G/LD-037 Little Mell Fell.
This was a short but steep ascent. It’s slightly bigger brother G/LD-035 Great Mell Fell can be seen in the centre of this photo. Half hour of CQ calls on 2m FM and I only had 3 QSO’s logged so it was a relief to get my fourth QSO and qualify the Summit when Tim G4YTD/P called from G/LD-007 for a S2S QSO.
73 Chris M0RSF
Well done Chris. I never relax until number 4 is in the log as there is usually too much time and expense involved… plus, of course, my Uniques MO. Having to return to a summit would mean disaster! 
I’d certainly have been rather concerned by half an hour! 
Thanks Gerald, as you know it can be difficult qualifying a Summit on weekdays as many people are at work. I called CQ several times then left it 5 minutes or so and called CQ again. I would have kept calling until the Summit was qualified as the weather was nice today. I have HF with me too and I should have taken that along with me too.
I’m sure that I’m not the only one to have failed activations in the past.
G/NP-009 Buckden Pike (ridiculously strong gales) and G/SP-004 Shining Tor (cold weather killed AA batteries in 817) spring to mind.
73 Chris M0RSF
PS: Cue failed activation excuses.
Chris .
I could just and so hear you when you were talking to Tim on Fairfield (about a 2/1) before I lost you approx 30 miles West of you from my location on a bit of high ground near Whitehaven . Good to catch you on Lords Seat on Saturday anyway. You had some decent weather for your trip .
Richard .
I had the same issue on the Great Orme (GW/NW-070) on Sunday. It took well over 1/2 hour to get 4 in the bag. I initially though proximity to the telecommunications tower on the summit was to blame (as it is on Billinge Hill and Black Hil), but even with the 2m BPF in-line, getting 4 contacts was a struggle. I gave up at 5 assuming the lack of QSOs was due to Jubilee celebrations
73
Dave (MQ0JKS
I heard Tim work you but I couldn’t hear you unfortunately. No doubt due to the higher peaks surrounding us. Thanks for the QSO when Natalie and I were on Lords Seat. I failed to qualify that Summit four years ago when I only managed one QSO.
Weather has been kind to us so far but I believe that it’s going to change after today.
73 Chris M0RSF
I’ve yet to activate Great Orme and I know of people who have logged plenty from up there. I’m surprised you struggled on a Sunday but as you say maybe people were celebrating the old lasses Jubilee.
I got the NOV for the MQ prefix but I’ve yet to use it and I wasn’t aware that it could be used for SOTA.
73 Chris M0RSF
Yes I was surprised I heard you at all even with the beam pointed that way, when you look at the terrain .and the distance .
All the best .
Richard.
I was there on Thursday - and managed 4 contacts on 2m FM but had a complete fail on HF (although I didn’t try very hard) on 40 and 20. Conditions were not brilliant, and I think my efhw isn’t quite as effective as the linked dipole, but still qualified and it was the second summit of the day!
