NP-028 spots

You already have a comprehensive list of the ‘easier’ summits. Indeed, you seem to be working around them in recent days/weeks. I don’t think there is any need to introduce additional ‘easy’ summits; there are plenty.

I’ll assume your last comment is a joke!

In reply to M1EYP:

You already have a comprehensive list of the ‘easier’ summits.
Indeed, you seem to be working around them in recent days/weeks. I
don’t think there is any need to introduce additional ‘easy’ summits;
there are plenty.

According to earlier comments it seems that people, yourself included, thought I wasn’t doing them correctly, otherwise I would not have started this thread Tom.

I’ll assume your last comment is a joke!

You would be wrong to assume that Tom , you are very fortunate to have good health and ability.

Trust me Tom I would NEVER EVER joke about any type of disability or the RIGHTS of the disabled.

I would like to think that you, being MT, would be aware of the laws concerning discrimination against the disabled in ANY organisation or in fact in all walks of life

SP-014 is a pimple to most sota ops, it was a mountain to me Tom and I am so proud to have achieved that activation, by the way, for the doubters, you might like to check with Mick 2E0HJD if I was actually in the activation zone on that one too.
Mick kindly followed me up to the top with W1LF to make sure I was ok, as he did 2 weeks ago.
Those who I have had the pleasure of meeting/activating with know my problem and my limits.

Mike

What I was assuming to be a joke, was any suggestion that the SOTA Programme illegally discriminated against the disabled. Surely, this is not serious? As you well know, I too have considerable knowledge and experience of disability issues, so let’s not turn this into a moral points-scoring exercise.

Regarding my view on your interpretation of the rules on a recent activation, you asked me for my thoughts, and I gave them.

Congratulations on Longridge Fell. That is a fine achievement. Rombalds Moor is MUCH easier though, so I would recommend a summit visit next year - you will enjoy it. Give it a day to itself, it’s lovely in fine weather.

Cheers, Tom

In reply to M1EYP:

so let’s not turn this into a moral
points-scoring exercise.

Who is doing that Tom? I have come to expect better than that from you.

Tom, you have honestly surprised, nay, shocked me on this thread, I have seen a side of you that I never new existed.

Congratulations on Longridge Fell. That is a fine achievement.
Rombalds Moor is MUCH easier though, so I would recommend a summit
visit next year - you will enjoy it. Give it a day to itself, it’s
lovely in fine weather.

Thank you for your congratulations, I know it’s difficult for any fit person to understand why I have so much trouble with these “strolls in the park”.

Next time on Rombald’s, I will have done either Longridge Fell or Easington Fell prior to doing Rombald’s Moor, some time shortly after new year, I will happily do it from the same car park location if I am in the same amount of pain.

Mike

In reply to GW0DSP:

Hi Mike

(Just getting my name in lights on the Reflector as someone previously suggested in another thread - Hi!)

Seriously though Mike, we all have our own reasons for playing radio in the great outdoors. Although in my case as a VERY, VERY, random activator within the SOTA programme. However, I enjoy the portable side of radio of which I’m very active on the bands, but not predominantly with SOTA, any location of interest will suffice for me.
At the age of 50, I consider myself very lucky in that I’m fighting fit with 22 years of Infantry experience behind me, so carrying weight up a summit or yomping for a few miles to play radio is not an issue, others like your good self are not so fortunate. On saying that, I still tend to activate the smaller 1 or 2 pointers and for those who are reasonably fit or those who suffer from a minor disibility these can be both achievable and extremely enjoyable as you have already found out, radio/fresh air and scenery do it for me and in my opinion, that is what its all about at the end of the day.

Mike if you would like to activate such summits as Hutton Roof Crags, Arnside Knott, Lambrigg Fell, Gummers How etc, all one pointers, possibly ones you have yet to activate, I would be more than happy to accompany you on the activation with the emphasis on enjoying the walk-in rather than sprinting to the trig point.

73’s

Ian 2E0EDX

In reply to M3EDX:

A very kind offer Ian, thanks very much for the offer and indeed the encouragement/support, nice to see that some folk appreciate the effort.

Most people who know me will tell you that I’m a stubborn old %^&*~%$ and try to be independant as much as I can.
This means that I always prefer to ascend alone so as to not feel under pressure, or to spoil the walk for others.

I have no problem with having people follow me up later as Mick did on Longridge Friday, Steve GW7AAV on my very first activation and my old mucker Barry M3PXW on many activations.

These same people can also tell you how fussy I am regarding keeping within the rules, in fact I have sat out 3 activations when Barry did longridge and Easington Fells (after a 94 mile journey) and again when he did Foel Felli 20 mins from home, one evening.

I could have just thrown up a dipole and done 60m/40m-cw and said I was on the summit, no one would be any the wiser, but that’s NEVER going to happen with me.
That’s why some of the thoughtless comments from someone I once had a lot of respect for hurt so much Ian.

