In reply to G3NYY:
To some limited degree this site is a social networking site… it’s just the network and type of socialising is very narrow!
Free spots on the move is a bonus though.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to G4OIG:
Hi Gerald, Thanks for the excellent report as usual:)
As you know from previous activations, I will spot you even if I cannot work you myself. On the day in question I was only monitoring the 2 metre FM calling frequency as I did not have my 2 metre yagi erected.
Certain LD summits are easier than others for me on VHF & above, but nonetheless I do sincerely apologise for not monitoring your usual QRG around your alerted time.
I had seen the alert for yourself & Paul & despite no HF frequencies being alterted I thought that given your established success on VHF I could simply wait for a spot when it appeared & hopefully work you on my short vertical.
I will know better next time.
Some people had doubts last winter when you were alerted to activate G/SP-007. Your alerted time had passed without activity, & whether the activation would go ahead was being questioned. I seem to remember that my exact words to the other long established chasers / activators on frequency at the time were “Hey, this is Gerald we are talking about, until we hear any different, the activation will be going ahead”, or at least something to that effect.
There can be a myriad of reasons why a chaser will / can not spot an acvtivator. On this occasion, it was simply that I did not hear you or Paul, & did not hear anybody working you.
I will put that down as a fail on my part.
HF would have helped though, especially 60m at that time 
I Hope both you & Paul have a very Happy Christmas & a very Happy & Healthy 2011.
Best 73,
Mark G0VOF
In reply to G0VOF:
Hi Mark
Sorry about not doing HF - we abandoned our normal MO to minimise equipment on a very ambitious expedition, and in the event I wished we hadn’t. I’m sure the outcome of the activation would have been very different if I had used HF.
Conditions on VHF were very strange, which didn’t help. At the time I put the lack of contacts down to unusual propagation conditions, which may well have been the case.
Whatever, we had a very enjoyable activation. Digging snowholes to shelter from the wind was great fun and very effective. My only sadness is that some chasers like yourself who would have liked to work us missed out.
Best festive wishes to you, and hope to catch you again very soon
73 de Paul G4MD
Edit - Just reminded myself of our ascent of Fair Snape Fell. Deep snow, hard freeze, set off in the light of a full moon from a cloudless sky so bright it cast our shadows across the snow and as we walked the silvery moonlight gave way to a pinky red glow of dawn. Absolute magic.
In reply to G0VOF:
Some people had doubts last winter when you were alerted to activate
G/SP-007. Your alerted time had passed without activity, & whether
the activation would go ahead was being questioned.
That made me check back on the itinerary Mark. It shows we were 21 minutes late on parade, ascent time was 01:31 in 20cm deep snow, -5C at the parking spot and -3.8C at the summit. The experience of the ascent in moonlight is etched into my memory - marvellous! What a dawn! I well remember driving 6 miles on ice to get there. The poor road conditions made us even later on Cracoe Fell later in the day - 40 minutes late on parade (tut tut), but it was a brilliant day.
Both Paul and myself are totally aware of the value of our regular chasers, that is why we are somewhat sad that potential contacts were missed. Nevertheless, Stony Cove Pike was both enjoyable and a valuable experience… and so was the “Red Screes” in the Kirkstone Inn afterwards. It’s not often we get the chance to do that in daylight hours!
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to G4OIG:
To get back on topic - as per the thread title - no spots (on the sun today)