In reply to M1EYP:
Congratulations Tom…
I made sure to set the alarm and dragged myself out of bed to work you. As you could hear from the odd extra “dit”, I’m still a bit groggy after a week away and a 12 hour flight yesterday… but worth getting up for.
Now off to “The Woods” to blow the cobwebbs off… CUL
73 Marc G0AZS
In reply to M1EYP:
I have to take my hat off to you Tom on your 200th on The Cloud! Only 194 for me to catch you.
That sure is dedication to SOTA. Sean / M0GIA
Saturday was a ‘day off’ from The Cloud, preoccupied with much needed rest after the previous day’s staff football, plus two football matches to watch, one at the Moss and one on the box. Both goalless at half-time, both with six second half strikes. I heard rumours that my call was being pirated. Poor research by the perpetrator to do so 40 minutes into a Macclesfield home game hi!
That ‘day off’ was supposed to become a weekend off, but a 'phone call from G3CWI changed all that. Marianne and the lads had just gone out to church for the Harvest service, and the weather outside was stunning. Richard was setting off for a cycle ride to G/SP-015.
“Why not?” I thought, so I quickly completed my tasks with the dishwasher and the washing machine, and jumped in the car. On the narrow lane between North Rode and Cloudside, I passed the cycling G3CWI. I was lucky to get a parking spot; The Cloud was understandably busy on this uncharacteristically glorious October lunchtime.
I made 15 contacts on 40m CW, including a S2S with OK1LV/P on OK/PL-089. Increasingly, I had walkers homing in on me, interested in what I was doing. At one point I was surrounded by a crowd of about fifteen, eager to know who I was communicating with. I was having to shout out the countries to them each QSO. The pile-up seemed to be getting bigger, but I was increasingly frequently having to leave it waiting, as more and more people stopped by for a chat and a guided tour of my station! At around 12.45pm, I worked those that were still waiting for me, and packed 40m away.
A telephone call from Jimmy (at home) was received, asking if I was going on 2m, and would I like spotting? Affirmative in the both, I relocated to the side of the trig point and called on my VX-7R hand-portable. A further seven QSOs were made including S2S with G4WHA/P on G/LD-018, and 2E0MAS/P & M6AJS/P on G/SP-010.
On the descent, the interviews continued, mainly from members of the large Ramblers’ Society group that were out and about. There seemed to be a genuinely positive mood about discovering amateur radio, with some suggesting they would enquire further to find their local radio clubs. Then again, perhaps the nice day had put people in unusually friendly and optimistic frames of mind.
I QSO’d with Jimmy M3EYP on my drive back to Macc, picked him and Liam up, and drove back across town to the Railway View, one of the area’s best real ale haunts. Here we again met Richard, who had completed his 80 minute return cycle ride from Bosley, and enjoyed a pint or two.
Very pleasant; thanks to all callers.
Tom M1EYP
Somewhat sluggish out of bed on Monday 13th October 2008, meant that my eventual QRV time on 7.032MHz CW was an unimpressive 0617z. However, 40m is always livelier than 80m on CW, and I had 8 QSOs from 6 DXCCs in the log in very short order. I think there were more stations that called me as well, but another QSO came up on the QRG, together with the ‘HI’ merchants, making things difficult. I tuned down to 7.0315MHz CW to finish off. No response to a call on 2m, but Steve GW7AAV was there to work me for a 70cm contact at the end of the activation.
Thanks,
Tom M1EYP
Much faster out of bed on Tuesday 14th October 2008, meant that my eventual QRV time on 7.032MHz CW was an improved 0607z. I made 11 contacts on 40m CW, but fairly slow going, with no less than three 5 minute gaps in my log. DXCCs worked were S5, 9A, HB, F, HA, OE and SM. Very unusual to get nothing from DL or OK.
It was pretty dark while walking up. I don’t think headtorch for the morning ascent is far off now. A call on 2m FM brought nothing, but a call on 70cm FM resulted in Steve GW7AAV and Helen GW7AAU being added to the log.
Thanks, Tom M1EYP
I was even faster out of bed this morning, but dawdled a while looking at the incessant drizzle outside. Still, I got on the road at 6.15am and drove up to the parking spot for The Cloud. Here I again dallied, wondering whether to just do a swift VX-7R 2m FM activation, or just not bother and get to work early.
The rain eased off slightly, and I did the decent thing, hauling on my rucksack and pole. Being a couple of minutes earlier and another day later meant that my ascent was darker still compared to yesterday. I set up the 40m antenna on summit and settled in behind the topograph.
The activation was satisfying with 13 QSOs from 8 DXCCs (DL, OK, SM, HA, HB, I, F and S5) on 40m CW, although it never got to the stage of a pile-up. GW was added on 70cm FM, and it was time to go to work.
