Vote!

Old Reflector
61

In reply to M1EYP:
Hi Tom

Glad to have worked you this morning on the Cloud. You did start to drop down in strength towards the end of our QSO, but on occasions were up to 59. Strange, as In the past I’ve normally heard everyone else calling you, but have been unable to hear you! That’s all part of the fun of Amateur Radio I guess.

I’m pleased Jimmy qualified the summit yesterday on 2m too. I was portable from my work place during lunch and only made 3 contacts myself on 2m (2 on FM inc. Jimmy and one on SSB in Sheffield.) 2m did seem a bit dead round here yesterday though.

73
Jonathan

62

In reply to M1EYP:

I’m inclined to blame the sunspot complex 1226/1227! One thing is for sure, if 80 was too long for me to receive you, 40 would have been just as bad. 160 might have worked! Anyway, you got your exercise - I wish I had a close SOTA summit, I could get better exercise than walking the dog around city streets gives me!

73

Brian G8ADD

63

It’s still 25 minutes drive away Brian - perhaps it wouldn’t be too much more to get you to Walton Hill G/CE-002?

Anyway, voting has just closed for the band-mode choice for tomorrow morning. There was just one vote - mine - and it is going to be 20m CW. Early. But with probably enough callers to warrant a longer stay on summit.

73, Tom M1EYP

64

In reply to M1EYP:

Hmmm, I will be listening but from previous experience 20m is not the best band between The Cloud & Blackburn.

I see you weren’t tempted by Brians suggestion of 160m Hi!

73,

Mark G0VOF

65

I haven’t got round to building my 160m antenna yet Mark. Probably a project to test and practice in the summer, and use for activating later in the Autumn.

Tom M1EYP

66

In reply to M1EYP:

No problem, I note you have alerted for G/SP-013, which is an even more difficult path to here on 20m. Will give it a try though.

73,

Mark G0VOF

67

In reply to M1EYP:

Walton Hill was 75 minutes away across Brum until we discovered that by setting out in the opposite direction and using the M42 and M5 we could nearly half the time taken even though the distance was greater! Unfortunately I don’t drive so I have to sweet-talk Pauline - with mixed success!

73

Brian G8ADD

68

No matter how early I set my alarm, I always manage to wake up before it goes off. And it still happened on Friday 3rd June 2011, even though the alarm was set for 4am BST!

It didn’t seem like four o’clock in the morning, for it was bright and sunny outside, so it felt quite natural to be having breakfast - cereal, yoghurt and a smoothie for those that like to know. It was a slightly longer drive than usual, as I was heading for Gun G/SP-013 in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

The often watery boggy ascent path was dry as a bone, and I was able to walk up in my trainers. There was also hardly any wind, so I set the MM20 up right by the trig point on the summit.

I was QRV twenty minutes ahead of schedule, and the first contact, with EA3FAG, went into the logbook at 0439z. I sat by the trig point, using one face of it as a backrest. This meant I had my back to a rising and very bright sun, which was providing natural lighting to the wonderful view in front of me - the Cheshire Plain stretching outwards between the distinctive pillars of Bosley Cloud and Sutton Common.

It was a very enjoyable and productive activation of 142 QSOs, with 137 on 20m CW and 5 on 2m FM. The highlights were contacts into California (W6OAR) and Japan (JA8RJE), especially pleasing as it was them that called into my running frequency.

To be honest, I had no idea how many QSOs I had made - I thought it was about 60 or 80. It wasn’t until I counted them at home I realised it was just 8 short of my highest total! Not that I would or could have pressed on to set a new personal record. TV aerial contractors were booked to arrive at home at 10am, so the QRT at 9.05am BST was absolutely necessary.

Quite a few of the callers were regular SOTA chasers - many thanks to all of you for entering the pile-up to work me.

Tom M1EYP

69

Hello Tom.
10MHz is my preferred band so I vote for this…

73 de LA1KHA Kjell

70

In reply to M1EYP:

Hi Tom,

I hope the 50MHz CW S2S was a nice surprise this morning, I woke up very early & fancied an early morning bike ride so I combined that with a quick activation of G/SP-017 Billinge Hill. I had forgotten the lock for my bike & didn’t want to leave it insecure so I walked further down the road so I could still keep an eye on where it was parked. I would much rather have activated from the trig point itself, but that will have to wait for another day when I am not running late, & more importantly making sure I remember the bike lock!

I used my telescopic dipole on 6m then qualified the activation on 2m FM using the FT817 & J-Pole at about 5 metres AGL. The FT817 showed very good immunity from the QRM from the multitude of commercial transmitters on Billinge Hill, but my VX7-R was swamped on 2m as expected. I have recorded a short video which will be online shortly.

As activations go, that was definitely the easiest one I have ever done, although I would definitely have preferred to do it from the trig point at the true summit then at least it would feel like a proper activation.

Thanks for the S2S this morning.

Best 73,

Mark G0VOF

71

Hi Mark,

I take it that “bike” = motorcycle, as opposed to bicycle? Where exactly did you operate from? Was the the tarmac access road to the landfill site, or the road by the transmitter compound?

