Christmas & New Year Activations

SOTA has a long tradition of Christmas Day activations. Anyone planning to be out this year?

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I won’t even be turning on my radios on Christmas day. It’s more important to visit and pay attention to my family.

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Bet be a lot of others halfs be going don’t you dare and don’t even think of it :slight_smile:

will be listening thou :wink:

Karl

Depending on the weather, I’ve been known to wander up my local hill, Moel Famau (GW/NW-044), to work up a Christmas Day appetite. I could be tempted to take the handheld and a small antenna for a few qick QSOs. But I wouldn’t be lingering… my sprouts would boil dry…

73
Gerald
MW0WML

(PS just for the H&S brigade, I wouldn’t really leave pans on a stove and go out - it’s a light hearted comment)

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The H&S brigade would be objecting to you going on a hill!

No chance of an activation here, but the radio will be on - a lot of Xmas wishes get exchanged on VHF!

Brian

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The trick is to go while the family are asleep. Or take them with you. Both solutions work well.

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I made the strategic error of becoming an expert on cooking the turkey! :frowning:

(Still, it is nice to get the honey and vinegar glaze just right, my XYL wouldn’t bother!)

Brian

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I might come on-air early on (as Chaser) but the xyl is working (and has our car) so she will find the me and the dog is the local hostelery supping nut brown meths.

Sprouts unlikely to boil dry as they have been cooking since 1 January :smile:

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I have never done an Xmas Day activation, having heard the stories from Dave M0MYA and Geoff 2E0BTR it sounds like a right laugh!

So will do a pointless activation for me (one that I have already activated) - More than likely G/WB-004 - Titterstone Clee Hill and so that everyone stands a chance of working me, lets do a HF activation!! It would be my first ever for SOTA!
(trying to get 1000 points exclusively on VHF/UHF - Hence no HF activation)

SSB and PSK 31 I think

73 all

Matt G8XYJ

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I might do one if the weather is nice. I don’t go up summits in bad weather.

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I may also do one, subject to reasonable wx. I don’t celebrate Christmas, and everywhere is closed that day, so it might be an idea to go out and have a picnic on a convenient summit!

The main problem is that there may not be very many chasers around!

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

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Ok, I’ll see what I can do from this side of the North Sea. HF SSB only.

(see later post in this topic for details).

73 Ed DD5LP / G8GLM / VK2JI.

My last three Christmas Day activations…

95 contacts in 2011
140 contacts in 2012
72 contacts in 2013

And easily back home in time for Christmas dinner…

I would say there’s a reasonable chance you will qualify a summit on Christmas day, Walt :wink:

73 Mike
2E0YYY

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We could have it “themed”, I think a few unnamed activators would look good in a Santa suit :smile:

Jonathan

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Ho ho ho…

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I haven’t checked yet Mike (just off out) but you may hold the Rudolph Record for most chased activator on Christmas Day.

Does the dog like nut brown meths?

Brian

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About 80 of the contacts in 2012 were on 20m and over 50 were on 2m fm, including an s2s with Karen on GW/NW-043 Cyrn-y-Brain and an s2s with Alister M0BKQ who was activating G/LD-001 Scafell Pike! Alister was on Scafell Pike again, last Christmas Day, when I worked him on 12m. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s up there again on Christmas Day this year.

73 Mike
2E0YYY

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This is not true dad, you have done plenty of activations in bad weather such as the one you did last night for the contest.

Jimmy M0HGY

He actually prefers the black stuff brewed in Dublin - bit of a tight wad though, never seen him stand his hand for a round (bit like my son!)

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