It must be ground waves because it certainly hasn’t “skipped” us here ![]()
By this logic, high mountain summits in other Associations that retain snow cover all the year around would have a permanent winter bonus!
The winter bonus doesn’t only take into consideration the probability of cold and snow, it adds in the shortness of daylight hours. The daylight hours in the Scottish winter are brief, descents in twilight or darkness with headtorches are somewhat more hazardous than in daylight.
Personally I think that in GM the bonus period should be extended to the full permitted length, though I would suggest that this be done by an earlier start to allow for the short days in November, by the time that the WB ends there is already something like four hours more daylight than the shortest day.
My masters don’t officially start giving me St. Andrew’s Day off until Nov30 2022. I’m not sure I’ll still be working then. I thought this might happen so I took Nov 30 2021 off and never told anyone. ![]()
I should still be working when Brenda’s 70th Jubilee happens.
Last Sunday I actvated Ingleborough. Wall to wall sunshine 20+C and YL walkers in croptops and gym gear.
Today I activated Penyghent. -5C, spindrift, 4 pairs of trousers, 5 body layers. Of course. no winter bonus, April fool’s day perhaps or just British fickle WX?
David
G0EVV
I just looked at your log Paul. Very short but rather decent!
The only months that I have not seen it snow on GM summits are July and August!
I got into the hobby from a dubious colleague/friend
and a heavy dose of lockdown. I got a 2nd hand KX3 and had very little joy from CQ calls on it. Andy had talked about SOTA before so off I went. I’ve done a fair bit of camping and walking over the years. I changed to a TX-500 and that was it from the start. Instant replies and well it’s almost addictive. I live in Crieff and need to get out more and this is an excellent reason for getting off my backside. Couple that with great views and well you know better than a lot others, you were after all my inspiration for this quickie 500m+.
Bonus clarification query :
For example for GM/SS-155 the sotadata page states “Bonus Period: 3 points between 30 November and 14 March”.
Does this literally mean ‘between’ i.e. from 01 December to 13 March inclusive ? ![]()
Or is it meant to mean between 30 November and 14 March inclusive ? ![]()
Noting that the Scotland (GM) ARM (01-Sep2009) is yet to be updated vs sotadata; currently stating “Bonus period dates : 1 December to 15 March inclusive"
By re-checking the General and GM rules I have now realised that for GM, only hills with a min. height of 500m qualify for winter bonus points. ![]()
73 Peter
Have you read the whole thread as I think it explains everything?
Yes, but I still wasn’t clear.
I believe it is meant to mean between 30 November and 14 March inclusive.
Correct ?
73 Peter
Yes, as the posts in this thread say, the database is correct and the ARM is out of date (still). The dates given in the database are inclusive.
An important concept in SOTA is when there are conflicting sources of information, the database is always considered correct.
@GM4LLD how’s this working out for you?
It’s weird Peter. I still work 2 days a week because I quite enjoy it. But a lot of the time I do not know what day it is any more. I could stop if I wanted to but it’s not a chore at present. I should get more organised at doing things because there aren’t an infinite number of days to enjoy retirement but I think after many years working 9-5, 5-days a week (and longer), just chillaxing is quite enjoyable. We had lots of building work this year at home ( should all be finished this coming week) and it disturbed my personal feng shui big style. Once the builders are gone I think I can get back into more activating and completing ham projects.
All noted. Thanks Andy.
73 Peter
I stopped work in June 2024 to stay home and take care of my wife. After just a couple of months I was losing track of what day of the week it was. The only consistent thing was her physio appointments on Tuesday and Thursday, but the other 5 days of the week just blended into each other.
Since May 2025 I work most school day mornings and afternoons for 45 minutes each shift and no longer lose track of the days. Still not getting much on my to-do list done, but at least I now know when it’s the weekend ![]()
I’ll take your French cloud and raise you some ZL3 rain:
If you can find ZL3 on the map under all that, that is. I think you can just see Banks Peninsula mid-right!
Can we have a ‘flippin miserable spring’ bonus season? To cheer us all up?
'cept now I think about it, it’s almost the first day of summer: plus ça change, …
Hi Matt,
It was just a little dig at Frazer @MM0EFI, nothing malicious! (3 years ago ;-))
Now you can show me pictures from my antipodes, nothing will make me forget the "gusts of wind" I experienced... One or two in New Caledonia, three in the Antilles, Tahiti was a bit OK
You can read this https://j28ro.blogspot.com/p/to4e_29.html in 2003 an hurricane >North >center and >South .... a school case :-)
You can find all my call's activated on my https://www.qrz.com/db/F5JKK
Just in case
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73, Éric F5JKK
Ah … caught out by an old zombie thread coming back to life, again!
Interesting read on your trip to Isle d’Europa. And in considerately understandaby-written French too! Had to force myself to put it down & go to work, but will give it a full read this evening.


