Tom Read - click to email meBDXC ISWL WAB SOTA RSGB IOTA - see my radio page for more detailsLiam & Jimmy

Freeholds Top 2013

 

Thursday 1st August 2013 was the morning I woke up realising that I no longer seem to be waking up with splitting headaches!  This put me in a very good mood and full of optimism regarding my long and slow recovery from brain surgery.  The weather forecast for the day promised a scorcher, and with both Marianne and Jimmy out at work, Liam and I decided to continue my return to fitness with a walk.  Liam has been helping me get fitter, accompanying me on walks and visits to the swimming pool, where we tend to do 20 to 30 lengths each.

Liam ready to start the day's walking    12m GP antenna    Liam

We left Macclesfield around 7.30am and headed north up the A34, M60, M66 and A56.  Breakfast was sourced at "Snack Stop" in Stacksteads, where we would return later.  In the meantime, we continued along the road through Bacup and parked at the usual lay-by on the A681.  When I shortlisted a choice of SOTA outings, Liam had chosen this one for the dry underfoot track conditions, as he didn't fancy a boggy walk.  So off we strode along the Limers Gate Path, in shirt sleeves, sun hats and generous buttery layers of sunblock.

Liam & Tom    Summit of Freeholds Top

There is a wall on the summit of Freeholds Top that Liam and I always sit at for our shelter.  And on this occasion it was backed perfectly into the light breeze, affording maximum comfort.  Up went the 12m groundplane antenna as I sought to add a couple more multipliers in the 12m SOTA Challenge.  This came courtesy of a PSK31 QSO with Steve G6LUZ, leader of the 12m Challenge chaser section.  Just seven QSOs were recorded from this activation, all on the 12m band.  These were two on PSK31, three on CW (including a S2S) and two on SSB.  Calls were made on 2m FM using the VX7R prior to descent, but remained unanswered.

FT-817 and Bluetooth keyboard    Tom M1EYP

It occurred to me on the return walk to the car that the summits and routes today were Liam's choice, but yet he had chosen quite a lot of walking!  We now drove back through Bacup to Stacksteads, where a left turn by the earlier breakfast cafe took us onto the roads up to the start point for Hail Storm Hill G/SP-009.  Thanks to all the following stations:

G6LUZ

12m

PSK31

OE5FSL

12m

PSK31

M6BLV

12m

CW

F/DL4KCA

12m

CW

OK1DVM/P on Sirská hora PL-062

12m

CW

EA2CKX

12m

SSB

G6LUZ

12m

SSB