In reply to M1EYP:
Had a look for you this evening Tom, but nowt doin’ darn 'ere. Hopefully manage a contact on 7MHz. Are you wearing ruts into the access track yet?
73, Gerald
In reply to M1EYP:
Hi Tom
I liked the video very good I did send the link to my brother as he’s not a ham but often wonders why we do this I just said it beats sitting in the club on a nice day when you can get out on the hills and chat to Friends all over also keeps you fit.
He did pop to see me yesterday on his way to the east coast as I was on TW-004 and he was impressed with the station first one he has seen portable.
Someone did comment yesterday have you been camped on the summit all night as that was two days on the trot but the thing is its just up the road from me 20miles by road.
Did not know the titles of the music Tom I’m a 50/60’s rock and roll fan
Terry de G0VWP
Hi Terry,
I would definitely not be camping up on The Cloud - the same accusation has been made at me recently! Overnighting there would not go down well with either the National Trust, or my wife. It’s actually 8 days in a row - and counting.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
Sorry Tom, I don’t know the titles either, not deeply into jazz, but think the last one is called “By the time we get to Phoenix” ? I think John Denver covered it?
P.S. Thanks for the video, gives me an idea what to expect when I activate it.
73 Mike
In reply to M1EYP:
It would be no good me camping up there as you know its on a main road Tom and it would be rather noisy on a night and not safe, but as I said it’s nice and handy for me.
Terry G0VWP
The 9th consecutive daily activation of The Cloud G/SP-015 was today, and what a damp squib it turned out to be. Up I went in nice dry and still weather, with a fully charged FT-817 and looking forward to making lots of CW contacts. Upon reaching the summit, I managed to unpack most of the necessary items from my rucksack before I realised that I had forgotten the pole! Looking around, the most prominent thing was a flimsy baby tree, no more than 1.5m high. I couldn’t see any other way of getting the wire sufficiently above the ground.
Rather than “make do” with a 2m-only activation, I decided to descend, collect the pole from the car boot, and reascend. I would be back within 20 minutes if I did, plus SOTAwatch SPOTlite informed me that Mike GW0DSP was on 7MHz SSB, which I thought would be fun as welll as the CW. However, just as I was about to descend, a voicemail appeared on my mobile. It was my wife telling me that my 92 year old Nanna’s younger boyfriend had had a fall and was in hospital, and that I was needed to pick her up and run her to the hospital for visiting.
I would not be returning to play HF after all, so I put out a call on S20 just so as to record the activation. Steve GW7AAV replied, and he was the only one.
Went home, had my tea, picked up Nanna, took her to the hospital, sat in car waiting and worked GB5OML (Macclesfield & DRS special 50th anniversary call), took Nanna home. She had a picture on her mantlepiece of Jimmy and I at the end of the Pennine Way, and she told me that she was a keen hiker when she was Jimmy’s age. Apparently, her favourite was to walk with a group of friends from Macclesfield to Buxton via the Goyt Valley, then back after a meal via the public footpaths that weave around the main road. That’s a 26 mile round trip; I listened with considerable respect!
Hope to be back on track with the scheduled CW activation tomorrow. But if Nanna needs a lift again, I may need to cancel.
My 15th activation of The Cloud this year, my 10th in as many days, and my 35th so far in SOTA. After the necessary disappointment of yesterday, I was determined to get on 40m CW today. I set up in pleasant warm weather, and sat in comfy dry grass, leaning against a large slanting slab of rock.
It took several SOTAwatch self-spots and many minutes of CQing before the first contact. This came courtesy of Peter ON3WAB, who was followed by G3VQO, G3CWI and DL4FDM, so good to get four SOTA CW regulars in the book. A fifth station (G) had seemingly never heard of SOTA and asked lots of questions. I answered only a few of them, for despite my consistent speed of 12wpm, he persisted with very long overs at around 20wpm, most of which I could not understand!
Nice afternoon - deserved more contacts!
16 / 11/ 36
I had alerted for an afternoon-on-the-way-home activation for today, but I was awake at 6am and decided to go early. I edited my alert time, but probably too early to get the message through to any potential chasers.
On the way down, I chatted on GB3MN (Manchester/Stockport) repeater, and members of that net reconvened on 2m simplex for 3 of my contacts. On the summit, two tents which had been pitched just prior to my departure yesterday were still there, so I can assume that NT wardens had not inspected during the night!
The tents were right by the trig, so I moved over to the north facing end of the summit, behind some rocks so as not to awaken the campers. A fourth contact came courtesy of my friend Phil G6AKK in Macclesfield, and we had a fairly long chinwag. Phil is a great guy and was the person who took on teaching Jimmy through his Foundation licence course back in 2005. He asked if Jimmy is still active in the hobby, and was pleased to hear that he very much is.
