In reply to M1EYP:
Cor how long winded Tom! At 10wpm the Chasers have fallen asleep by the time you go to receive! I use a couple of CQ SOTA’s followed by a couple of callsigns and only give the summit reference when exchanging information. Works for me.
73, Gerald
In reply to M1EYP:
Dave - I call “CQ CQ CQ SOTA DE M1EYP/P M1EYP/P M1EYP/P SOTA
G/SP-015 K” - if that helps.
I presume you change the summit reference when appropriate or is that why you seem to have done some many activations of the cloud 
Ian
In reply to 2E0HJD:
It all depends what effort I’m putting in Mick. If I’ve got the 817, SLAB and SOTA Beam running, I do well on 2m, with QSO totals usually 10+ and sometimes 20+ or even higher. Today was a mainly HF CW activation, but I called on the handy after dismantling the HF stuff.
i know you are not noted for having good signals or working lots of stations Tom so the fact that you did`t even manage to work your usual 4 on 2m and missed out on a s2s dont add up
I wasn’t aware that I had those reputations in SOTA circles Mick, thank you for letting me know. But if that is the case, then surely it DOES add up - it explains why!
Today I did 40m CW, 15m CW, 2m FM & 70cm FM. 12 QSOs on CW, 7 on FM. Have a look on my Activator Log on the SOTA Database and see if “your usual 4” is an appropriate comment. I think you might be getting me confused with my sprog, but even he is growing out of that habit!
Cheers, Tom
Gerald, thanks for sharing that - I will try the shorter method and compare results. But I am up to about 14wpm now you know 
Ian, hi. Many a true word though. I do hesitate just before sending the reference of any hill other than The Cloud!
In reply to M1EYP:
Hi Tom,
14 wpm used to be (and may still be) the “standard” CW speed used commercially. In my opinion, there are too many amateur radio ops out there thinking they’re something special running at 20 wpm and more - no doubt with a Rotweiler or Pit Bull Terrier under the operating bench, Hi! (Big whatsit syndrome). Will be interested to see how you get on using a shorter call. It may be that you require more transmit overs!
As for sending G/SP-015, I usually drop the G/ since my information overs generally go something like GM4FAM GW4OIG/P GM CRIS MNI TNX UR 599 599 / SW-035 SW-035 OK? BK. Another forward slash might confuse in that format, but I realise that the German stations have to differentiate between the DL and DM summits and many others use the country prefix with the summit reference as well. Wouldn’t it be boring if we all sent the same format?
73, Gerald
In reply to M0DFA:
Sorry for the delay, Dave, just finished on the SSTV net on 2!
I cant read the serial Nos but gather they tell you the year of manufacture somehow.
It is worth trying Widebander V4 by free download, if it works, great, if not then there is no harm done! It doesn’t work with my shiney new 857 but that is very recent.
They say the fatigue problem is cured by practise, but I’ve been trying (on and off) for 44 years!
73
Brian G8ADD
Another perfect example today of the lack of 2m chasers when Carolyn GD6WRW/P was calling cq for long spells without reply for many a time.
It’s getting desperate!! Where have all the 2m chasers gone? GD/GD-001 always had a massive pile up without fail, not the case any more no matter who tries to tell us differently.
73 Mike
In reply to GW0DSP:
Can’t work 'em If I can’t hear 'em Mike 
Roger G4OWG
In reply to GW0DSP:
Neither Graham or I could hear Carolyn, I tried a call but no go. As Roger says, you can’t work 'em if you can’t hear 'em, and I have a great path to GD so something must be wrong with her set-up, perhaps.
The Chsers are on the case, Mike, don’t worry, but we need something to work on!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
Strange, I’m on a vert only but received a 59 rprt as did AAV HJD HIK NHM etc
Carolyn has 817 and Beam so no probs there Brian.
Must just be strange conditions, trying to get her onto ssb for you and Graham but nil at the moment so she may have gone to ssb now, worth a look.
catch you later Brian.
73 Mike
In reply to GW0DSP:
Thanks, Mike, the Brum Team are continuously monitoring 300 but nil so far!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
Lost her now, maybe qrt, but not certain, I know that the Birmingham mafia would be out in force, business as usual ,hi, but honestly Brian the situation in the N.West is getting dire, where there was always pileups there are now maybe 4 to 6 chasers and contacts, and people are honestly struggling to qualify summits on 2m.
I thought the support for fun nights was superb, but don’t understand where the chasers have all gone during daytime.
Not to worry, we will do our best.
73 Mike
Its all about perception I suppose. You see, I would have thought that 11 contacts was on the up side. When I read through the reports, I assumed Carolyn had been struggling to get the requisite 4 contacts. I am pleased to see that the activation was qualified comfortably.
Anyway, I’m getting lost in all this now. Is the perceived problem that activators aren’t doing enough bands/modes/power or that the chasers aren’t monitoring, or that SOTA is dying?
In reply to GW0DSP:
Its a bit on the quiet side round here, too, perhaps they are all gatting their annual fix of sun, sea and sangria! Mind you, I’m missing a bit having to keep up with the gardening, I keep threatening to have the lawn up and lay down astroturf on top of chicken wire!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
I keep threatening to have the lawn up and lay down astroturf on top of chicken wire!
Chipmunks?
73 Marc GØAZS
In reply to G0AZS:
Thanks for the belly laugh!
Covert groundplane, actually (and it’s no good me dreaming, the XYL LOVES that lawn!)
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to M1EYP:
Anyway, I’m getting lost in all this now. Is the perceived problem
that activators aren’t doing enough bands/modes/power or that the
chasers aren’t monitoring, or that SOTA is dying?
IIRC Tom this has come up every summer apart from the very first year. Just check the Yahoo group reflector and , if it still existed, the SOTA message board.
I wish people would just get on with SOTA and stop carping. Any system will evolve, but the evolution may not be in everyone’s perceived direction.
Members will come and go, they always have in any hobby, work environment or organisation. Continually highlighting a perceived problem which is not proven either way will only put off new recruits to SOTA. Then the death of SOTA will , erroneously , become a self fulfilling prophesy.
Roger G4OWG
I love SOTA. A great idea, well executed and enhanced with the superb spotting and alerts system. However I have always found summer a quiet time both from a relative lack of activators and my own day to day living. There are other things do over the summer, like chipmunk proofing the lawn…I also have the school holidays to contend with which creates qrm of another kind and tends to disrupt the “normal” pattern of life…
I too am a little fed up of the grumbling, some of which is getting a little unpleasant. Its a hobby, enjoy it and live and let live.
By the way anybody going to Donnington?
Q
In reply to GW3BV:
Where have all the chasers gone? Long time passing,
Where have all the chasers gone? Long time ago.
Where have all the chasers gone?
On SUMMER HOLIDAY every one.
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have the Activators gone? Long time passing,
Where have the Activators gone? Long time ago,
Where have the Activators gone?
For WINTER BONUS every one.
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
With apologies to Bob Dylan
PS We will be at Donnington both days, see you all there.
Rob and Audrey
G4RQJ
In reply to G4RQJ:
Very good Rob glad it was written though and not in your best singing voice, hi.
73 Mike