Well, a few of you will know, just how much of a challenge it has been for me in recent years to actually get a summit activated successfully.
It was 3 weeks ago today, I set a plan and a challenge for myself to activate Billinge Hill G/SP-017 and to attempt qualification on a less used band or 2. So I had to set up my equipment for an attempt on 23cm’s and 4m.
It was August 2011, since I had been up this summit, then I classed it as not a very pleasant summit to visit. I was looking forward to seeing the difference reported by Phil G4OBK on one of his blogs. I was pleasantly surprised how it had been tidied up.
We drove from home (Myself and my Sherpa) taking a straight line journey via St Helens Town Centre. On the east lancs, Turning left at Carr Mill dam, through the village of Billinge and then turning into Beacon Lane up to the top where there are parking space for a couple of Vehicles
View from the park spot up the start of the path.
The path narrows as you go past the nice single storey House with its stone wall , continuing up and a small incline, we savoured the view from the west of the path.
Continuing up the concrete path disappears into a more uneven and muddy section before you reach the Site of the Landfill Car park area., We spotted an old fashioned Kissing Gate that was rusty and not used anymore.
Coming out of the tree cover into the open air and the Tower is visible along with the awful Pager masts.
WE walked up to the tower and spotted the Trig in front of it so made for that and set up the 23cm’s Unit on top of it.
I was a few minutes early for the alert time, but I had set up a Sched with a couple of microwave pals. All fingers crossed the pagers masts did not interfere with the 147MHz input to the Transverter, thankfully they did not.
I Managed to get Dave GW8TBY in Wales, before getting Ross G6GVI no2 on 23cm’s. Then my old mate and regular Chaser of mine John M0JVW made it 3 while he was eating his Breakfast ( see we can Multitask when needed.)
I did say I would give a Virtual Hi5 and a Virtual Blue Peter Badge to no:4 and this was again regular 23cm’s op Shaun G7IEI 
Qualified on 23cm’s as planned. I gave a few calls on 70MHz but only John M0JVW again helping me out.
If Andy @MM0FMF reads this , is there any way I can check if I am the first to qualify this summit on 23cm’s???
wrapped up and put all the stuff back in my new SOTA Bag
Only got 1 gate on my Tracker, need to check it out.
Finally before leaving I took a pic of the Deadly Masts just over the way.
And Finally Finally, A pic for Tom @M1EYP food pic of lunch after a successful activity 
Thanks to everyone who made it a success for me today 73 Tony
I have taken recently to taking the 4M handie with me on activations, but am yet to entirely activate a sumit on that band!