SOTA : G/LD003 - Helvellyn

950m, 10 points | IO84LM

Activation date : 22 June 2021
Band : 2m (145 FM)
Kit : FT60 with external battery, Slim Jim antenna
Summit to Summit QSOs: 3

For this one we parked at Wythburn church, we got there around 9.15am and there were still a few parking spaces available - the parking meeter was out of order, but the parking is around £7.00 for a day.  This was a bit of a 'smash and grab' activation as I wasn't walking with my usual SOTA partner, so I'd be limited to around 20 - 30 minutes of operating time (as it happened, I ended up with nearly 1 hour).  The walk up is strenuous as you expect, but the path is very well defined and you'd have to try really hard to get lost!  Time to the summit from Wythburn was about 1 hour 50 mins, that includes some stops on the way - the walk down was around the 90 minute mark

As the Lake Districts 3rd tallest mountain, you can be sure of some fantastic views, and the view of Striding edge is truly spectacular.  Set up was quick, just the FT60 (handheld) with an external lipo battery and the Slim Jim antenna - 22 QSOs were had (could have got more but time was limited) which included 3 S2S contacts; these were Arenig Fawr, Coniston Old Man and Fairfield.  Nice to bag my first '10 pointer'.

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M0KPW activating G/LD003