On the way down from the summit, I chatted to a station via the GB3VT (Stoke) who was talking about getting an 817 for portable work. He wanted to know more about SOTA and was very enthusiastic. Another recruit it seems.
I reckon I’ve got time for a CW activation before work from here. I may try tomorrow…
17 / 12/ 37
Yes, it was just about possible to squeeze in an HF activation before work. It meant leaving the house at 6.15am BST though, so very little margin for error. It was actually rather wet as I drove outwards, but on arrival at Cloudside it was more mist than rain, so not too bad.
The summit being deserted at this time, I was able to save some time by setting up right by the trig point and viewfinder, rather than trying to get out of the way. Very nice on the radio, with six stations including five DXCCs (G, F, DL, HB & HA) on 40m CW using just 2.5 watts. QRP HF contacts using CW are so easy it feels almost like cheating! In fact I was talking to one experienced activator last night who is considering quitting CW in disgust at the lack of challenge it offers 
A call on 2m FM before leaving the summit brought in GW0DSP and GW7AAV to bring the totals to 8 contacts and 6 DXCCs. I chatted to M0FAZ/M again via the Stoke-on-Trent repeater GB3VT on the way down. He is intending becoming a SOTA activator, and after hearing about my contacts, is now intending refreshing his CW!
I made morning briefing at work with 3 minutes to spare. I will try to add that to my operating time on the next occasion, and not be so wasteful with my time window!
Hi Tom
Switched on early to listen for you this morning hoping for a CW summit from you. I heard the stations working you but the skip was just too long for Aylesbury… I just about heard the odd squeak from you just after you started… about 229 with the 350 Hz filter and DSP engaged… but no chance to work you.
I was talking to one experienced activator last night who is considering quitting CW in disgust at the lack of challenge it offers
Interesting… but how about 2m CW to make the pile up a little smaller?
In any case… surely the chaser should have the biggest challenge listening for the QRP portable station?.. the activator deserves an easier job having already done the hard work of getting there and setting up on a (risky) summit .
73 Marc G0AZS
I must admit I didn’t charge the battery up after yesterday’s activation - but I thought there was a lot more left in it than what I got this morning. Just two contacts on 40m CW before it expired. 1 watt with GW0DSP and 0.5 watts with DL7RAG, but after about ten minutes calling CQ with 2.5 watts. Apologies to DJ5AV who I heard call, but couldn’t reply to.
I will give the battery charge today, and see how it performs in the morning. I’ve had my suspicions about this battery for a couple of weeks now, so hopefully I will know one way or the other tomorrow.
A QSY to 2m FM after packing away the pole and dipole brought in GW0DSP (again) and M3PXW. The weather started rather wet, but the rain soon lifted to leave a pleasant misty morning. Shame I then had to go to work, I could have quite happily sat up there 'til dinner time.
In reply to M1EYP:
Sorry I missed you this morning Tom I was somewhat late on parade. Helen awoke me at 8:10 with a “Your coffee is stone cold. Are you getting up today?”. Normally I am up before the alarm even when I am working and the alarm is set for 5:30. My first thought was “Where am I?” then “Who am I?”, “What time is it?” and finally “Drat! I’ve missed Tom”. I will just have to try harder in future.
From what I hear you missed a few stations who where calling you on CW when your batteries went, so you need to get that sorted. Maybe you could get some sort of charging system in the car so you are always ready to go or maybe two batteries one on trickle charge and one in use and swap over them each time.
Catch you next time.
73 GW7AAV
http://gw7aav.googlepages.com
Very interesting - thanks for this Mick. I might do a bit of shopping at Maplin. If the OPP817 battery doesn’t perform as it should tomorrow, I think I will have a go down the 12V sealed lead-acid route. I know some on here use 7Ah. The ones I have seen are CWI’s; not sure what capacity they are, but I wouldn’t really want anything heavier in my pack. Must order a spare lead/plug for the 817; the one supplied I have already installed in my car, with a couple of in-line fuses. Does anyone use/recommend in-line fuses between SLA battery and 817? What about connecting the cable to the SLA? I see that Maplin offer some push-fit connectors for this.
In reply to M1EYP:
Afternoon, all.
Inline fuses are a very good idea. That’s fuses plural - one on each side. Guess how I know … There’s a common mode filter on the input that is easily damaged. I used Littelfuse 20A splashproof with a 3A fuses fitted (Farnell P/N 994-3382).
