Congratulations both on completing G.
Hope Tom is recovering from his fall - when we did Pillar my research had led me to believe it was a hazardous route, and it sounds like we were right to avoid it!
Caroline
M3ZCB
Thank you for the congratulations Caroline.
Jimmy 2(O)0EYP
In reply to G4MD:
First of all, belated congrats to Tom and Jimmy for bagging all the G summits. Well done the pair of you. From experience, the task certainly needs commitment!
When Gerald and I did Harter Fell, we completely missed the direct route up - never recognised the precipitous jumble of loose rocks as the path - and ended up going round in a big loop to the East although we did risk the “quick” way down fortunately without incident.
I recall we were chasing our tails on that one as we had planned an entirely different approach and were scuppered by a road closure requiring a 20 mile detour. A fair amount of the loose stuff was certainly dislodged on our descent, though not sufficient continuity for a decent scree run. I seem to recall that having experienced that we concluded that our ascent route hadn’t been a bad option despite the additional distance involved.
73, Gerald G4OIG
Thank you for your congratulations Gerald.
Jimmy 2(O)0EYP
Everything, now (in England), has to be a repeat. But no surprise, I guess, that my most recent two “repeats” have been on my most repeated summits - The Cloud G/SP-015 and Gun G/SP-013.
On the evening of Tuesday 7th August 2012, it was 2m night in the UKAC series. I was fed-up with Merryton Low and its boring views, and still wasn’t convinced that my contest performances up there were worth abstaining from SOTA for. I suppose the results are marginally better, but I would have hoped that the difference would be much more significant.
So, back up to The Cloud it was, the decision cemented when Chris G8APB (who runs QRO very close to The Cloud) informed me he would not be contesting that night. The usual cohort of club runners passed across the summit during my set-up time. Most stopped to rest at the trig point, and bemoan the poor decision to relegate Queen Victoria in the first heat of the women’s sprint final at the Olympic track cycling.
The first 14 minutes of the contest was good. I recorded 25 QSOs in that time. Thereafter, it was difficult to establish a good rhythm or make the best decision between S&P, running or chasing a particular multiplier square at any given time.
I finished on 73 QSOs into 14 multipliers, with one ‘DX’ contact into EI. The ODX was within the UK however, with GM4AFF in IO86. A finish of no better than 4th can be expected.
Tom M1EYP
Onto Wednesday 8th August 2012, and Liam was working at the garage in Tunstall again. This left me with a few hours to kill on a beautiful day, while remaining fairly local.
I drove over Brown Edge and Biddulph Moor to Gun G/SP-013. The decision was to go up just with the 20m aerial, and to try some SSB when variation was required. I also had the 2m FM handy as well of course.
It was a lovely day with bright sunshine and blue sky. There was a gentle breeze which meant midges were kept away, although there were a few flies when the wind dropped slightly. A steak and gravy pie made for a pleasant lunch in the middle of the day, but I should have taken more water with me!
The results were as follows:
20m CW: 144 QSOs, including 1 S2S
20m SSB: 65 QSOs, including 5 S2S
2m FM: 15 QSOs, including 4 S2S
Total: 224 QSOs, including 10 S2S
…not a bad six hours’ work! Thanks for all the calls.
Tom MO1EYP
The photos from the first two days of this expedition (Seatallan, Buckbarrow, Ennerdale, Red Pike, High Stile, High Crag, Black Sail) may now be seen at http://tomread.co.uk
Tom MO1EYP
The photos from the day on Pillar LD-006 (our penultimate G summit) are now on at http://tomread.co.uk
Including a couple of photos from the scene of my slip!
Tom MO1EYP
And now the photos from our last English Association summit, Harter Fell (Eskdale) G/LD-028 are on. You can see us on the last one by visiting:
This website now has pages (often more than one) for EVERY summit in the G association, with photos. This includes the 176 summits currently valid in G, and also a further 6 summits no longer valid in the G association.
In addition, there are an additional 104 summits from outside G with one or more webpages. Hope you like it. (Please sign the guestbook).
Tom MO1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
I really have to take my hat off to the 5 of you for completing G. It’s not that there are that many summits to do. It’s the fact they’re well spread out, especially some of the Southern ones. Well impressed. I really should try to activate all the local summits to me sometime. Still got a few with an hour’s drive I haven’t done yet!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
Still got a few with an hour’s drive I haven’t done yet!
Ha! I’ve got 4 within an hour’s drive. Total. Never mind whether I’ve done them or not yet. I’m not complaining though, it’s four more than some people have got.
It’s a good job I don’t mind repeating them, even when there’s no points on offer!
Thanks for the congrats. Without doubt, it has only been possible due to the drive and focus of Jimmy 2E0EYP, and the meticulous planning and preparation he did for each and every summit.
And just as I am ready to put my feet up, Jimmy is busy plotting for our forthcoming family holiday to Pembrokeshire, and raising suggestions for SOTA day-trips to Wales. No rest for the wicked.
Tom MO1EYP
OK, here is the full story…
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
Is the lead guitar on Born Under a Bad Sign a Gibson ES-335? Can’t be the SG, too mellow.
Andy
MM0FMF
Not sure. Video and photos for further investigation at http://www.manateesband.co.uk/
The guitarist on the track in question is the older guy, ie not the one playing the SG!
Tom M1EYP
A truely inspirational video! I really enjoyed seeing some that I have done and many more I have yet to do.
GL/73
Nick G4OOE
In reply to M1EYP:
Well put together Tom - thanks for that. I was trying to name the summits before the titles came up. 
I don’t know why Andy is asking about the lead guitar, surely he didn’t miss the superb bass line on “Born Under A Bad Sign” did he? Do you do the neo-contrapuntal stuff as well? 
73, Gerald G4OIG
2004 Epi Les Paul Bass, Heritage Cherry Sunburst
2009 Epi EB-0 Short Scale Bass, Black
Early days yet…
1988 Fender Jazz (white) on that track.
In reply to M1EYP:
Could it be anything else?
In reply to G4OIG:
The EB-3 with a bit of overdrive gets a wonderfull fat sound. c.f. Andy Fraser/Free.
FMF Jr. has a 2010 Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass (which looks the business) and a 2008 Fender Jaguar Bass (which looks odd but sounds good). We’ve a 2009 Sunburst Stratocaster MIM knocking about as well.
Yes, I noticed the bass line, but I knew who and what that was!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to M1EYP:
A very nice video Tom, what a lovely way to record not only the achievement but also of Jimmy’s progress from boyhood to manhood, absolutely priceless.
Well done to both of you.
PS, It was great to meet up with you on the High Stile walk and maybe our paths will cross again in the near future.
73, Derek