2009 on The Cloud G/SP-015

It is something I enjoy doing. That’s the main reason, but there are others:

It is 20 minutes drive from my home, and 10 minutes ascent, and on my way to/from work. So it is convenient for me to do it even on workdays or on days when I am doing other things.

Despite the short walk, there is still a fair few feet of ascent to be done. So it is just about perfect for a daily (or fairly regular) exercise to keep the heart and lungs in good nick, and the weight down (goodness knows what I would tip the scales at if I didn’t do the loads of sport and exercise I do weekly…).

It has fantastic views, clean fresh air and is very good for cheering you up or getting the day off to a positive start.

I like the VHF activity contests, so I might as well do them there and give away some SOTA chaser points as well.

I’ve met hundreds of interesting, kind and friendly people up there (and one rotter).

It is an ideal location for me to develop my abilities in amateur radio. I virtually always try my new antennas here first, as I know (generally) what comparable performance would be.

I realised early on that I was not going to have the discipline and motivation to learn CW in the shack. But sitting up on The Cloud doing a proper SOTA activation encourages me to practice my CW on a very regular basis. The fastest progress I ever made in my early days of learning CW, was when I started doing 20 minute 40m CW activations up there five times a week.

So that is why this summit is significant - to me. But it doesn’t ‘narrow’ my SOTA activities. I have over 200 activator uniques, and continue to seek out more.

Tom M1EYP

And if I like it so much, why not go out and activate it? So today, Monday 16th February 2009, that is what I did. Jimmy M3EYP, Liam and myself had a few hours to kill, and as it turned out, so did Richard G3CWI.

After a brief deliberation in the car about which of the three local summits to do, we settled on The Cloud G/SP-015, swayed by the choice of after-activation hostelry.

It was quite busy at Cloudside, but enough room to park. On the summit, Richard deployed his little-used SB MFD for 2m FM, while Jimmy and I set up the new M0GIA “Baker’s Dozen” 20m vertical.

Jimmy opened up on 20m SSB, working a SOTA chaser HA5UG and was then called by W1OW from Douglas near Boston MA. What a result! However, Jimmy was unable to attract further calls on the very crowded SSB portion of the 20m band, so I took over on 20m CW.

I worked plenty of stations, known SOTA chasers and others alike. DX came in from RA9, UA2, VE and two from the USA. Other countries worked included YU, 9A, EU, OH, plus SOTA chasers Mike DJ5AV and Phil G4OBK. Jimmy then resumed on SSB working Jozsef HA6OD, but couldn’t get any more.

Liam spent his time exploring the area in front of the trig point a few feet lower down.

After packing away and descending, we drove to the Harrington Arms in Gawsworth for an excellent pint of Robbie’s Trouble & Strife and bag of pork scratchings each. A nice day out - and some DX too!

Tom M1EYP

In reply to M1EYP:
The “BAKERS DOZEN” is the aerial i designed and built for your home QTH Tom, my fault i ramble on a lot which confuses me sometimes!

The vertical certainly has worked well everytime its been out even Sunday in the local park. That was a cracking contact for Jimmy across the pond i bet he was pleased with that one.

Wish i had some daylight hours to spare in the week but then if i want to test another aerial i know a man who can HI! Sean M0GIA

Oh well, I knew one of 'em was a Baker’s Dozen hi! Has the 20m vert got a special name?

The stateside SSB contact of Jimmy’s was a belter with 59 sent and 55 received, but despite that he struggled to get many more.

20m CW is nice, especially working DXCCs I don’t normally get on 80 or 40. But it was very nice to get known chasers in the log too.

Thanks again for the aerial Sean, it’s a credit to you.

Tom M1EYP

In reply to M1EYP:
No special name for the vertical details here on how to build one for those wanting to have a go http://homepage.ntlworld.com/s.amesbury/M3FVB/20m%20port.htm

It can be a problem with 20m as we have noticed before on SSB, you leave with next to nothing on 20m then get on summit and out of nowhere its packed! Usually the case when a contest is on though so conditions must have been favourable today.

No problem for the aerial favour returned and i know you will get your moneys worth. I would just like say i no longer use a maxi pole as in the link above but instead a 6m SOTA pole to support the vertical, this has now lowered the radials nearer to 30 degrees which is supposed to give a slighty better match to the radio. Sean M0GIA

In reply to M1EYP:
Well done Tom. Your vertical and QRP was spraying enough carrier wave out to reflect via backscatter to North Yorkshire. I didn’t expect to hear you when I switched on the radio after seeing your spot. By pointing my beam to the HA/S5 area I could hear you send me my 579 report. No copy of Jimmy on SSB though.

