In reply to MM0FMF:
I notice that even with your 4 points Roy still pulled ahead of me - Hi
Thanks Andy es cul. 73’s de John
In reply to G3OHC:
Thank you to all for the congratulations, which are greatly appreciated. It is nice to know that I have made so many SOTA friends all across Europe
Mark – I have a modest station with 100w to a single Butternut vertical antenna in a small garden. You are correct in that I do not use filters; the best filter is the one between my ears. When attempting to copy a really weak station I leave the bandwidth at 2.4 because I need background noise with which to compare the faint on-off CW signal. I have an old rig with a second receiver which allows me to cover 7030-7033 KHz with both receivers set at a bandwidth of 2.4 KHz, so I am aware of any SOTA station calling in this band. I am also very fortunate in having a call which is easily recognisable, even if only partly copied by the activator.
Thank you to all the activators without whom I would have no chaser points. I find it satisfying that I can put a little back into SOTA by spotting as many activators as possible. However, there are often some activators that are barely audible to me and although I can identify them calling CQ SOTA they are too weak for me to copy their call and SOTA Reference. I would like to spot them for the benefit of others to copy, but SOTAwatch does not allow an entry without full reference. I sometimes spot using 001, but this often causes confusion, so I would like to see a generic entry which would allow chasers to spot a station without a full reference and permit comments such as “CQ SOTA, but too weak to copy here”.
Richard, I did achieve DXCC on Phone just to see how it compared with CW but I found it difficult and lacking in the sense of satisfaction and pleasure I get after struggling with a weak and fading CW signal. I admire anyone who struggles with SSB signals from an average station.
When I first took an interest in SOTA I tried to copy everything, but my location on the East coast was hopeless for FM activators and although I collected a couple of hundred points from SSB stations on HF I found it to be so time consuming that I removed them from the data base and concentrated on CW only, which allows me time to do other things.
Andy – I did just hear a faint whisper of you on 10118, but my QTH, exactly half way down the UK, means that the skip distance for other UK stations on 10 MHz is over my head, but it is a pleasure to hear some G’s on 7032 again. I wish more stations would use 80m CW.
73
Roy G4SSH
It is one of the finest feelings on a cold damp hilltop, to hear that distinctive “di-di-dit di-di-dit di-di-di-dit”. It is very rhythmic and musical, and even with an only partial copy of it you know who it is and don’t need to ask for a repeat. Moreover, when you hear that sound, you know you are about to be spotted, and any anxiety at the start of the activation is no more!
Congrats on the 40K Roy, but perhaps we should put the champagne on ice until the 50k? 
40m has been superb recently, especially with it, as you say, facilitating inter-G work. Your preferred 80m has been bobbins in comparison - I was disappointed with it on Croslieve GI/CA-004, where I made only five contacts despite thinking that 80m might do well in the early morning activation. It was a previously unactivated summit as well, so the decision to take the 80m dipole instead of the 40m turned out to be a particularly bad one!
Thanks for all the support on the activations Roy - both the QSOs and the dial-a-spot service - and your kind support with my amateur radio project at school.
Somehow I don’t think the next 10K will take too long!
73, Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
It is one of the finest feelings on a cold damp hilltop, to hear that
distinctive “di-di-dit di-di-dit di-di-di-dit”. It is very
rhythmic and musical, and even with an only partial copy of it you
know who it is and don’t need to ask for a repeat.
Indeed … and always just a couple of hundred Hz HF of the pile-up! 
Congrats on the 40k, Roy! It seems just like yesterday that I was saying congrats on the 30k. I don’t know how you do it!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3YMC:
What I certainly cannot do is
hold a conversation while I am trying to send, I gather there are some
who can.
That is something that has always interested me. I can listen to other people talking to me whilst I’m sending, and even read a newspaper … but I can NOT talk and send Morse at the same time!
It’s a bit like that game of tapping your head and stroking circles on your tummy at the same time! Hi hi!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
You are giving away trade secrets Walt…
They will all be doing it !!
73 Roy
In reply to G4SSH:
Roy.
I did so many QSO with you.
I’ve never received any eQSL in my box.
Please may i ask you to send me only one ;-))
Thanks again for QSO and so nice to hear you. You are the Boss !
73 Roger
In reply to F5LKW:
If you check you will see that Roy is not an active member of eQSL:
“Effective dates at this QTH: 01 Jan 1970 00:00 to 23 Apr 2009 00:00
I logged in on 08-May-2001”.
73 Dave G3YMC
In reply to F5LKW:
I receive hundreds of SOTA QSL cards via the Buro, Roger; quite often 15 from the same person in one pack, for every different summit, with a unique photo on each.
These are appreciated, but I am sure that the sender does not want 15 identical cards from me as a chaser so I send one in reply, via the Buro, to every activator.
I will gladly send one to anyone on request and yours is in the post.
I am not a subscriber to e-QSL and would not know how to start.
73
Roy
Yes, what Tom wrote applies to me and to many others for sure:
““It is one of the finest feelings on a cold damp hilltop, to hear that distinctive “di-di-dit di-di-dit di-di-di-dit”. It is very rhythmic and musical, and even with an only partial copy of it you know who it is and don’t need to ask for a repeat. Moreover, when you hear that sound, you know you are about to be spotted, and any anxiety at the start of the activation is no more!””
Congratulations and thank you for being with us, Roy.
73 Ruda OK2QA