EI7KH / OK1HAG

Not too many SOTA activations this Spring: I bought a new inflatable kayak and started exploring Ireland's inland waterways (and some easy seakayaking as well). Some pictures from my kayaking trips: Ireland's Eye and Grand Canal.

Afternoon walk to the high point of Dublin Mountains: EI/IE-018 Two Rocks Mountain, or Fairy Castle. Tried my freshly repaired Wouxun and made my first overseas 2m QSO (ok - it was MW3PZO, no DX, hi). No more VHF chasers, I moved to the heather and made 46 more QSOs on 40 and 30m. Took the usual trail down to Slate Cabin Rd. and to Glencairn train station. Continue reading "Suburban Hill: EI/IE-018 Fairy Castle" »

Visiting my family at the end of February - great timing for snow tourism. The Prague airport reminded me of Moscow, there was fresh snowfall everywhere. Not necessary to travel few hundred km more to Slovakia, a Central Bohemian hill OK/ST-039 Louštín was promising enough fun. And it was one of the closest summits to my mother's house, so I planned an afternoon activation and garden works the next day. 30m band was quite noisy, soon I switched to 20m and was contacted by several NA stations. Packed at dark, walked down to Lužná train station, checked the timetable - no more trains today, so I had a beer in a pub and walked few more km to my mother's house. Attaching a bonus picture of me at work, hi. Continue reading "Snowy Woods: OK/ST-036" »

Two day hike in mostly sunny weather. Starting at Laragh, up to EI/IE-012 Scarr, 30m activation, light shower and rainbow. Night at Brown Mountain not far away, crossing the Military Road in the morning, walking up amongst deer at Lough Ouler and EI/IE-003 Tonelagee. Down to the road and return by St. Kevin's Bus from Glendalough. Continue reading "Around Glendalough - EI/IE-012 and EI/IE-003" »

My first trip to Munster: early morning bus to Waterford, changed to another bus to Killmacthomas and a short walk to Croughan Hill EI/IS-078. Beautiful WX and views. During the afternoon and evening I walked west to Lough Coumshingaun - wanted to cross the Commeragh Mts. ridge to Clonmel on Sunday, but the wind made walking so hard I backed up to Carrick-on-Soir and took an early afternoon bus to Dublin. Will be back! Continue reading "Views of Commeraghs from EI/IS-078" »

Mount Leinster, EI/IE-004, is located in county Wexford, about 90km south of Dublin. The nearest town accessible by public transit is Bunclody - about 9km northeast. The bus also stops at Kildavin, near the southern end of Wicklow Way.
Arrived to Bunclody by the 11am bus, took the road in western direction (there were some signs for South Leinster Trail as well but I walked further west and took a path up through the pine woods). The mountain was completely hidden in clouds. At about 450m ASL, the ground turned white with snow, and the top ridge and the summit itself was nicely frozen and the snow cover was ankle-deep.
Raised the mast near the trigpoint and the TV tower - in the fog I saw just the supporting steel ropes and the tower itself was invisible. My CQ on 30m was not spotted, so I made just 5 QSO, quickly packed and hurried down the access road. It was already quite late, I was walking and running to keep the ETA at 17:40, and then hitchhiked a car with an elderly man and a puppy terrier. In the saved time I had two pints of Smithwicks and then boarded the bus back.
Must do the trip again when there is no fog, the views should be spectacular. An ascent with less roadwalking is described here. Continue reading "Snow and Fog: EI/IE-004" »