Following a short activation of The Cloud G/SP-015 on Sunday 9th September 2007, we took the short drive up to the edge of Gun Moor, and set off on the ten minute walk to the summit of Gun G/SP-013. Liam seemed to be full of energy, and summited ahead of me for the second time in the day. First heard upon switching the Yaesu VX-110 on was Steve G1INK/P on Birks Fell G/NP-031. I called a few times, but he obviously couldn't hear me. Serves me right for the selfish operating conditions!

I did make six other contacts on 2m FM though, and rather unusual to get more contacts on here than on The Cloud G/SP-015 earlier. Eleri MW3NYR/P on Aran Fawddwy GW/NW-007 gave me a summit-to-summit in the activation. Steve G1INK and Birks Fell G/NP-031 go into the SWL log!  Thanks to:

I was awake before my alarm again on the morning of Friday 21st September 2007.  So I decided to do both summits before work again. This time I swapped the order and drove out on the A523 to Gun first. It was still partially dark as I began the walk to the summit. It was a bit early to be making lots of contacts, as it tends to be whenever you begin to write "05" in the logbook! However, G6LCS/M and GW0DSP were worked, and I just love the early walk and fresh air - that's what it's all about.  And then off to The Cloud G/SP-015...   Thanks to:

Sunday 7th October 2007.  Looking across as we descended The Cloud G/SP-015, and still as we parked up on Gun Moor by the Rushton Spencer to Meerbrook road, the weather looked horrible on the summit.  It looked grey, cold and damp. But in fact it was mild, warm and still, although it was indeed grey. It was too still in fact, with a few midges taking an unhealthy interest in my hair on the summit!

Jimmy made four contacts on 2m FM, and unashamedly advertised his Dad's imminent 70cm activation! I then made three contacts each on 70cm FM and 2m FM.  A pint of Flowers IPA at The Rushton Inn rounded off the day.   Thanks to the stations that worked us:

The original plan for the last weekend in October was for Liam to go to cub camp on the Friday, and Jimmy and myself head off in search of an 8-pointer in Snowdonia, to put me at Mountain Goat on the Saturday.  Liam was not well enough to go on the Friday night, but was the following morning. Jimmy was poorly himself on the Saturday morning, 20th October 2007, so even had to miss out on his contingency activity of going gliding with Air Cadets. He reluctantly retreated back to bed, while Marianne was sleeping anyway ahead of her night-shift. That left me with Liam to taxi down to the scout camp near Leek, and a day to kill on my own.

I dropped Liam off at the cub camp, and then put him and 17 other cub and beavers through the practical bit of their Communicator Badge - "To pass a message using amateur radio". They all loved it, and Liam was surprisingly impressive when it was his turn. Of course he was the one that wasn't nervous and knew what to say; I guess he has kind of seen it all before!

After this pleasant couple of hours at the camp, during which contact was made with other cubs and scouts at their own JOTA events, I realised that Gun G/SP-013 was just around the corner, and I wanted to play a bit of 2m SSB and test out the alleged lift conditions.

       

Three hours were spent basking in the sunshine on the summit, while increasingly layering to keep out the increasing chilliness. It was lots of fun with 15 contacts on 2m SSB, 18 contacts on 2m FM and 2 contacts on 2m CW. The highlights were:

2m CW:
G4OWG Leeds, G0NVY Sleaford

2m FM:
GX4MWS/P Macclesfield & District Radio Society club field day, Rainow
GB50AS Middlewood scout camp, Worsley
GB0WHT Wilson House Trust scout camp, Crewe

2m SSB:
G0RQL North Devon, G3CWI/P Shining Tor G/SP-004, GM7PKT/P Geal Charn GM/WS-031

The final contact, the S2S with Robin was particularly pleasing, and probably the best DX, although I haven't checked. Most of the other contacts were conducted in a very leisurely fashion, unhurried and most developing into some pleasant natters.

Not a bad old day, despite the initial disappointments. Many thanks to all 35 stations worked, all on 5 watts: