Hi,
Managed to sneak off work at short notice and with the weather as good as it is, took advantage of an early start for my first walk up Shining Tor.
Having parked at the Cat and Fiddle, loaded myself up with rucksack and fishing pole, a very pleasant and gentle walk up to the summit on such a fine and warm morning.
Arrived on the summit to total peace and quiet. After having a coffee, erected the linked di-pole and connected everything up. I even managed to self-spot on the website…A good omen of things to come?
Dreams of chasing DX, filling in pages of the log and flattened batteries seem to disappear after a couple of minutes. I was talking to myself!
Then, thankfully, George, HB9BIN started everything off. Great signal both ways.Thanks for your help too George.
DJ5AV followed and then the band was quiet once more, so moved to 20m for a bit more fishing.
GW7AAV, SP6LK, ON5JM/P, E73EPA all came back to me calling away on a full 5 watts.
I also bagged my first ever S2S contact with LA8BCA/P, although I have no idea if there is a separate log I need to fill in to claim the S2S?
All quiet again. QSY to 10m and am all alone again until G0DRM takes pity on me and we have a pleasant QSO.
Lastly, moved up to 2m ssb and I managed my second S2S contact (I must be good at this?) with Pete MW0COP/P on the Black Mountains in South Wales.
With the sun getting stronger and flask about to be empty, I took a comfortable seat on the bench next to the trig point and my whole morning was ruined!
Walking up the path towards the summit was (I am being generous now) a man who appeared to be around 70 years old…out for a stroll in the sun…wearing NOTHING but an extremely small posing pouch attached to his ‘person’ with a small piece of string…He then wanted to stand right in front of me and talk!
I did’nt stay sitting on the bench for long.
You see and meet the strangest things when on a hill.
Many thanks to all those stations worked today. Sorry if I missed anyone.
73’s until next time,
John
G1STQ