Cheers, Tom M1EYP
I could hear the others calling you, but not a whisper from you this morning, Tom
Peter
I heard you call me Peter, and went back to you. Maybe tomorrow. I remember this effect from last year. As dawn gets later each morning, and my activation becomes relatively eariler in terms of night/day, the skip gets longer. Last year, as we headed deeper into winter, all my usual callers from F, DL, PA dried up, but were replaced by calls from OE, OM, OK, SP, UT, RA.
In fact I got a call from an RA1 this morning, but he disappeared quickly in QSB.
Tom M1EYP
I called but was not at all sure you came back to me, and when others came in I knew this was not for me this time. After that you dissapeared in the morning mist, hihi
But there’s always next time. Thanks for trying
Peter
Perhaps the afternoon will be better for you Peter. As a result of this, I have cancelled my early morning Cloud activation, and rescheduled it for Thursday afternoon. OK, not really. Marianne (my XYL) is working tomorrow, and I have to be in the house before work until 7.45am, so an activation is not possible tomorrow morning. I will go on the way home from work instead.
73, Tom
No need to change any plans on my behalf Tom, :o).
We are depended on the radio waves and thats what it makes it challenging and fun.
Peter
Set up for just about my alert time, on a very cold Cloud summit this afternoon, only to find carnage across the favoured 7.030 to 7.034MHz segment of the 40m band. Turns out, there was a DX station on 7.025MHz listening up - effectively wiping out the following 10kcs.
I started calling CQ on a clear 7.015MHz, but without SOTAwatch, which was offline at the time, it was just a case of seeing if I could find someone. I did - I worked three stations, OZ, DL and RA, the contacts all being slightly more conversational than normal outside of the normal SOTA pile-up protocol.
Then I had the idea of checking the 15m band. There was some activity knocking around. I called CQ, and immediately worked a strong EA8 station. I chased a K2 and a V5 station, who was working split, but I failed to get through to either.
I am now inspired to do some more afternoon activating, and seeing what I can do with 15m CW.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
I worked three stations, OZ, DL and RA, the contacts
all being slightly more conversational than normal outside of the
normal SOTA pile-up protocol.
Sorry Tom, I can’t agree. If that kind of QSO becomes a SOTA pile-up protocol, it will be without me. Once more, I must say that SOTA activations are not contest QSO, nor big DX like VK9.
“Everybody does what he wants”, so please don’t say “protocol”, unless I make a translation mistake.
73
Alain
I use the word casually to mean “what normally happens” Alain, not what any ‘rules’ are - of course there aren’t any such rules. I think that most of us agree with you, that the more relaxed style of QSOs in SOTA is something we enjoy.
Tom
In reply to M1EYP:
OK Tom, thanks for your answer
Alain
This morning’s activation of The Cloud G/SP-015 was the best one of the week. I was up nice and early, and on the road by 6.10am (0510z). The ascent was fantastic, pre-dawn in darkness, but illuminated by bright moonlight. The torch was carried, but not used 
It was less cold on the summit than yesterday afternoon, so once I had set up the antenna and settled in under the topograph, I was rather comfortable. I made my first call, and got my first contact - HA4FY - at 0556z, so I had made good time as well.
The QSOs rolled on quite quickly for the first ten minutes, but then, uncharacteristically slowed down after 0620z - which is when things usually pick up. Nonetheless, the early start meant that I had 18 contacts in the log by the time I packed up and went to work, 16 on 40m CW and two on 70cm FM.
10 DXCCs worked were: HA(1), I(2), 9A(2), DL(2), OE(2), HB(3), F(2), G(1), SM(1), GW(2)
Thanks to all callers.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
Hi Tom
Heard the EU stations calling you, but not a whisper of your signal here in south Cornwall on 7032 KHz this morning, and it was the same for Aage a couple of hours later, although by that time it was daylight and I could hear other G stations calling him. However, by 1200 and 1500 he was 579 on 7032 KHz !!
73
Roy G4SSH/A
Fowey
In reply to M1EYP:
Hi Tom!
The propagation was rather interesting this morning. Your sigs were unusually loud (S5)here, and your S5 report to my QRP (3 watts!!!) also a bit surprising. At the same time I was listening the traffic by WEBSDR, and you were absolutely inaudible. As the time went on, your signals getting weaker on my receiver, but getting stronger on WEBSDR. Thanks for QSO, and CUAGN.
73!
Janos HA4FY
In reply to M1EYP:
Hi Tom.
I try to catch you again almost every morning, but the skip from LA seems to be very long. I can only hear HA, 9A etc working you, but not even DL. And not the slightest ping from you.
Looking forward to 80 meters when you find this appropriate :-).
73
Mike
In reply to HA4FY:
Janos, please help a silly Norwegian: What is WEBSDR?
73
Mike