It was the day of the MIDCARS annual rally, now the Radio Active show in Nantwich after several increasingly undistinguished years at Winsford. Jimmy M3EYP and myself were helping with the Macclesfield & District Radio Society stand at the show, and we had been asked to provide a small SOTA display as part of that.

   

Firstly, we collected fellow club member Greg M3RXX from across town and then headed through Congleton and out on the A534 to Nantwich. Just as Jimmy's directions began to uncharacteristically fail, the bright yellow signs for the rally appeared. We set up the stands, then left them in the care of the later arriving club members as we adjourned to Harvey's cafe in Nantwich for a breakfast of baguettes filled with bacon, egg, sausage, mushroom and rump steak (yes, really, it's called the "Texas Breakfast") and large cups of tea.

The rally was good fun, and much better than the earlier incarnations at Winsford. The MIDCARS people have made a real effort to improve this event, and successfully so in my opinion. However, it was all getting rather quiet by around 2pm, and Greg, Jimmy and myself sensed an opportunity. We were 15 minutes drive from the parking spot for Raw Head G/SP-016, and it was a fine afternoon.

   

We parked at the end of Coppermines Lane, a fairly high road that gives easy access to an easy 15 minute walk to Raw Head summit. (This one is child's play compared to Holyhead Mountain Mike). As we walked along the edge of the steep escarpment, the sunny afternoon views were wonderful. Greg was suitably impressed at our teamwork as the whole station was set up in under five minutes, and we were soon QRV.

       

Many stations were worked between the three of us, including a bicycle portable on Winter Hill G/SP-010. We contacted another Macclesfield station at his day out location on Anglesey - Sean 2E0BAX, working as 2W0BAX/P. After the "descent" (it's a pretty level walk-in and out really), we called in at the Bickerton Poacher for a swift pint. The journey home was accompanied by a very pleasant QSO with Winsford stations Dave G7RYN and Dave 2E0RNI, and Andy G1DDU, another Macclesfield club member.   Many thanks to the following stations, all worked on 2m FM with 2.5 watts (except 2W0BAX/P where 5 watts was required):