The Cloud and Gun 11/9/07

Old Reflector
1

The Cloud G/SP-015

I have chased both of these summits so many times that I decided to knock them off my activation hit list of “easy” summits.
Having managed Longridge Fell and Rombald’s moor as a pair, I thought these two would be easy.
To be perfectly honest, both summits are easy to the able bodied amongst us but the stairway to heaven from cloudside nearly killed me and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
Once at the top of the steps there is hardly any ascent to speak of. I decided to operate from the trig until I got up there, be warned that this is a very popular summit and I was met with approximately 20 people and 15 dogs at the trig.
I dropped the rucsac and took a few moments to absorb the stunning views, then retreated a few metres below the trig to attempt to set up my station, now with considerable back pain.
The antenna system was an embarrassment to be honest but I just had to make do and lie down in the heather to ease the pain.

I started the activation and my CQ was instantly answered with a rock crushing signal from John M0JDK followed with a S2S contsct with Tom M1EYP/P on the neighbouring summit Gun SP-013, two more contacts ensued and things started to dry up.
I figured out my mistake when my mate Barry M3PXW called in and I couldn’t get back to him, nor could I pinpoint him with the beam.

Lesson number 1. …
When using a beam and a linked dipole, make sure you are on the correct antenna, Doohhh!! Once I swapped over to the beam a constant flow of contacts rained in.

A total of 17 contacts were made, 15 on 2m-fm, including S2S contacts with Tom M1EYP/P on SP-013 and Terry G0VWP/P and Ian 2E0EDX/P both on SP-012, 1 contact on 40m-cw with HB9EAA , and 1 contact on 60m-ssb with Dave G0AOD .

I would have liked another half hour on the Cloud, because the take off is so good you could easily fill a log page on 2 metres alone. I’ll definately do it again, maybe in the new year when another activator point is up for grabs.

It finally ended up as a sota party when Tom turned up on the summit closely followed by Steve (INKy)
Steve gave me great encouragement to carry out my plans to nip across to Gun SP-013

Gun G/SP-013

It was a short drive to Gun and good fun trying to keep up with INKy in his posh new motor, it seems he drives like he ascends/descends summits, so we were soon at the parking spot for Gun, the trig can be seen from the parking area.
It was getting late and some ominous clouds were forming so we decided between ourselves that I would work just the 4 contacts to qualify the summit and Steve would then carry on.
80 metres was in great shape, although there was a lot of static crashes, most signals were booming in at 59 or better.

Steve had a ball on 80m with calls coming thick and fast and if we weren’t stuck for time I’d hate to think how many contacts he would have had.

Thanks to the four stations I worked for my 1 activator point
Mick 2E0HJD, Mervyn GW8TBG, Barry M3PXW, and Peter ON3WAB, also special thanks to you Steve for your help on a difficult day pain wise.

73 Mike GW0DSP

2

Always happy to be heard overseas Mike, :o)

This contact on 80 was made with my Hy gain DX-88 vertical at ground level. It has 25 radials buried under the grass in my garden. They have different sizes, longest one being around 40m (120ft).

Peter

3

Thank you Mick, I am glad it works well.

It was a lot of hard work digging these radials in a solid grass field about 10cm deep and in total around 900 feet of wire. A good excercise but very bad for your back hihi. I hope it will perform on 10, 12 and 15m when the bands open up.

Peter

4

In reply to ON3WAB:

Your hard work digging for those radials was worth the effort Peter.
You were a great signal on to SP-013 on 80m.

73 Mike GW0DSP

5

Peter, I can confirm what Mick said with regards to your signal it was just as if you, Mike and Steve were all sat on my driveway. You weren’t all up at DSP’s house where you? ;o)I hope to catch you from a summit or two on 80m soon.

Pity I missed Mike on the Cloud, but I just arrived in from work in time to catch Steve & Mike on the Gun, maybe next time.

73 Steve

6

Good to see that you did Gun as well Mike. I had only seen Steve INK spotted. Did you find the walk OK?

7

In reply to M1EYP:

I would say that it is a lot easier than the cloud Tom, I just did a 4 and run job, not my style but it was late and getting dark.

8

It is even easier if you’ve not just been up and down The Cloud!

Nothing wrong with a ‘4 and run’, especially not when you leave another activator continuing the summit operation.

I have found it fascinating the number of times that I have quickly and easily made four contacts, and then struggled, and indeed failed to make any more, even on 817/beam. Many of my four contact activations have included 20 minutes of fruitless calling after the 4th contact!

When the activation comes around for the MG, I will be looking to make lots of contacts, on several bands and modes. I need a summit that I can get to early enough in the day to allow a long activation, with a good take-off and a shortish easy climb, but one that is not busy. I think I have the perfect summit in mind - watch this space!

9

In reply to M1EYP:

Sounds like Hope Mountain would be perfect if you have not done it this year.

10

No, not the one I’m thinking of. Ticks all the boxes, but is the wrong number of points considering those I am intending to do before it!