Hi,
Just a quick post to say thanks to all those who tried to work me on 2 activations yesterday. It seemed a good idea at the time (in the pub) to activate both Clee hills on one day, so Mickey 2E0YYY was roped in as usual.
Start time was delayed a little, but we made good progress from Stoke in my 34 year old Land Rover …more like 35 to 40mph… and were soon in Telford.
Time to pick up a bit of Diesel. £1-29.9p per litre!!!
Rip off Britain again.
Eventually made our way to the allotted parking spot just outside Abdon, having travelled along a few miles of extremely trecherous roads…ice and snow making this impossible for a ‘normal’ car this morning.
Once kitted up, off we go along the footpath that is signposted Clee Hill and Shropshire Way. Damn cold this morning Mickey.
After about 1/2 a mile, Mickey tells me he has left his glasses in the Landy. Back we go to try and find them. I did find them, squashed in the snow at the back of the Landy. All broked they were. I got the blame, but this was probably down to me laughing too loudly! Friendships can be tested at times like these! Off we set again still trying to see the hill in the mist/sleet.
After about 2 miles of difficult walking through snowy farmers fields, we (Mick) decide that this is the wrong way. Damn. [Parked miles from where I thought I was!] A quick glimps at the hill through the cloud tells us which way we need to go and so we set a straight course upto the summit. After another hour or so we eventually get to the top not having walked on a footpath all morning. Still my fault apparently!
Cold up here and a very strong wind so we decide against HF. Mickey has a go on FM and I tried 2m ssb. Once self spotted (originally on the wrong summit - oops), pleased to work G4WSB, G8BPN, G0LGS, M3WDS, G0VOF and G0RQL. No further takers so a quick decent to try and get warm.
Make way to WB-004 and it’s getting colder. Poorly sign posted this one! Arrive at a closed gate in the road and push on, climbing up in zero visibility on 6-12 inches of fresh snow. Thanks to low ratio 4x4 we find the car park, just. We can see about 30 feet in any direction. Damn it’s cold. Wind excessive, so again look towards 2m (ssb + fm).
At the summit the wind is so strong we struggle to walk upright, but eventually find the trig point in the gloom. Difficulty with a phone signal here but managed a spot. My thanks to M0EMM, G0TKT, G3VOF, 2W0BTR/P (a summit to summit), G8ADD, M0COP and G0LGS. Getting dark so we closed and eventually got back to Stoke at 18-30, a little cold but just in time for a beer.
All in all not quite as we had though today was going to go. Ripped off in Telford, Mickeys glasses, my SOTA ariel shattered in the big chill, we lost the top bung from the fishing pole, old Land Rovers don’t have heating, spotted on the wrong hill, got lost, tired and very cold, got home late…Mrs STQ not amused!
The things we do in the name of radio. The beer tasted great!!!
I would also like to thank those who spotted our progress throughout the day and also sorted out any confusion as to what hill we were on. For the record :
G/WB-002 and G/WB-004.
Thanks for taking the time to chase us. Made it all worth while. What a laugh!
Until next time!, 73’s
John
In reply to G1STQ: Very well done for even attempting those hills in these conditions, and without a heater as well. Still, would a heater be any use with the rumoured efficiency of LR door seals?
Time to pick up a bit of Diesel. £1-29.9p per litre!!!
Can you get it significantly cheaper? (Other than using the red stuff that the old diesels will burn quite happily). Consider also what the petrol version of you LR would consume.
HNY, Dave, M0DFA
In reply to M0DFA:
Off course, to be pedantic, it’s only a rip off if you didn’t know the price before you put it in the tank and expected it to be considerably less than what you were charged. 
Andy, MM0FMF
Being pedantic as it has been raining/foggy for 3 days now!
In reply to MM0FMF: This is getting way off topic, but here goes
It might be rainy/foggy, but at least it’s a bit better than the -17.5 deg C we had a few nights ago!
We paid £1.25 per litre in one of the big supermarkets in Shrewsbury just before Christmas. I suspect (pse correct me if I’m wrong) that the boys re-fueled at the service station just off the M54 in Telford - motorway service stations are not the cheapest source of fuel.
Those of us who drive around in what could be called the more exotic vehicles just have to accept paying for the extra facilities we enjoy. BTW - no problems at all driving around in the CR-V.
I know un-treated diesel starts waxing just below zero, but when does the modern treated stuff become unuseable?
Expect to catch you from an early activation on the 1st??
Rgds es HNY, Dave, G6DTN
In reply to M0DFA:
“I know un-treated diesel starts waxing just below zero, but when does the modern treated stuff become unuseable”
About -15C so I am told they can make it go lower but it does affect the engine. Not as bad as Yakutsk where some peple leave the vehicles engines running all the time to stop it freezing, after reading this link we have it easy…
As for fuel pricing, I gave up caring were all being screwed so I went out and bought a V8 and said to hell with it but at least it sounds great and goes anywhere, well almost… but I had to give up everything else to run it… Hi