In reply to G3NYY:
Tee hee! “Making the trip” is a CB expression.
Have you selected your “20” yet Walt?
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
I have never come from CB - I went straight into Amateur radio (the advent of the M3 helped greatly) so unfortunately I have no idea of the CB protocol! Evidently from speaking with other amateurs I have picked it up HI
73
Matt G8XYJ
In reply to G8XYJ:
I have never come from CB - I went straight into Amateur radio (the
advent of the M3 helped greatly) so unfortunately I have no idea of
the CB protocol! Evidently from speaking with other amateurs I have
picked it up HI
Alas, that is a very probable explanation. I hear that expression very frequently on the amateur bands these days. 
At least it doesn’t grate quite so badly as “The personal here would be …”.
To Andy … yes, my twenty this afternoon was Win Green, G/SC-008, in the rain! Conditions on 40m were abysmal, but I did manage 21 QSOs on CW.
Two hours driving there, 10 minutes walk, and two hours driving back - all for the sake of 21 QSOs and one activator point. Total cost £30. Am I mad? I’m beginning to wonder …
:-)))
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
More expensive single points are available.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
More expensive single points are available.
Indeed. And also less expensive ones, where a person activates his local summit over and over again, almost daily!
With the escalating cost of fuel, I think fewer people will be able or willing to afford to build up their “uniques” activation score.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
And also less expensive ones, where a person activates his local summit over and over again…
That actually makes it more expensive.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
The cost of obtaining the point remains the same regardless of how many successful activations are made (or so my old maths teacher told me).
73 (currently saving up for some diesel)
Did he really? Did you bump into him recently, or did he have exceptional foresight back in your schooldays? 
You are your own worst enemy Steve. The maths is straightforward - every new unique you activate makes each subsequent one incrementally more expensive (generally). And you must admit, you are the activator unique king!
At least the cost of diesel forces you to improve your driving. I used to get 500 miles from a full tank in my Picasso, but now I am averaging 600 miles by paying closer attention to the effect of driving style on fuel economy.
Anyway, you know full well that I deliberately interpreted the cost of the (say) 2010 activator point from SP-015 as the total cost over the year’s activations for the total of one point received. And I know full well that you deliberately interpreted it the other way! It is Walt’s interpretation that I don’t understand - that the multiple activations somehow make the point cheaper.
73, Tom M1EYP
With the escalating cost of fuel, I think fewer people will be able or willing to afford to build up their “uniques” activation score.
The activator uniques award was/is always intended to be a challenging and long-term pursuit. Most hobbies require funding. I recall some figures prepared by John G4YSS (who certainly puts some long distance driving into his SOTAing) that calculates the annual and/or daily cost of SOTA activating, and concluded that it compared favourably with something like golf.
Tom M1EYP (17 uniques left to go in G, but not in any rush!)
In reply to M1EYP:
At least the cost of diesel forces you to improve your driving. I
used to get 500 miles from a full tank in my Picasso, but now I am
averaging 600 miles by paying closer attention to the effect of
driving style on fuel economy.
Way to go there, Tom. Gone are the days when I used to fly up and down the motorways at 75mph. On my recent trip to the Magnum Rally, I simply left an hour earlier and kept a steady 58 to 60mph. I calculate to have saved about £20 in fuel costs on the round trip.
Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
In reply to M1EYP:
At least the cost of diesel forces you to improve your driving.
I
used to get 500 miles from a full tank in my Picasso, but now I
am
averaging 600 miles by paying closer attention to the effect of
driving style on fuel economy.Way to go there, Tom. Gone are the days when I used to fly up and down
the motorways at 75mph. On my recent trip to the Magnum Rally, I
simply left an hour earlier and kept a steady 58 to 60mph. I calculate
to have saved about £20 in fuel costs on the round trip.
Ha! So YOU are the snails that I have to keep zig-zagging from lane to lane on the motorway to overtake! Now I know.
BTW, what is a Picasso?
Yesterday, I got 41 miles to the gallon in my BMW doing 70 mph on the motorways and 60 mph on the A roads. I get only 28 mpg in the Landrover, no matter what speed I do! Slowing down doesn’t make any difference.
P.S. Of course, it’s much cheaper for Andy to build a big Activator score, because he’s much nearer to all the BIG mountains! Tee hee!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
That’s OK, I make up for it by having a car that does about 28mpg. They maybe nearer but it’s not really any cheaper! It’s still about a 2hr drive to the nearest 10 pointer (>1100m).
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to G3NYY:
That’s OK, I make up for it by having a car that does about 28mpg. They maybe nearer but it’s not really any cheaper! It’s still about a 2hr drive to the nearest 10 pointer (>1100m).
I still haven’t selected a summit for this event, built a 6m antenna or located a 4m linear transverter. I have acquired a 100W 6m PA. All I need is a willing Sherpa to punt it and a big battery up my chosen target. Any volunteers?
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
Easiest way to reduce dielsel costs is to do multi person activations and share the driving week in week out!
Geoff 2E0BTR and Myself did about 25 summits between Jan and Mid March and we effectively only had to drive for 12.5 of them! Makes sense really, plus being on the hills with mates is alot more fun and alot more safe!
Once again I see the Hijacking is to the max on here!
73
Matt G8XYJ
In reply to G8XYJ:
Hi all,
sorry to say, due to unforeseen circumstances I have to cancel my activation on the Sunday for Fun Day! But will be moving it to the Saturday 4th June instead
Hopefully it will still be a fun day depending on WX and I have decided as I have more time I will activate both Ponderosa Summits and will still be able to have lunch in the Cafe!!
Good luck to those still going out on Sunday
73
Tony
In reply to G3NYY:
BTW, what is a Picasso?
Aha! I know now. It’s one of these cars with a duplicate brake pedal in front of the passenger seat!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
I don’t see many Alerts for this Fun Day.
Is everyone doing the HF contest or like me the UKSMG 6m contest ?
Stewart G0LGS
In reply to G0LGS:
I think an improvement in the weather might make a difference Stewart. Currently it is supposed to warm up for next weekend with high pressure over the UK, but we will have to wait & see.
73,
Mark G0VOF
In reply to G0VOF:
WX is looking excellent for the weekend! Hopefully we may have some enhanced conditions!
73 to all look forward to working as amny people as possible!!
Matt G8XYJ
The next Fun Day is almost upon us.
Judging by the spots it seems the SSB portion of 50Mhz is the place to try. I will put together a resonant dipole antenna to take with me. I will also do 2M SSB and FM with the possibility of 70cm FM and SSB too.
Hope the nice weather remains with us. Look forward to working some of you.
73 Chris M0RSF