I was up at 4am again, but a sluggish start meant that I wasn’t on the road until 5am. I started calling CQ on 6m CW at about 6am, but found, and heard absolutely nothing. So at 6.15am I put up the MM17 on the same pole that the 6m delta loop was on. The two antennas seemed to be able to co-exist quite happily, and no deterioration in SWR was noticed as a result of the very close (almost touching) proximity of them to each other.

I had just completed hanging the MM17 and restored the pole to its upright position, and about to sit down and change band from 50MHz to 18MHz on the FT-817. Out of the blue came a strong CW signal on the QRG I had been calling on - 50.095MHz - and it was asking for me!

It was Mark G0VOF/P, with the added information that he was on Billinge Hill G/SP-017. So the logbook for the morning opened with a surprise S2S on 6m CW!

Unfortunately, that was the first and last 6m contact of the activation - the band was absolutely dead, and hadn’t awoken when I tried again later. But that was why the MM17 was carried - as a fall back option in the likelihood that 6m disappointed (apart from the S2S of course).

A further 12 QSOs were made on 18MHz CW, some where stations responded to my CQs, and some where I answered others’ calls. The bonus here was that I worked an interesting selection of DXCCs, which included 5 new ones for this band in 2011 for the G3WGV UK CW Table. In the log this morning were DL, EA, ER, ES, EU, G, HA, OH, RA, UA2 and UA9. A second S2S came on 18MHz CW thanks to HA2VR/P on HA/KD-003.

I spent a bit of time calling 9M2/JE1SCJ who came up on 18.075MHz, but this proved unsuccessful.

Tom M1EYP

72

In reply to M1EYP:

Hi again Tom,

I was very glad to catch you as by the time I had set up with 6m being flat I thought you may already have qsy’d to 17m, which I didn’t have an antenna for. I parked my bike next to the transmitter building immediately next to Crank road then walked to the start of the track that leads to the other transmitter buildings & farm, this was as far as I could go & still see my bike. Yes, it is a motorbike, as while I have cycled reasonable distances in the past, I don’t think I could manage it now.

I am familiar with the rules & am certain the activation was valid, & it was “In the spirit of SOTA” as far as was practicable at the time, but I must return with more time & do it “Properly”, just for my own peace of mind. From where I was I did not get to enjoy the stunning views the beacon at the true summit affords, which with weather like it was this morning would be fantastic.

I think in future I will park on Beacon road & walk up to the summit from there, as that way, at least there will be some ascent involved. That said, the main purpose of my trip was just to enjoy a nice early morning ride, which I did, & playing radio was simply a bonus. Given my location with a distinct lack of places to sit, I also found I can use my key quite easily standing up, which makes pedestrian mobile CW operating a real possibility for those summits where “Setting up camp” may be frowned upon.

I don’t even think it warrants an activation report, but I did shoot some video demonstrating the 2m QRM Billinge Hill is notorious for, so in any case, something useful did come out of it.

Just like the activation, this video is quite short, although I was at my operating position for over an hour, & struggled to get that elusive fourth contact due to the early time. Thankfully, Tony G7OEM was up & around & he joined Nick MW3GKI/M & Ian G4UKV as my other three contacts besides you.

Thanks again & best 73,

Mark G0VOF

73

FB Mark. A 50MHz CW summit-to-summit, timed at 0520 UTC, is certainly one of the more unusual entries in my all-time logbook!

Kjell,

Fine, your single vote is enough to win the vote for Sunday morning. So I will activate The Cloud G/SP-015 on 10MHz. I look forward to working you.

Tom M1EYP

74

Sunday 5th June 2011 brought a fiarly interesting activation - but where was Kjell LA1KHA? He won the vote to have 10MHz as the band being used - but was not heard during the activation.

I overslept until 5am, so it was 6.30am (0530z) before I was QRV on the summit. Thankfully, the rain that had accompanied the entire 20 minute drive from Macclesfield to Cloudside stopped just prior to parking. But it was still windy and very cold.

Only 30m CW was used. 10m was dead, and my CQ calls on 2m and 70cm FM were unanswered. A total of 21 stations were worked on 30m CW, the pick being WA1IIE in Maine, who told me that he was 5 watts QRP also! My QSO with DL0CUX/MM was not complete when my aerial was blown to the ground, and he had gone by the time I was running again. YS3CW from El Salvador was putting in a fine signal on 10.1027MHz, but I couldn’t get myself heard through his growing pile-up. So a couple of frustrating getaways as well.

Thanks to everyone who called in.

Tom M1EYP

75

Monday 6th June 2011, and the start of a new half-term at work. So, in contrast to the last few days, I allowed myself a lie-in until 5am BST, but then I was away sharpish.

During the previous day, I had contacted Roberto YS3CW and arranged a sked. As soon as I had set up the 30m dipole and FT-817, I tuned to his QRG - 10.102MHz CW - and heard him calling me! I tried to reply, but he clearly didn’t hear me. On one attempted reply, I stupidly put his callsign before mine, and of course he then had all Europe calling him!

