In reply to G1INK:
It wasn`t too much fun on G/SP-015 Cloud today, Steve 
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to G1INK:
Well youâll just have to vent your angst on the Bingo tonight. 
Stay safe - we know you will!
73, Gerald G4OIG
Yeah Cloud was a bad choice today Mike. Thereâs hardly anywhere where you can get yourself out of the wind on SP-015, although there are places if you know where to look! But keeping 6m plus of mast + antenna protected from that sort of wind is nigh on impossible - which is why I opted for Gun G/SP-013.
My original plan was to set up the BHIV along the eastern edge of the wood, which is within the AZ. However, my boots were still wet from a few days ago, so it was my battered old cheap trainers on my feet. Some lady dog walkers told me that the path beyond the trig point down to the wood was much worse than the one coming up from the road - so no good for my in hardly suitable footwear.
So I branched right at the summit and dropped down the path towards the farm. I found a slightly sheltered spot by a small tree, about 10m vertically lower than the trig point, and set up there.
At last, I had my new BHIV antenna in the air and not coming straight back down at me! On the Youkits HB1B, I started on 80m, CW of course. Ten QSOs in 22 minutes went into the new SOTAbeams waterproof logbook, with three DXCCs: G, GW & GI.
It was time to uncouple the first set of links, which I did in order to commence on 40m CW. This band brought a swift 22 QSOs in 17 minutes, with seven DXCCs: DL, G, GM, GW, HB, ON & PA. Having a single antenna that did four bands and a proper CW portable transceiver was proving fun. Being able to adjust the filtering at the turn of a knob was cool, I only wished there was one for the CW speed as well!
I uncoupled another set of links, having to lower the mast by one pole section in order to do so. This was now set for 30m, so off I went on 10.115MHz CW. Twenty QSOs followed in 18 action-packed minutes, with 12 DXCCs worked - DL, F, G, HB, I, OE, OH, OK, OM, OZ, PA & SP.
In order to unclip the final set of links to turn my HBIV into a 20m dipole, I needed to briefly lower the mast by two sections. I was soon up and running again, and into the madhouse with 56 QSOs made in 47 minutes operating (with a 15 minute break). On 20m CW, I worked 21 DXCCs, which were 9A, DL, ES, G, I, LA, LZ, OE, OH, OK, OM, RA, S5, SM, SP, UA2, UA9, UR, VE, W & Z3. It was now very cold, and the wind had changed direction, making my spot not quite as sheltered as it was initially!
I packed everything away, then stood at the trig point in the full force of the icy, noisy gusting wind. A very brief 2m FM handheld operation brought eight QSOs in 11 minutes (just the one DXCC hi!). The final contact was my first S2S for the new award - with Mickey 2E0YYY/P over on The Cloud G/SP-015.
It was another case of dancing and hopping around the treacherous path in my flimsy worn-out old trainers, but I made it to the car in one piece and, remarkably, with two reasonably dry feet!
The total was 108 QSOs in 1 hour 44 minutes for the HF part of the activation (28 DXCCs), with the VHF bringing the total to 116 QSOs. Excellent fun in the cold with my new products (waterproof SOTA logbook, BHIV linked dipole and HB1B CW transceiver) from SOTAbeams.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
Impressive stuff, Tom! (It was nice to meet you at Nantwich, btw, and I now have Norbrec on the calendar)
Iâm afraid that I whimped out of my alerted activation of Gyrn Moelfre today. Weather wasnât too bad in Shrewsbury, but twenty miles away at Moelfre Hall I found blustery wind and driving rain. As far as I recall, the summit provides little opportunity for shelter, so having eaten a cheese sandwich, and observed no improvement, I turned tail. Apologies to anyone who listened out for meâŚ
Adrian
G4AZS
I only wished there was one for the CW speed as well!
I thought your speed was a bit higher than usual - I struggled to copy any more than my name and report. I can just about manage 20wpm, but despite many hours on G4FON my reading (or being pedantic, writing) speed isnât improving. Judging by the conditions here (65M ASL) it was not the time to ask for a QRS repeat.
