SOTA - Carnearny - GI/AH-009

Carnearny - 319m, 1 point

Association: Northern Ireland Region: Antrim Hills
Latitude: 54 46 6 N, Longitude: 6 10 24 W
Grid Reference: J 176927, QTH Locator: IO64VS

This was a new summit for me, although I must have been within yards of it many times. Right at the heart of Tardree Forest, I spent many weekends camping here when I was in my early teens. We spent hours walking in these woods but somehow never stumbled across the summit.

Following on the after a huge Aurora which had been visible the night before, I wasn't expecting an easy time working HF.

I parked in a gateway on Parkgate Road and made my way via the fire tracks towards the summit.

Route from the north.

There's a much shorter route, with less climbing when approaching from the South, but I was happy to walk the longer distance on such a fine sunny morning. Total trip was 3.5 miles with approx 450' of ascent.

A walk through the trees. My old haunting grounds!

The hidden trig point

 The summit is actually well hidden off the main fire tracks, and it's a step climb, swampy at the top, through dense forest until the clearing opens up.

Operating position

Log book filling up

Sunshine in the summit clearing.

There's not a lot of space to set up a horizontal antenna, but I managed to squeeze in my 40m EFHW running approx N/S. Whilst I wasn't expecting conditions to be very good, I was pleasantly surprised with the 32 QSO's logged including two Stateside with N4EX and K4DY both in the log. One S2S in the log, which is always nice with HB9BCB/p on HB/BE-156.

QSO map from Log2Map by ON6ZQ

Next stop Big Colin, GI/AH-008.