I cleared off up the band to my alerted frequency. Trade was slow with just 8 QSOs in the first hour. At 0515z and 0530z I returned to 10.102MHz to check out the El Salvador situation, and both times again heard YS3CW actually calling for M1EYP! But again, I couldn’t get my signal back to him - how frustrating! He was two S points stronger the previous day, so maybe on another day I will make the contact.

Back up on 10.118MHz CW I made a couple more contacts, before I was bullied down to 10.117MHz by the splatter of a QRO station just above me. Now with more people out of bed, I had a much better run of QSOs. After packing most of the stuff away, I called on 2m FM and worked Richard G3CWI/M and Steve GW7AAV. Total for the morning was 31 QSOs. Many thanks to all who called in.

Tom M1EYP

76

But this morning I got him!

Not from a SOTA though, I tried in the shack. Turned on the radio at 6am, tuned to 10.102MHz CW, and heard just background noise. Stayed monitoring while catching up on reflector posts, and 20 minutes later heard my own callsign peeping through the noise!

Roberto YS3CW had called me again as soon as he was QRV, and this time we completed the QSO. Even though I have 100w from the shack compared to 5w on the hills, I normally get all my best DX on HF from the hills, so this is a rarity.

The activation for today will be tonight, 2m contest of course. It will be my 16th consecutive day of activating (with 20 activations on 8 different summits). Hmmm, 9 years and 1089 activations in, and I don’t seem to have tired of it yet…

Tom M1EYP

77

So to the 144MHz UK Activity Contest of Tuesday 7th June 2011. I set off at 6.30pm BST from Macclesfield, and felt confident while driving along the lanes to Cloudside. After all, I had a decent lead in the 2m table, based on four 1st places and one 2nd out of the five contests so far.

I was on summit in plenty of time, so there was no need to rush in setting up the SB5. As I was doing so, I was greeted by a man in a yellow hoodie, yellow robe and sandals. We chatted as I was continuing the set up and he said that he was a Buddhist monk. He had walked up from Warwick, and was bivvying for the night under the overhanging rock just off the north of the summit.

He disappeared and I waited for 8pm. The contest got off to a flyer with seven QSOs inside the first two minutes. Activity was up on the previous month, and I finished with 87 QSOs and 14 multiplier squares. To be honest, I descended and drove home in the belief that I had probably won the AL with these totals. I was in for a rude awakening!

Disaster! G4HGI had entered the AL section instead of his normal AR. Richard has a home QTH on the side of Billinge Hill, a tower, a beam, is a very experienced VHF contester, and always does well. And he thrashed me 147,000 to 105,000. Worse still, M0MST/P and G1HSG/P beat me down into 4th place.

It looks like being a closely fought second half to the 2m VHF UKAC year, and it may involve me considering a different site for one or two sessions.

Tom M1EYP

78

In reply to M1EYP:

Hi Tom,

Nice to catch you on 17m this morning, you threw me a bit when you asked for a spot, hence my “?”, but I got your request second time around. I listened to your activation while getting ready for work & it sounded like you were having problems with your key, mucky contacts perhaps, or maybe just cold fingers?

I heard “QRT” at about 0641 but missed the next few letters so assumed it was that you were qsy-ing to 2m FM & edited my spot. I must have assumed correctly as Steve GW7AAV spotted you on 2m FM about 10 minutes later.

17m was very quiet, & I didn’t expect you to work many after me as I couldn’t hear any signals anywhere on the band, but it was nice to hear you work a 9A & an OM, which along with Steve & myself made four contacts, although you already got the activator point back in January Hi!

I couldn’t hear you on 2m FM today although my squelch did open a couple of times while you were active on the band, there was nothing readable though.

Your signal on 17m was pretty good considering I was only using an Antron 99 halfwave vertical. This antenna is pretty deaf on 17m, but with that taken into account you would have been at least a genuine 559, hence that is what I gave you. I listened on my horizontal loop & you were readable, but much weaker.

Your signal on 20m CW yesterday was also pretty good as I know in the past I have listened on that band, yet not heard you.

I may catch you on Saturday morning, but I usually have a lie in on Saturday, so we will see :wink:

Best 73,

Mark G0VOF

79

In reply to G0VOF:

Cold fingers Mark!

Wednesday 8th June 2011 saw me back in the groove of daily dawn activations. I took the 40m dipole to the summit of The Cloud and anticipated a good morning run of about 30 stations.

I was wrong. I worked just DL2HWI, and no-one else. A one QSO activation, but at least it was still an activation, and a walk.

Tom M1EYP

80

It was The Cloud G/SP-015 once again on Thursday 9th June 2011, but this time the antenna carried was the 20m groundplane. I was set up and QRV on the summit by 0609z, and Mark G0VOF was first in the log. By 0637z, 16 stations were in the 20m CW log, and G3CWI/M and GW7AAV were added on 2m FM just prior to descent.

Thanks to all stations worked.

Tom M1EYP