With the supermarket shelves due to fill up with Xmas crackers, Xmas puddings, Xmas cards, selection boxes, fairy lights and tinsel within the next few days, I thought this may be a good time to mention my planned Xmas day morning activation.
Last year, on Christmas Day morning, I nipped down to my local summit G/SP-013 Gun and took a chance on a Christmas Day activation. To be quite honest, I was unsure whether I would even qualify the summit. As it turned out, in under two and half hours, the contacts came thick and fast including 29 on 18MHz and 24 on 21MHz (anyone else remember those far distant days when it was possible to work the higher HF frequencies?)
This for me was one of the best activations I completed last year. Just over one hour later and with 95 contacts in the log, I was back at my next door neighbours house, drinking Champagne and preparing to stuff myself with turkey…
In view of last years success, I’ve alerted for another Christmas Day morning activation on Gun, just for a couple of hours, subject to WX.
Anyone else up for what I can only describe as a great couple of hours radio?
Will you be doing this on your unicycle? Let me know so I can add a “Unicycle” tickbox on the activator log entry pages so you can finally claim a SOTA first.
Hi Mike… to me Christmas day is a total waste of time and I’d be well up for getting the radio out - that is, if I wasn’t forced every year to do the “family” thing.
In reply to 2E0YYY:
hi mike,
to be honest christmas day is the best day to be on the radio.
it is something of a tradition in our house and family.
so a SOTA would be nice, if i hear you on i will give yu a call.
once again thanks for the contacts.
73,
mark.
hi mike,
to be honest christmas day is the best day to be on the radio.
it is something of a tradition in our house and family.
so a SOTA would be nice, if i hear you on i will give yu a call.
No problem Mark. Lets hope the WX is good as the approach roads to Gun would be very difficult in snow.
once again thanks for the contacts.
Thanks for the 70cm contact from Helvellyn on Thursday. DX contacts were difficult on 2m from what turned out to be a defective handy
Yep, I was amazed at just how many chasers called in to say ‘Merry Xmas’! The WX was great too. To be honest, I was enjoying the activation so much, if it hadn’t been for my Xmas lunch arrangements, I would have happily stayed a bit longer and worked a few more bands.
Will you be doing this on your unicycle? Let me know so I can add a
“Unicycle” tickbox on the activator log entry pages so you
can finally claim a SOTA first.
Be careful, you might have to eat your words one day Andy. I’m sure Mike is more than capable of sitting on a unicycle and operating. That could be easily achieved on SP-004 by having one foot on the stone wall. You mention nothing of having to be actually moving, indeed would that not be mobile rather than portable. I suppose you would require the final ascent to be made on that particular mode of transport to be a valid unicycle activation… but then again how would you propose “policing” that?
You’re talking about Christmas, that happens in the summer
Hi Wayne,
I don’t suppose Christmas in VK goes that well with SOTA. After all, everyone I know in Australia usually has a Christmas Day barbecue on the beach… and what’s this terminology “summer”? Apparently we no longer recognise that as a season here in the UK.
Be careful, you might have to eat your words one day Andy. I’m sure
Mike is more than capable of sitting on a unicycle and operating.
With a bit of practice, sittiing on a unicycle and operating, I don’t see as too much of a problem, Gerald. However, riding the thing up to the trig point with a bag full of 22Ah SLABs, now that just may prove bit more challenging
I’m not sure what is funnier, the image Mike on a unicycle pedalling back and forth working contacts. Or the cry of exasperation Mike would let out when, having got setup for a unicycle expedition on Christmas Day and having worked KH0, only to find someone entered a whole slew of unicycle activations the day before.
p.s. Mike, well done on getting up that big lump with Dave the other day.
However, riding the thing up to the trig point with a bag full of 22Ah SLABs, now that just may prove bit more challenging
Ah well Mike, the 22AH slabs could stay at home for once. I’m sure a handheld would suffice on that summit. I see unicycles start at around £70 - might find a cheapy on eBay…
It’s a good job I don’t live in Blackpool as there’s one on eBay sitting at £8 at the moment. Only time until a cheap one comes up locally. I’ll let you know…
