Hi all,
Yesterday in a QSO with Richard, G0IBE/P on WB-005 (part of his Shropshire smash n grab) I reached my milestone of 5,000 Chaser points. This has elevated me to 50th slot in the UK Chaser Roll of Honour. Back in the beginning of 2013 I also reached 1,000 Uniques.
I just wanted to say a big thanks to the whole SOTA community for providing me with so much fun and pleasure since I joined SOTA in Oct 2010. Before that I focussed on chasing DX with 400W QRO to 3el monobanders. It has been both interesting and illuminating to see how much fun and pleasure can be had with QRP and very simple antennas. In fact I chase with exactly the same simple antennas that I use for activating albeit I use 100W to chase and only 5W on activations.
After a while in SOTA you tend to meet the same callsigns over and over and they become very familiar. Some of you that I chase on a regular basis feel like very good friends to me even though I have never met you. I prefer CW over SSB but it is good to put a voice to a CW fist. It was good to have a quick chat with Juerg, HB9BIN during his F/JU trip who I have worked many many times on CW.
So onwards to the next SOTA milestone, although not sure what I am aiming for next. Certainly I would like to do more activating. Goathood seems an impossibility, maybe when I have retired, perhaps!
So onwards to the next SOTA milestone, although not sure what I am
aiming for next. Certainly I would like to do more activating.
Goathood seems an impossibility, maybe when I have retired, perhaps!
Don’t leave it 'till you retire.
Since I retired,9 years now, I’ve had very little time left for activations
In reply to G4AFI:
Hello Andrew,
As an activator i feel the same on the other side.
congrats for the 5000 pts
Gerald F6HBI
After a while in SOTA you tend to meet the same callsigns over and
over and they become very familiar. Some of you that I chase on a
regular basis feel like very good friends to me even though I have
never met you.
In reply to G4AFI:
Congratulations Andrew - I’ve got some catching up to do. I still find work gets in the way of SOTA! Will you be at the rally in Blackpool? It would be nice to meet up after what must be at least 35 years!
73 Martyn GW4CQZ
Don’t leave it 'till you retire.
Roger G4OWG (Stuck at half goat)
Absolutely agree with Roger. Ten years of retirement which has just flown past will come up for me in Spring and my activation plans have been scuppered first by plantar fasciitis, and in the last couple of years by Mortons Neuroma. It is hard to avoid the wear-out and deterioration that happens to our bodies with age. Do as much as you can as soon as you can. For me, foot op tomorrow may get me back.
And congratulation on the 5000 points
73 Jim G0CQK
In reply to GW4CQZ:
Hi Martyn,
Yes must try and meet up soon, having met with Howard G3YZY recently and renewed our friendship.
Sorry can’t make the Blackpool rally on April 7th. Visiting Ludlow area Fri 22nd Feb - Sun 24th Feb and hope to do some G/WB activations. Up in Preston mid March but dont know the exact date yet.
In reply to G4AFI:
Congratulations Andrew…I last week attained my first 100 points as I am a relatively new license holder, so I appreciate the effort and networking you have done to reach 5000…regards from an M6 apprentice.
In reply to G4AFI:
Congratulations Andrew, always a pleasure to work you on my activations. I have a bit of a way to go before equalling your score but have recently passed the 3K marker as a chaser and 3C as an activator which, I suppose, in only a year of involvement in SOTA isn’t too bad.
Up in Preston mid March but dont know the exact date yet.
I hear G/SP-007 calling Andrew. With 5000 chaser points you deserve a rest and a day or two out activating. Well done on achieving the milestone. You are always a good signal with me, both on the summits and when I am at home, so all the best for the next 5000.
That is my plan - to activate G/SP-007 - before this year’s Winter Bonus expires. Depends on if can get enough free time from the main reason for the visit.
The contours are hard to read on my map but it looks like 225 metres height gain and close to a mile, a nice little hands-in-pockets stroll (unless you are carrying a 22 Ah battery!)
Naismith it for the time, 12mins per km walked and 1min per 10m gain in height. So that’s 2.18*12 + 24 = 50.4mins. You should hardly break out into a sweat on such a trivial jaunt.