Regards, Dave, as G6DTN
I struggled to copy any more than my name and report
Donât worry Dave, I donât think I sent you anything else. Maybe âFB Daveâ or âTUâ, but it looks like you copied all the âcontentâ of the QSO today. Yes, it looks like I was operating a little too fast today. I could read and write everything at that speed, but I made too many mistakes in my sending.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
Hi Tom,
Pretty much the same story a few miles away on the windswept and bitterly cold G/SP-015 Cloud. You made a smart move by opting for G/SP-013 Gun.
I Arrived about an hour later than you and had an absolute nightmare with the 7m fishing pole
It blew over just as I put my spot on 40m. However, all the chasers were having a nice natter amongst themselves while I was fighting to get the fishing pole back in the air 
Just as well I didn`t bring the kite, I probably would have ended up in the next county
Just 84 contacts made and what looks like 19 DXCCs, including 6 Stateside 1 Canada and 1 Brazil. Pretty pleased to work Stateside SOTA chaser N2YTF/M from his car!
Thanks for the S2S on 2m and well done on 21 DXCCs
Come to think of it, Iâm surprised someone hasn`t come up with DXCCs as a SOTA award! Over to you Barry
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
hasn`t come up with DXCCs as a SOTA award
How can you have DXCC on SOTA when there arenât 100 DX entities in the program?
Andy
MM0FMF
Remarkable performance on SP-015 Mickey! I couldnât even get an HF antenna up when I was on The Cloud the other day in wind as ferocious as that.
Just as well I didn`t bring the kite, I probably would have ended up in the next county
Given that the Cheshire-Staffordshire county boundary runs over Cloud summit, this is much less remarkable than it soundsâŚ
Thanks for the S2S on 2m and well done on 21 DXCCs.
Yes, cheers for the S2S, my first one to enter for the new award. The 21 DXCCs was on 20m. Across all bands, the total for my activation was 28 DXCCs.
Come to think of it, Iâm surprised someone hasn`t come up with DXCCs as a SOTA award! Over to you Barry
AARGH! No more, please! I think weâve got plenty as it is. Besides, having just completed the arduous work for the rules and the Database programming, this was not the best time to ask. I wouldnât go anywhere near Scotland for a while if I were you.
And, again, it is my now traditional duty to inform you that someone has in fact come up with that in the past. IIRC it was Roger MW0IDX who first mooted the idea a good 8 or 9 years ago.
But going back to my first point, how the hell did you get an HF aerial up and make 84 QSOs on The Cloud today? I canât think of anywhere in the AZ where you AND the antenna would have had sufficient shelter from the westerly wind. Top marks for that one Mickey.
73, Tom M1EYP
In reply to MM0FMF:
How can you have DXCC on SOTA when there arenât 100 DX entities in the program?
There are plenty enough DX entities that the activator could work from the summit. I suspect that was Mikeâs interpretation, and indeed the one Roger suggested many, many years ago. Youâre right though Andy, it wouldnât have a viable Chaser section!
In any case, I think our Mountain Hunter and Mountain Explorer awards more than adequately cater for any urge to indulge in âentity tickingâ while activating or chasing.
BTW, since Nantwich on Sunday, the Mountain Hunter award has been nicknamed the âMickey Awardâ.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
There are plenty enough DX entities that the activator could work from the >summit
Fair enough, but that would be just a DXCC award. Nothing to do with SOTA other than you happen to be not in the shack.
the Mountain Hunter award has been nicknamed the âMickey Awardâ.
OK, Iâll take the bait⌠Why? (Especially as he only has bronze there.)
Andy
MM0FMF
It is not better on this side of Irish Sea. Beautiful sunny WX with light wind on Saturday and since Sunday morning fog and gale - had to retreat from Comeraghs to an early afternoon bus.
Friday looks promising, will try some one-day trip with an activation.
73 Marek EI7KH