73 Phil

Tuesday 3rd March 2009 was the date of the third RSGB 2m Activity Contest & Club Championship evening of the year. However, it was rather unpleasant and stormy as I drove from Macclesfield to Cloudside, and I wasn’t sure if I was actually looking forward to it.

The weather continued to be inhospitable as I made my torchlit ascent to the summit, but once atop, the wind abated very slightly, as did the rain. Using a grassy bank in front of the trig point as shelter, I managed to set up with the bothy bag right next to the mast on which the Sota Beam was mounted, so affording some ability to turn the antenna whilst remaining inside.

In the event, I had a very enjoyable evening, with 50 stations worked between 8.09pm and 10.27pm. While the number of QSOs was pleasing, and included DX to IO74 (Derry) IO91 and JO03, the number of multipliers was slightly down on my 6m entry the previous week, and restricted by overall score to around 34,000. A significant number of SOTA chaser stations called in to work me, which was good as I always call “Contest and SOTA” in these events.

The beverage for the summit was a flask of Cadbury’s instant hot chocolate, while the post activation drink was Robinson’s ‘Trouble & Strife’ at the Harrington Arms, Gawsworth.

Back again next Tuesday for the 70cm night, and probably before then to play 20m again.

Tom M1EYP

In reply to M1EYP:
Hi tom glad to have worked you in the contest, at one stage i heard the chap from io81 square working you, will listen next tuesday as early start, steve m0sgb

Oops, won’t be on SP-015 next Tuesday. Macc v Accrington Stanley at home same night!

I will try to be active from the home shack for the last half-hour of the contest.

Tom M1EYP

In reply to M1EYP:
Will get beat again oop’s sorry glad to have given you the update, after i spoke to you and peter m0cop/p, i caught up with m0jdk & g4jzf amd gave them some squares for wab, steve m0sgb

Yes, we did get beat again, but there you go. On the plus side, at least Port Vale got beat again too.

Anyway, time was cracking on. It was over 8 days since my last activation of The Cloud G/SP-015 and nearly 5 days since my last SOTA activation of any kind. Far too long! I was interested to experiment with early morning greyline propagation on 20m, so hauled myself out of the pit at 5.50am on Thursday 12th March 2009.

The weather was clear enough initially, but once set up on summit it was quite hostile. Incessant drizzle was being whipped up by a stiff cold westerly breeze. The 20m vertical antenna remained upright well though, using only the radials as guys.

Settled into the grassy bank by the trig point - one of my contest sheltered perches - I called CQ on 14.013MHz CW without self-spotting, just last night’s alert to back me up. I was answered, as seems to be the case on 2m CW, by a succession of Russian and Ukrainian stations.

I struck me that 20m CW might just be the quickest way to guarantee four easy contacts with seemingly the former Soviet Union always around to answer calls on here. I did eventually work one SOTA chaser in the form of Ingemar SM6CMU, and then a final contact added Asiatic Russia to the other DXCCs worked of Russia, Ukraine and Sweden.

After packing away, G and GW were added on 2m FM, and I descended to my car rather cold and wet.

Nonetheless, I will now try to get the regime going on a near-daily basis again. I need to improve my speed in setting up/taking down the 20m vertical, and I need to improve fitness levels. I got hammered at squash yesterday!

Tom M1EYP

I planned an early pre-work activation for Wednesday 18th March 2009, but didn’t plan to be awake by 0445 UTC. However, I was, so I decided to go “a bit early”.

More than a bit in fact. I was out of the house by 0515z, walking by 0540z, on summit at 0550z and QRV by 0600z! With the 20m vertical set up, I huddled down using the topograph as shelter, and began to call.

Keying was difficult with it being only 1 degree above freezing on summit, and my hands were very cold. The first reply was from Moldova - ER2ID, which was a nice one. But what is it with Ukrainians on 20m CW? For eleven out of my next twenty QSOs were into Ukraine In fact all bar two were with former Soviet republics - Kazakhstan and Russia also worked. The two others were Bulgaria and Romania.

Most contacts were 599 both ways, and it was an enjoyable very early morning activation. In between, I self-spotted for a try on 14.160MHz SSB, but there was no response to my calls. I went QRT at 0725z and my hands were almost numb with the cold. There was no response to my CQ calls on 2m FM and 70cm FM prior to descent.