Sorry to be a wet blanket, but regarding the Maplin panels - they’re fine for a few mA trickle charge but absolutely no use for re-charging a battery. Peak current I get out of one in direct sunlight behind glass is about 15 mA! Maybe I’m doing something wrong but looking at specs for the much more expensive backpacking ones and reading the reviews for them, this is probably about right. Shame - as it’s a really good idea.
73, Richard G4ERP
In reply to M1EYP:
I know some on here use 7Ah. The ones I have seen are CWI’s;
not sure what capacity they are, but I wouldn’t really want anything
heavier in my pack.
7Ah and 4Ah. You have only seen the 7Ah one I think.
Does anyone use/recommend in-line fuses between SLA battery
and 817?
Essential.
What about connecting the cable to the SLA? I see that
Maplin offer some push-fit connectors for this.
I will email you a partially complete article on using SLABs. Covers some of this.
73
Richard
19/14/39
Got the 14th consecutive daily activation in today, but not as I would have hoped. After the battery concerns, it was fully discharged yesterday, and then given a full charge. All initially seemed well with 11.5V showing first thing this morning. That was down to 7.2V and the self switch-off of the radio after just 11 minutes of calling CQ on CW using 2.5 watts. Definitely duff, and about to go in the post to the retailer from whom I purchased it just a few weeks ago.
Summit was “qualified” with four contacts on 2m FM. VHF was extremely quiet this morning.
In reply to M1EYP:
Tom,
Have you,after full discharge, tried the ‘double charge’ for the OPP817?
Mine is about 15mths old and still gives enuff charge for
a couple of hours operating on ‘full power’.
I will admit that, during the cold winter activations, the
same battery was ‘not so lively’ (neither was I)!
73s de Peter TJE+
Hi Tom, I’m afraid I have to agree with Mick on the slab.
I used the FT-817s own battery pack for my first few activations, but found that it was very limited in it’s power versus time on air.
I went over to using a 7ah slab to much better effect and the ability to use more power, even with the FT-857 option and 15/20w.
I have now bought a new Yusa 7ah slab and cycle the two slabs, one in use on a summit and one on charge.
They are not too heavy in the rucksack, I even managed to carry the two at the same time on a couple of activations.
One mistake I did make was to parrallel the two slabs, with a view to being able to draw more current, big mistake, much better to use them seperately with the knowledge that when one runs flat, you have plenty of reserve with the second slab, not so important on the hillocks I activate, but a blessing on the “monsters” which you sometimes activate.
They also come in very handy at home in the event of a power cut.
73 Mike
Yes, the original 1Ah Nicad supplied with the 817 was bobbins. The 2.3Ah OPP817 battery was always great, affording over three hours operating time. Pretty good for a unit that fits inside the radio! That’s now back at the retailer for inspection under warranty, and in the meantime I’ve ordered the bits and bobs (well most of them - can’t seem to find any Anderson Powerpole connectors anywhere…) to make up the SLAB to take out with me.
After my holiday in EA8 land, which included an excellent climb up the volcano on the uninhabited Isla de Lobos (steep sided and only 2m wide at the top - a bit airy!), lots of Tropical beer, tapas and seafood paella, I returned to The Cloud on Sunday evening. A few of the usual suspects were there, with several of them worked on both 2m and 70cm.
I did it again after work today, and it was a lovely hot sunny afternoon in which I could bask on the rocks. 2m rather quiet, and six stations worked in unhurried style. My opening call of “CQ Connahs Quay” was answered immediately however. Rather spooky when I realised what the initials of Connahs Quay were when I quickly wrote the abbreviation for the QTH down in my logbook!
Nice to work Steve G1INK/M while driving home, Steve walking up to Shining Tor G/SP-004. Even better to hear him for SWL points on 5MHz back at home in the shack, then work him on two HF bands, 40m and 10m. Jimmy also worked him on 40m, which might just be Jimmy’s first HF chaser point!
A slight difference with the next one, not on the way to or from work, but in between dropping Jimmy off and picking him up later from Air Cadets; an evening sorte to try to coincide with Mike GW0DSP’s “Tuesday Night Is SOTA Night” / “SOTA Fun Evening”. This was a great success with activators into double figures around the country. I didn’t have 2m SSB due to not having the battery sorted for the 817 yet, but the VX-7R coupled with the SOTA Beam gave great results. 22 contacts, including 5 S2S. Great fun - nice one Mike.
Today (Wednesday) was the more usual “on the way home from work” destress session, just over a quarter of an hour on air, and six contacts in the book, including some nice chats with John M0AAS and Mike GW0DSP. I now notice that have done 403 SOTA activations, so have crept over the line into the exclusive 400+ club with GM7PKT, G3CWI, DL2HSC and G1INK. I’m the only one out of the five that isn’t MG. Well, there’s no rush, is there?