Tried activating today for the first time (G/NP-014). Stuck to 2m FM to keep things simple (tried 70cm, with the usual success!). My thanks to all who responded to my calls - 5 including 2 S2S. I took too much water and warm clothing (weight), forgot my headphones (though didn’t see a soul, so no hassle) and my whistle 
Missed 1 S2S with LD, but decided not to wait for another chance. Also opted not to faff around changing over to SSB. A bit breezy, but otherwise a perfect day in the hills. I could have done with sunglasses at times.
I grew to love my SLAB! Maybe Mother Xmas will get me a LiFePo or similar idc.
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Hi Andy,
Glad you had a successful first activation. I think forgetting ‘bits and bobs’ is part of the fun of it all, I expect we have all forgotten something from time to time - just as long as its not your radio!!! Hopefully will work you one day if you decide to do HF from the tops. Good luck with future activations
73 Glyn
I never grew to love my SLAB Andy. Mind you, it was either a pair of 3.3AH ones in parallel or a 12AH one and neither arrangement was very economical in terms of weight versus capacity. Now you’ll be telling us you dragged a 65AH car battery up that lovely track to Rogan’s Seat. 
Well done on the first activation. Pity you didn’t try 2m SSB. We certainly need a few more activators to use the band/mode combination.
73, Gerald G4OIG
Afraid I’m prone to attacks of sarcasm Gerald! I hated the SLAB with a passion. Only a 12A/h though. I’ve read with interest (or is that amazement) people talking about the “best” SOTA radio. I’m a fan of lightweight (even if that means only 5W). As the owner of an FT897 (my base station), I have only admiration and respect for those who consider it portable!
I was trying to re-rig the 1/2 wave dipole for horizontal SSB operation and decided my fingers were too cold. Next time (might even try HF).
Thanks for the welcome both of you.
Yes, a 12AH SLAB is quite a lump - I did detect the sarcasm. 
I recall my SLAB weighed in at 4.2kg and with other odds and ends (now all refined in terms of weight), I used to regularly haul 17kg around the summits. In the early days I used an ally pole and a 5 element Tonna as well. I did drag 28kg up two Welsh hills when doing some comparison tests. My sherpa failed to show…
I have a 16Ah LifePO4 pack from Tracer. It is excellent, but way too much capacity for what I normally need. But at less than 70% of the weight of my old 7Ah SLAB it could be considered as a win-win situation. I wanted something that would cope with up to 30 hours use on a backpacking trip, and it certainly achieves that. For genuine lightweight portable activating, I would use my Youkits HB1B with its internal battery pack, end-fed LW on mini pole and Micro Z tuner. That is one lightweight system!
Only done Rogans Seat the once, but it was a traverse direct from Kisdon with G3CWI and M0HGY (then M3EYP). It was a lovely winters day with snow in the afternoon. One of those really memorable days on the hills.
http://tomread.co.uk/kisdon_2008.htm
http://tomread.co.uk/RogansSeatNP-014.htm
Thanks Tom, I read your blog as part of my research before my activation! Going down to Poole next week and thinking of trying a couple of hills near Swanage. The bug mus have caught! Perth tomorrow😀