I was back at the car and on the road to work by 0750z, so enough slack time to pop into Pittshill Oatcakes in Chell to collect a traditional North Staffordshire breakfast. Got to work on time.

I wonder if there is any interest in setting up UR SOTA (Ukraine)? I am getting loads of calls from them when activating on the higher HF bands.

Tom M1EYP

In reply to M1EYP:

I found myself up & about quite early this morning, strangely I always find it easier to get out of bed when I have a day off work :slight_smile:

I listened on your spotted frequency on 20 metres CW & I could hear you, not very strong, but just readable. My CW skills are very rusty, but I am getting better every day, though I doubt we could have made a valid QSO in a reasonable amount of time. I did hear several stations working you & also calling CQ very close to your frequency, including some Ukrainians, who only appeared after you had begun your activation.

I hope to work you again in the 50Mhz contest on Tuesday if you are up on the Cloud again.

73 Mark G0VOF

Yes, I am intending doing the 6m contest from there tomorrow night, but will have to watch this more erratic weather we are experiencing.

Strangely enough, the same thing happened again on Friday morning, 20th March 2009. I intended a 6am get-up for a pre-work Cloud activation, but was awake and up at 4.45am. Again, I put the time to good use by getting out earlier.

I was walking by 5.35am and QRV just after 6am. The calls on 14.013MHz CW were picked up in Eastern Europe (YO, LZ) and former Soviet republics (RA, ER), but again, Ukraine stole the show, with no less than 12 of my 25 contacts.

Things dried up by 7am, which was a shame with 30 minutes of operating window still available. I worked G6LCS/M on 2m, then called again on 20m CW. Back came the best contact of the activation - Madeira Island, courtesy of CT3/DM2XO. A final call on 2m FM after packing HF away brought Steve GW7AAV.

I intended doing 20m CW before work this morning, but when the alarm went off at 6am, my body didn’t feel like getting out of bed. Indeed, it stayed in it for another 80 minutes…

Tom M1EYP

Everything had gone to plan. I had driven out from Macclesfield, climbed the hill and guyed the pole. It was 1945z on Tuesday 24th March 2009, and I was in good time to put up the 6m delta loop, get in my bothy bag, and even pour myself a hot chocolate before the start of the contest.

But could I untangle the aerial? No, it was a real mess. I had wound and tied the wires and guys up in a stupid configuration when I packed away after last month’s 6m contest, and now I paid the price.

Every couple of minutes, as I failed to get any further with the untangling, I thought about abandoning. Such dark thoughts increased as the wind picked up and rain got heavier. However, the wind itself was my shelter, for I sat myself down on one side of the topograph which ensured all the rain blew over me without hitting me.

Eventually, I managed to find the end of one of the guys, and then slowly and methodically worked it back through all the tangles. I repeated this process for the other one, then for the feeder, and finally for the delta loop itself. This took nearly one hour!

The wind was now very strong, so it was a challenge getting the delta loop in the air, but I did, and it stayed up for the duration of the activation. This was quite surprising, especially later on with the very strong gusts.

I was eventually QRV around 8.45pm. An experimental initial call on 51MHz FM produced nothing, so I started calling on clear frequency 50.190MHz SSB. This produced an instant pile-up, and a rapid run of QSOs to get going in the contest. There was no doubt that my final score would be affected by missing out on the hectic first half-hour, but it was still good to get a small sense of “catching up” by working a few at a rate faster than one per minute.

There was little in the way of DX knocking around, but unusually high levels of activity from IO83. Some more distant contacts did eventually come courtesy of G4DEZ in JO03 and GI6ATZ in IO74, but a number of other usually-worked multipliers remained elusive - IO70, IO81, JO01, JO02, IO84 etc.

Activity thinned out significantly after 2130z, and my indulgences of hot chocolate in the bothy bag became more frequent. A diversion to 50.090MHz CW brought one extra contact, but shortly after 10pm, I decided enough was enough.

Packing up in the wind and rain was less than pleasant, but I still took care to wind and tie the various components of the delta loop more sensibly! As I reached my car on Cloudside after descent, another car pulled in. I made a sharp exit.

