Allow me to step out of the MM Holiday thread for a moment to flag up that the first activation for Jimmy M(M)0HGY and myself tomorrow - will be our 500th unique summit activated for SOTA.
I’ll carry the Alexloop instead of the 20m groundplane and hopefully give G/GW stations the opportunity to celebrate with us, by being QRV on 40m as well as other HF bands. And yes Paul @M0CQE I will try to find a 40m SSB QRG below 7.100!
I am in awe of your accomplishment. It takes serious dedication to do what you have done in your area.
I spent some time talking about this with Tom yesterday when I joined him and Jimmy on Minch Moor GM/SS-133. I only went to get a complete, I’ll activate that summit during the Winter and grab the bonus. It’s funny because when you start SOTA the uniques mount very quickly… at first everything is a unique. Then it all starts to slow down as being 100% unique becomes very expensive so you tend to repeat some summits. They may not be uniques but you are still the DX and sought after. Slowly the count increases. And then you realise you’re nearly at the next milestone. 484 uniques for me in 20 associations. I’ve got 2 Scottish uniques planned for next month and then some Portuguese summits in October. I should be able to get to 490 before 2024 starts.
So having done almost the same as Tom and Jimmy, I’m acutely aware of just how hard it is. As all the other activators with large unique figures will tell you.
Hi Tom & Jimmy very nice achievement to get I hope you both have a great time, I am in the high 90’s now not sure exactly until I log them all the weekend after this European tour. I was feeling happy to get towards my 100 uniques.
I know how much it costs in the UK with fuel let alone Europe, what ever you do don’t try adding it up hi hi.
Good luck
Paul
M0PLA
Ha ha, I’m dreading the adding up that our landlord will present us with for our five nights DB&B + drinks!
Tell me about it, I am currently on 706 and I would dread to think on the cost per summit in real terms 
73
Victor GI4ONL
Congratulations both! A lot of hills!
Thank You Tom. I hope to hear you make Your 500th. Unique Summit. Best Wishes to you and to Jimmy. 73 de Paul M0CQE.
I had a look and there are 48 activators with 500 or more uniques to their name. That’s more than I thought there would be.
It will be much easier to achieve in other parts of the world.
You reckon? There 1625 summits in the UK and 3 of the top 5 are UK activators.
Unfortunately, only 65 of them are in Northern Ireland 
Well done both of you and good luck with the hotel bill! I’ve just checked and after only 6 years I have reached 99 so I can only imagine how much work the extra 400 summits were. Good Luck and enjoy. 73. Paul.
And yet I’ve activated 66 of them 
Our first alert time was far too optimistic. Just edited. Should be QRV within half-an-hour.
I wasn’t counting the discontinued summit.
Hope to hear You Soon, Tom. Paul M0CQE.
We found the Capel Fell - Croft Head circuit from the fish farm much harder going than expected.
Good luck and many congratulations on 500 Uniques on whichever hill it is today. It took me about two years to turn that into 500 Completes so good luck with that too. You will not hear from me - HF doesn’t seem to work well here any more.
The cost doesn’t bear thinking about too hard - I think the cottages/flats/etc for the recent trip was about £1500 for the two of us; Food extra 
Take care - have fun.
73,
Rod
Thanks Andy for the information. It’s good to know 3 are in UK. You are a mine of useful information. Good Man. Paul M0CQE.
Many Congratulations, Tom and Jimmy. VERY WELL DONE INDEED. 73 de Paul M0CQE.
Just look at the database. It’s all there in black, white and blue