Hi all.
just a quick note to say listen out for 4 GB stations operating in Cumbria between 19th Jan and 27th Jan.
I will be operating from GB4LBC, at St Bees lifeboat station on both weekends so will listen out for everyone.
Will probably be on 40m most of the time but may do 2m ssb also and keep handheld to hand.
See GB4LBC on qrz.com and qrzcq.com for details.
This is a National event so many more stations will be on air to raise funds for the RNLI.
See www.sosradioweek.org.uk
73
Liz
In reply to M6EPW:
Thanks for the info Liz.
Myself, John G4YSS and Kevin G0NUP will be on the air as GB4RNLI in support of the Scarborough Lifeboat.
Hope to hear you.
73
Roy G4SSH
In reply to G4SSH:
In reply to M6EPW:
Thanks for the info Liz.
Myself, John G4YSS and Kevin G0NUP will be on the air as GB4RNLI in
support of the Scarborough Lifeboat.Hope to hear you.
73
Roy G4SSH
Hi Roy,
Will listen out for you.
I think the others are GB1LBC, GB2LBC and GB5LBC. For some reason we could not get GB3.
Last year the club gave a special award to those working all 4 Cumbria Stations as it was the first time that all 4 took part in the event. Think they may be doing the same this year too.
73
liz
In reply to M6EPW:
Fine Liz
You cannot have GB3 because these are reserved for repeaters
73
Roy
In reply to G4SSH:
GB3 is also used for Beacons.
Thanks & 73,
Mark G0VOF - still at work 
In reply to G0VOF:
Thanks both.
Any hints and tips on working a pile on HF would be very much appreciated as this will my first attempt ! :-0
I’ve listened to quite a few stations and heard what they do so have a rough idea.
I’ve also heard what can happen on a SOTA pile up !
73
Liz.
In reply to M6EPW:
Any hints and tips on working a pile on HF would be very much
appreciated as this will my first attempt ! :-0
Soooo much depends on how well-mannered your callers are…
Hopefully you won’t have to resort to calling by numbers and working split…
73, Rick M0LEP (now back from 5Z, but still having nightmares about a 40 metre pile-up…)
In reply to M0LEP:
Soooo much depends on how well-mannered your callers are…
Hopefully you won’t have to resort to calling by numbers and working
split…73, Rick M0LEP (now back from 5Z, but still having nightmares about a
40 metre pile-up…)
Hi Rick,
Welcome back…
Dealing with a pile-up is one thing, dealing with the QSL cards is a bigger nightmare!
Good luck 
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to M6EPW:
Liz, you must be assertive. If you are calling for a G4A as you got part of a call and other stations are calling you need to very strongly say you are trying to work the G4A and anyone else who insists on calling out of turn will not go in the log. Make it ABSOLUTELY clear who is the boss right from the start. Don’t panic, don’t try to work them too fast. If you have a huge pileup switch to contest mode where you exchange calls and reports and wish the caller 73 and move on. Only go for longer overs when you know there aren’t lots of stations waiting.
And if you can’t pick a single call out of the noise then bluff and make up a call. You know which band you’re using so you know the expected skip zones so you’ll know who should e workable. So if its 40m daytime, you can say “G4 again” and you’re bound to have a handful calling. Nobody will ever know you’re bluffing!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
In reply to M6EPW:
Liz, you must be assertive…[snip]…Make it
ABSOLUTELY clear who is the boss right from the start."
Andy is absolutely right. You are in control Liz.
My own little additional thought on a pile up is try and work stations that are being getting kicked into the gutter by stronger stations if you can. QRO stations will be around longer than those who have a struggle because of propagation and other factors. I was listening to a pile up the other day (not SOTA) and I was really impressed with the operator because he asked for a call to come back (an M6)and every time the M6 tried he got guttered but the op’ continued with trying to work that station and then the others got the message
and shut up and he made it.
Good luck
Mike G6TUH
(reposted by MM0FMF)
In reply to MM0FMF:
Thanks everyone.
Saturday looks like it will be my learning day as Sunday is now looking as though I will be on my own for most of it. Hope I don’t make a mess of things
:-{
73
liz
In reply to M6EPW:
Hi Will try to work you and/or some of the other RNLI stations - I’m a RNLI Shoreline member - been fascinated by lifeboats since I was little - bit strange really as Shropshire is England’s largest land-locked county. My 20 month old son has 2 toy lifeboats in HIS collection already.
I worked my way through a number of pile-ups on my way to get the GOLD award for the WAB Olympic Torch stations last summer. Most of the better operators used the number system, but one other guy on 40Mtrs did it by geographical areas - since most stations were GB / UK so he would ask for any Scotish stations, then North, Wales, Midlands, SW, SE etc. so that’s another approach.
Hope all goes well.
73’s
Steve
G6UYG
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire.
In reply to M6EPW:
I hope you weren’t left alone, Liz.
They can only be operated by someone with, or under supervision by someone with, a full licence.
73, Dave, G4IAR
In reply to G4IAR:
Hi Dave.
The event is this weekend and next weekend.
If I do end up on my own I will be running the station under my own call sign as this is also registered for SOS Radio Week. Sadly, if this happens, it will mean that those logged will loose out on the GB4LBC contact for working all four lifeboat stations and will have to work this station again when on air as GB4LBC.
Fingers crossed we now have two more club members with a full licence coming to help. If not, I will just have to bully the other half into coming down as he’s a full licence holder and club member. 
Will still be daunting to work the pile up !
73
Liz
In reply to M6EPW:
Sorry, Liz, I’m a week out with my in-built calendar!
I’m sure you’ll cope and I hope you’ll be able to keep the GB flag flying! I know a lot of stations that will be looking out for them.
73,
Dave, G4IAR
In reply to G4IAR:
Thank you to everyone for their advice.
After braving 80m on Saturday followed by a short spell on 40m, I spent almost 3 hours on 40m in the thick of things yesterday afternoon.
I made a few mistakes, which I hope will be forgiven by everyone. Especially as band conditions were not helpful or the qrm from people tuning, whistling etc and neighboring frequencies.
Thank you to Ricky and one or two more familiar voices from SOTA for working me.
Apologies to anyone that was trying to work our station yesterday but had to go qrt very quickly at about 4pm when the lifeboat got called out. Photos on our qrz page.
A dramatic end to the day for our event station.
73
Liz