73 Mike

PS I am 54 by the way.

In reply to G4OWG:
I note that Steve,who makes lots of ‘off the cuff’ remarks in jest,did TW-004 on 22/07/07 I wonder how far he was from his transport? ;=)

When i did this summit, i was only 20 feet away from the car. but everything was set up on the grass and not in the car, Terry (G0VWP) was on the other side off the car park, take a look at one of the videos on youtube to see how far i was,
Best of all you want to see me on Hailstorm Hill, i drive all the way to the trigpiont set everything up, on a few times ive called from the summit in the car, and told every one that i,m mobile in the car,
Just ask G4JZF, but i’ve also got out of the car with hand-held and tried to make the contact with chasers that way, while walking around the top,
well every one knows what i’m like now,
you know yes i make quick and ready comments, some times can be offended other times can be funny.
thats me all over.
Steve m0sgb

In reply to M0SGB:

Steve, let me make it clear to you, I know your sense of humour by now and am not offended by the remark whatsoever, I just didn’t understand what you meant because the car park is in the AZ same as tw-004

73 Mike

In reply to GW0DSP:
Thank for the info about Rombald’s Moor Mike and also all the helpful stuff from the others, pictures etc - great resource. You sparked a good thread off with this one Mike. I would personally prefer to operate from the top of the hill every time, but the few activations I do tend to be when I’m on my way somewhere to do something else or I have someone with me that is not into radio so time is limited before their patience runs out - not just my XYL but usually other walkers as I frequently walk with a group of up to 25 people. So I sometimes have to be as quick as I can, maybe going ahead sometimes and catching up the group later. It gives a good feeling though to be able to give a few points out, however it is done and repay the many keen activators we now have, especially when quite a few are also keen Shack Sloths as well. (I hate that term by the way - does anyone know if the lean John Linford G3WGV, or another of the MT thought it up?)

73 Phil

In reply to G4OBK:

Hi Phil

I fully understand what you mean about the sort of hit and run activations, which are perfectly ok in my opinion, even more so when walking with a group of walkers .
The activator is king mate, end of story.

The views are quite stunning from the mast area of Rombald’s Moor, especially to the south and I personally didn’t feel the need to visit an unsightly, un-natural, man made blob of concrete, to improve on the experience, hi.

I hope I can work you when you activate it Phil as you have supported me on a lot of my activations.

I started this thread in good faith Phil and did not expect it to turn into the farce that it has.

We are all goverened by a set of rules and although they are open to individual interpretation, if we stick to those rules, then that should be good enough for all and sundry.

I applaud every last activator for his efforts, wether at the trig or just in the AZ.
In a lot of cases the finacial costs he/she faces can be huge. Then there is the free time given up to the activity, not to mention the physical effort included, sometimes in inclement weather and sudden dangerous conditions.

In my case Phil, I do my best to give a few points back, as my way to say thanks to the regulars, especially those who climb the “monsters” for us to chase.
I have now done 67 activations, on average 9 per month and with an average of over 20 QSOs per activation, that’s a possible 1,340 points handed out, certainly over 1,000 and a few unique summits for the chasers, that makes me feel good and I most certainly don’t want any medals for it.

What I didn’t expect was the cocky, snide remarks from a member of the MT.
To answer the point that some people put radio first and hate walking, with, “then sota is not for them”, is so insulting, just because some people hate walking (I’m not one of them) it doesn’t mean that they won’t walk.
Why state, was the summit busy then? just because someone activates away from the trig, it’s really nice to receive such support.
MT members should try and promote sota not put people off with their cocky attitude.

I suppose I could visit every trig every time if I didn’t carry the weight of a rucsac but just stuffed a handy/rubber duck in my coat pocket and prayed that the resulting poor signal might be picked up by at least 4 chasers, especially on the “boxed in” peaks, but that’s not my style, there’s nothing wrong with it though whatsoever if that’s what you want and don’t mind the fact that you will sometimes get less than 4 chasers and not qualify the summit, again the activator is king.

I prefer to spend quite a while on the top, operating on several band/mode combinations to give all chasers a fair chance of the points, just my preference Phil.

vy 73 Mike

In reply to GW0DSP:
Yes, fully agree with your sentiments Mike. As long as we are within the rules that is all that counts and shelter, if it is available within the AZ, can be a godsend. I recall my 6th activation in 2005 on Pendle Hill when my XYL had to hold up the SOTA beam at the trig point in freezing rain and a howling bitter wind, not realising as I hadn’t read the SOTA rules, that I could have sought some shelter a short distance away from the trig and operated there, yet still been within the AZ. I won’t be doing that again.

All the best for future activations - I hope to do an SS summit towards the end of this month, it’s late June since I did one so I must check the kit and batteries out this next week.

Phil

In reply to G4OBK:

I agree wit you Phil, rules are rules and if we keep within them whats the problem.

73 Barry M3PXW