the vast oval bailey area.
Photos of the activation have been placed in the 'Gallery' section of the CASHOTA website.
73's
Ian 2E0EDX
www.cqportable.webs.com
This parking location has parking for up to five vehicle and is popular with dog walkers.
Parked up at 0945 hours with clear blue skies, a winter sun shining but chilly out of the sun. Rucksack on and began to cross the bridge having to use the pedestrian passing places as I did so and soon looking at the steep slopes up to Castle Stede and the high trees surrounding both the oval bailey and motte.
Continued past the bridge for about thirty meters until I came to a hole in the wall which on going through I was presented by a field and a WW11 Pill Box of which entry can be made on the far side. Continued past the pill box until approximately ten meters further on a low wall was observed and above, the entrance to the oval bailey. At both sides of the entrance were high ramparts and a steep ditch with the steep walls onto Castle Stede further ahead. At the base of the motte is a low wire fence, easily climbed and a short scramble takes you to the top. Once on top of what is in effect a large pudding earthwork shaped mound surrounded by trees I set up the 2m FM Multi Functional Dipole and using 5w with the Yaesu VX-170 only was QRV at 0958 hours where I managed to work Colin G4UXH followed by Bob G3VVT, Rob G0HRT, Brian G0RDH and Tom 2E0VVJ.
With such a low lying area within the Lune valley and surrounded by the north Pennines my only angle of radiation getting out was in a westerly direction towards the north-west coast of England and into Southport, Morecambe Bay and Milnthorpe in south Cumbria. It was not easy to acquire the five contacts to qualify the activation as required by CASHOTA.
Would suggest that this location is best placed for an HF activation with lots of room to put up a wire dipole on the vast oval bailey area.
Photos of the activation have been placed in the 'Gallery' section of the CASHOTA website.
73's
Ian 2E0EDX
www.cqportable.webs.com
