My dad Tom M1EYP spotted himself earlier today on Kinder Scout G/SP-001. Please note that he incorrectly spotted himself for this summit because he was actually activating Black Hill G/SP-002 earlier today. If you have chased my dad earlier today, please make sure that you have G/SP-002 in your chaser log, not G/SP-001.
Jimmy M0HGY
Ever since the new Macclesfield FC was formed following the sad demise of Macclesfield Town FC, and placed in the regional North West Counties League, I had the idea to combine SOTA activations with away matches.
That series of outings was supposed to start with the football season in early August - but I somewhat unexpectedly found myself at sea by then and until mid November.
The first opportunity to do this came today, with other away matchdays so far clashing with gigs.
**Black Hill G/SP-002 - 1130-1148z - 2m FM - 7 QSOs **
S2S: M7BIA/P on Kinder Scout G/SP-001
G6WBS/P on Fair Snape Fell G/SP-007
Time was limited as kick off was at the unusually early time of 2pm. A brisk walk back down the Pennine Way saw me back at the car for 1215z, and I was arriving at Prestwich Heys FC around an hour later.
Prestwich is a proper small non league club, like those I would visit when following Macclesfield Town as a teenager. Swapping ends at half-time, watching pitchside with a pie and a pint, and an interesting matchday programme prepared by volunteer enthusiasts.
The only disappointment was the shock 1-0 defeat. Even more shocking was the standard of officiating. I’m no fan of VAR but it’s absence from 9th tier football cost us a good goal and a stonewall penalty!
Apologies to anyone I threw by self-spotting as Kinder Scout and posting Shining Tor on Facebook! Hopefully all the chasers worked took the reference from what I said on air rather than the internet!
I wondered why you had gone up Kinder Scout again today…
Listened out for you on both but couldn’t hear you at all at the home QTH unfortunately.
Rubbish start to the 2022 activity contesting season last night. At 2 degrees Celcius, but with a cloud-free sky, it was bitterly cold on the summit of The Cloud G/SP-015. I doubted my resilience to complete the full 3.5 hours of the FMAC followed by UKAC. It didn’t happen!
The FMAC started well enough, but stations were soon reporting sudden drops in my signal and a problem. My first set of investigations revealed nothing but did not solve the problem. My second caused the separation of crocodile clip from RG58.
At least a few of the 14 contesters I did work were recognised active SOTA chasers who will log their QSOs on the SOTA Database as well as the RSGB VHFCC website.
All that high living on the cruise has made you soft.
I am going soft - guilty. I don’t think it’s the sea-life that did it though. I think it’s old age. I think this because of the following things I have noticed on my spate of recent SOTA activations:
I have become acutely aware of these and other effects ever since my age began with a ‘5’ a year and a half ago. I take it the situation doesn’t improve when it begins with a ‘6’? I was only 32 when I got involved with SOTA. The programme has aged me…
Gets even worse when it begins with a “7” and bits start failing.
Goodness knows what happens when the magic number is “8” - Brian @G8ADD ???
The next time the magic number is going to start with a 6 and I can’t decide which is deteriorating faster, my ability to climb the hill, or my memory of how far it was last time…
Friday 14th January 2022 - Billinge Hill G/SP-017
Litherland REMYCA FC v Macclesfield FC
Another SOTA - Football combo. At least it makes a change from the more typical SOTA - Gig combo!
I was teaching in Timperley (famous for one of Manchester’s greatest legends) during the day, and Macclesfield FC were away at Litherland REMYCA (which I later learned was a made-up word as opposed to initials) in the evening. The game was to be played at Bootle FC’s stadium due to flooding at Litherland’s home ground.
That made my journey rather obvious - it had to be via Billinge Hill G/SP-017. I parked on Crank Road and approached via the access road for the scrapyard. I operated on 2m FM just with the handheld, and made seven contacts, including @M0HGY on the FT-991A in the home shack.
I then completed the journey to Bootle and watched the top-versus-bottom North West Counties League Premier Division clash, which Macclesfield won 2-1. A tedious journey back had to be endured due to motorway closures and diversions. Traffic jams at 10.30pm on a Friday night are absolutely bobbins … which I guess brings us back to the subject of Timperley!
Soccer On The Air! 
But this probably exists, I heard someone calling “CQ Windmill” recently so are there folk who activate football stadiums?
Which isn’t meant to be a challenge to you Tom!
Challenge accordingly not accepted as you wish 
I have renamed this thread to be more representative of the theme that has developed!
Today I wanted more winter bonus points - but I also wanted to go to the match. That meant a 5am get-up!
Pendle Hill G/SP-005
After a quiet and uneventful early morning drive, I was parking on the lane in Barley just as daybreak was hinting at occurring.
I could see headlamps on the path angling right up to Pendle Big End. I later caught them up and overtook them - I must be getting fitter!
I reached the summit trig shortly after 8am. My first CQ call was answered by M0MZB/P on Robinson G/LD-021 for a surprise S2S.
Contacts then came slowly at a rate of about one every three minutes. With five in the log, I began my descent using the other path off the summit.
Boulsworth Hill G/SP-008
I parked close to the 392m spot height south-west of the hill and approached via the long track the heads north east and terminates about 10-15 minutes final ascent from the summit.
This was a proper triumph for a 2m FM handheld + rubber duck activation! I had a mini pile-up to work through and ended with twelve QSOs in the log. One caller, a local, advised me that the summit I was at was simply Boulsworth Hill, and that Lad Law was a different part of the hill. The OS 1:25000 sheet suggests that Lad Law IS the summit of G/SP-008.
On the return walk, a passing Walker asked me if I was M1EYP! It was a G7 who said he’d heard my final call just before setting off from home to walk his dogs - though he wasn’t activating himself.
Back to the car, and the satnav was now heading for the last of the programmed positions - Charnock Richard FC. 22 years ago, Macclesfield were playing Manchester City, Stoke City and Fulham. Today we were to be playing a motorway service station!
Still, it’s football, and I’m enjoying the ride. Come on you Silkmen!
Wishful thinking I suspect.
I summited Pendle in 35 minutes from Barley Lane. I’d completed both activations and descents by 1200 after a 0545 start out from home/0730 walk start. Not fell runner performance, but certainly no slouch.
Today it was Padiham v Macclesfield.
With a relatively late start out caused by an urge to submit 78 points worth of activations to the SOTA Database, the only feasible SOTA to pair with this trip was Easington Fell G/SP-012.
Blinking weather!
We’d originally planned a walk around Leek but cancelled that in view of the forecast. So instead I went to watch Macc away at Padiham. As usual I selected a nearby summit to wander up with my radio.
Easington Fell, just north of Clitheroe was ascended during a gap in the rain and with the strong wind on my back. Got my four contacts for SOTA and began the descent.
It was great to work Mike @G4BLH and his wife Louise G8CME plus two of Barnoldswick’s several stalwart SOTA chasers.
However now the rain restarted, and walking now directly into the wind, the rain was horizontal into my face. I utilised some of the change of clothes I’d brought as back-up and set off on the 20 minute drive to Padiham.
Just as I was walking past the pub outside the ground, some Macc fans coming the other way advised that the referee had just called the game off due to a waterlogged pitch!
Only thing for it was to sample said pub before heading back home! Nice pint, pie & peas and watch the extra time of Kidderminster v West Ham.
Before heading home I took a photo of a new ground visited by me, even if I was yet to watch any football being payed there!
