We are on a holiday in France and checking where we intended to stay tonight I discovered there was an unactivated summit close by. Realising we could virtually drive to the summit I just had to have a go at activating it - my first ever unactivated summit.
F/MC-242 Mont Bessou is a 976m one point peak which has a tall viewing platform.
My excuse for not activating from the tower is I couldn’t remember if the 25m activation zone also extended above the summit as I am sure the tower is over 25m high. 
That’s my excuse and not of course my fear of heights!
But the picnic tables were not too far above the ground so I used one of those instead.
As before on this trip I opened on 40m SSB and was immediately replied to by Christian F4WBN closely followed by Éric F5JKK. More QSOs followed but after a quiet spell I switched to 20m but I could see there was very little activity. I spotted and called CQ anyway and had a frustrating time trying to complete a QSO with Don G0RQL. He was 59 to me but I heard him give me a 31 signal report but we could not complete. Curiously I was reaching other parts of the UK and Allen 2E0AGB gave me a 57. I guess Don was just slightly too close to me.
A total of 17 QSOs. I briefly tried 2m FM but drew a blank. Other bands might have worked but rain was approaching, you can see it in the distance in the photo above.
The full list of QSOs can be seen below. There’s an error in the log which I will correct later. TM2SOTA was S2S but it is not showing that in the log on the database. And why M0HEM appears to be on a train is a mystery.
I had thought of staying on the mountain overnight. There is room to park.
But it was 8°C with a strong wind blowing and rain approaching so we dropped down to the town of Ussel and a more sheltered pitch by a lake.
Mont Bessou is an easy activation and recommended if you come this way. Unlike many one point summits in France it isn’t completely covered by trees and, in clear weather enjoys excellent views.
A huge thanks to all chasers and I’m sorry for those I missed but rain and an urgent need to move the XYL to somewhere warmer meant I had to go QRT.