A pint of Trouble & Strife and a bag of Burt’s hot chilli & lemon crisps at the Harrington Arms, Gawsworth was the finishing touch to the evening. Looking over the logbook, I saw that I had made nearly as many contacts as last month, but with less than half the multipliers, resulting in an 80% reduction in my overall score. Must do better!

Many thanks to all SOTA chasers that found me - and worked me.

Tom M1EYP

Knowing how much Jimmy M3EYP enjoys meeting other SOTA activators, I had called him using Gordon G0EWN’s equipment on Gun G/SP-013. I dashed home, picked him up, and zipped back down to The Cloud G/SP-05, where I knew Gordon was going next.

It was still a beautiful day, so it was no surprise to find the parking area on Cloudside full. I pulled the car in tightly at the side of the road further down, so tightly in fact that I needed to clamber over and exit the car via the passenger side door.

In a complete contrast to my earlier activation of Gun, I went light. No rucksack, just the VX-7R, logbook and pencil stuffed into my pocket. Jimmy took his VX-110, but also went packless.

On the summit, there was no sign of Gordon, so Jimmy opened up on 2m FM. Knowing that Gordon was doing 2m, the plan was to revert to 70cm on the VX7 when he was set up.

Jimmy made three QSOs, including a S2S with Rob G4RQJ/P on Lovely Seat G/NP-030. By the time I had also worked Rob, Gordon had arrived and set up, so we then turned off on 2m. On 70cm FM, I worked fellow Maxonians Greg 2E0RXX and Liam M3ZRY, but failed to elicit any further interest, despite a spot from Greg (thanks Greg).

So we said goodbye to Gordon and XYL and swiftly descended to Cloudside. From here, we both grabbed a cheeky chaser point from Gordon still activating on summit, then sped back to Macc to meet Liam on his return from his big Explorer Scout hike. He had successfully completed his six miles today, to add to the eight miles plus overnight camp yesterday, and we duly congratulated him. He was very happy - and very tired!

Three VHF contacts on this one was a huge contrast to the fifty on HF on the first summit earlier, but variety is the spice of life!

Tom M1EYP

In reply to M1EYP: Just as i thought Tom your getting plenty of use out of that vertical, Hmmmm a name? 20DXSV hows that sound? Sean M0GIA

Wrong thread Sean, I used the Magic Moggy on Gun only. I used the Rubbish Duck on The Cloud. Your aerial names are boring. Better is deserved of an antenna that makes light work of a 5 watt QSO with VP5 Turks & Caicos Islands.

Tom M1EYP

How did you manage to put a post on there without your username???

On Tuesday 31st March 2009, the RSGB Activity Contest was 4m, which I don’t do. But I fancied a stroll out nonetheless, and I had to drop off and later pick up Jimmy and his mate at an Explorer Scouts event in Congleton. So I would have to go up The Cloud to kill a bit of time anyway.

The 20m Magic Moggy was taken up, as I wanted to see if anything came in on the greyline. Working on CW, most QSOs were the usual fayre of Ukraine and Russia, but there was an unusually high number of locals from the North-West of England as well. Particularly welcome was Gareth 2E0BKW from nearby Leek, with one of his first ever CW contacts. I have worked Gareth on 2m FM many times from The Cloud!

At 1932z came the highlight of the activation - a clear call from Geo LU1WI. That was a brand new DXCC for me, in fact a first ever QSO into South America - and all on 5 watts!

I went QRT just after 9pm local, with 14 QSOs in the book. By 9.35pm I was driving into Congleton and reversing the scouts’ taxi service.

It was very pleasant sat up on The Cloud in milder weather, no wind and the first evening daylight of the year for me on there. It was a fulfilling and tranquil experience playing 20m CW SOTA as the sun set, and day became night. The built-up conurbations of Congleton and Macclesfield transformed into quiet night-time seas of streetlights. It was good that there was no need for me to be hiding away inside my bothy bag.

Chasing greyline on 20m CW - it looks like I’ve found myself something to do on the third (microwave) and fifth (4m) Tuesdays of the month.

Many thanks to the known chasers from G that called. I am certainly noticing that some of the Ukrainian callsigns appearing on 20m CW in my activator logs, are appearing regularly. I must check if any of them are already registered and participating chasers - and wonder if/when UR SOTA may happen.

73, Tom M1EYP

In reply to M1EYP:

How did you manage to put a post on there without your username???

Magic it is! So the vertical was purring again? Great DX contact that was, good few miles away and like you say all on 5w. What report did you get Tom? Sean M0GIA