In reply to G8ADD:
In reply to M1EYP:
What makes a summit a great experience?
Call me a Philistine Brian, but as long as a summit has good VHF or even better, good HF take-off, I’m as happy as a pig in the preverbial.
I’ve decided to take in G/TW-004 on Saturday as this fits in nicely with this Sundays Hornsea rally. I’ve got a feeling I won’t be needing my camera for this summit though 
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Hi Mike There is a Trig so take your camera.73 Geoff G6MZX. http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=481500&y=456500&z=120&sv=cot+nab&st=3&tl=Map+of+Cot+Nab,+East+Riding+of+Yorkshire+&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf
In reply to G6MZX:
Hi Geoff,
Street Map seems to have the trig point in a different place to Google Map. The Google map has it very close to the lay-by.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Call me a Philistine Brian
Mike, you are a Philistine Brian!
The point that should be considered is this:
Do you see SOTA as an outdoor pursuit where walking in the countryside are paramount and the radio operation is the cherry on the cake or do you see SOTA as radio operation with the downside of having to do some exercise before you can go on the air?
I’m most strongly in support of the first view nowadays. When I started I saw the exercise as a necessary evil in order to play radio. My view changed after about 40 uniques and with increasing physical fitness.
Andy
MM0FMF
EDIT: I’m not sure there is a correct answer to this question!
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Hi Mike Zoom in one notch on streetmap and you will see its in the same place.I find streetmap far better than Google and you can move the map around with mouse and curser.If I do a summit I always print myself a map from streetmap.Its cheaper than buying a map.And you can throw it away when you come home.73 Geoff
In reply to MM0FMF:
The point that should be considered is this:
Do you see SOTA as an outdoor pursuit where walking in the countryside
are paramount and the radio operation is the cherry on the cake or do
you see SOTA as radio operation with the downside of having to do some
exercise before you can go on the air?
Shirely, radio must be priority, Andy? Without radio, there would’nt be any SOTA!
Chasers would soon get fed up reading reports about how “actvtors didn’t take the radio out of the rucksack because they were so overwhelmed by the fantastic walk up and the fabulous vista of a summit”
I’m most strongly in support of the first view nowadays. When I
started I saw the exercise as a necessary evil in order to play radio.
My view changed after about 40 uniques and with increasing physical
fitness.
Well, there’ no denying, I’m a lot fitter and a lot slimmer since joining the ranks of SOTA.
Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to G6MZX:
Hi Mike Zoom in one notch on streetmap and you will see its in the
same place.
Cheers Geoff, I’ll do that.
VHF dosen’t look too hot from there.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Hi Mike
The trig point on G/TW-004 Bishop Wilton Wold (known locally as Garrowby Hill) is in the Water board compound close by the layby on the left hand side as you come from York on the A166. The summit has a very flat top so there is plenty of room to activate including another layby on the opposite side of the road.
By the way there is a very good bikers cafe in the nearby village of Fridaythorpe, they do excellent bacon butties to warm you up nicely after an activation!
Good luck and cu at the Hornsea Rally.
73
Nick G4OOE
In reply to G4OOE:
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Hi MikeThe trig point on G/TW-004 Bishop Wilton Wold (known locally as
Garrowby Hill) is in the Water board compound close by the layby on
the left hand side as you come from York on the A166.
Cheers Nick. SOTA activation AND bacon butties …don’t get too much better than that!!!
CU Sunday.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to M1EYP:
The one pointers that I have enjoyed with good views and a reasonable walk include the following:
G/WB-009 Worcestershire Beacon - great 360 degree views
G/TW-001 Urra Moor Round Hill - great views to the North
G/TW-002 Cringle Moor Drake Howe - again great views to the North
G/LD-055 Muncaster Fell - great coastal views
G/WB-019 May Hill - great views of Malvern Hills and Severn Estuary
73
Nick G4OOE
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Shirely, radio must be priority, Andy? Without radio, there would’nt
be any SOTA!Mike
2E0YYY
So what is the difference between SOTA and the plenitude of other -OTAs, why is it spreading so fast that the MT can hardly keep up with the new Association requests and the updates? Why not devote yourself to castles, lighthouses and W-iFFy? Is it not because even a self-avowed philistine (or rather Philistine Brian! ) has fallen somewhat under the spell of the hills?
It takes more than a desire to score points to drive us up hills at times when we know that we will suffer from more than just exertion, when cold, high winds and even rain or snow is likely. The lure is the hills themselves, the magic of high places. Sure the radio is important, but it is only a part of the experience, half an hour or an hour out of an expedition that might well take several hours - and yes, I hold my hand up, there has been a few times when I didn’t unpack the radio (because I didn’t think it would like the weather but wouldn’t abandon the climb!) and many times when I lingered, absorbed by the magic, and felt a curious reluctance to break the spell and get cracking with the activation.
Even at least some of the chasers feel the magic; how often do you hear “it’s years since I was last up there” or “what is it like today?” and even “if only I was a little younger…” At least a proportion of the chasers know the magic and are enjoying it vicariously through the activations.
Call me a mystical old mountaineer if you like, but I sense quite strongly that there is more to SOTA than distant voices, points, awards and trophies. The fellowship of SOTA springs from sharing the magic.
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
(snipped for brevity)
Call me a mystical old mountaineer if you like, but I sense quite
strongly that there is more to SOTA than distant voices, points,
awards and trophies. The fellowship of SOTA springs from sharing the
magic.
I’m sure, you would be amongst the first to agree Brian, everyone has their own reason for doing SOTA?
For me, it’s the appeal of dragging all sorts of odd-ball antennas up summits and trying to make them do, exactly what they aren’t designed to do.
Calling CQ and working pile-ups on both VHF and HF is what is what I enjoy doing most. Chasing HF DX and getting through a pile-up with just a few Watts and a SLAB for power. Sure, some days it’s like shelling peas, however, there are days when every contact has to be earned and that makes it even more rewarding. Of course, the walks and views are great, however, radio is what it’s all about for me.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Yes, Mike, but you could do all that with less effort under the auspices of WFF or CASHOTA! No, I’m not trying to get rid of you, just pointing out that those walks and views may play a bigger part than you realise!
73
Brian G8ADD
Excellent point Brian. It sounds like WAB square activating would be more Mickey’s thing. As you point out, something must be luring him to play with his radios under the SOTA banner, rather than the other programmes. I agree with Brian, I think the hills are appealing to you more than you consciously realise. Or can you put your finger on whatever else it is Mickey?
Tom M1EYP
SJ87 (formerly SJ87CHS)
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Well, there’ no denying, I’m a lot fitter and a lot slimmer since
joining the ranks of SOTA.Mike
2E0YYY
Guess I need to do a lot of activating then… :o)
73 Graham G4FUJ
In reply to G8ADD:
The lure is the hills themselves, the magic of high places.
… a good day out on the hills is usually followed by a bout of claustrophobia on the way home in the car! 
73, Gerald G4OIG