So, Tuesday 31st May 2011 had become a four summit day. Not bad considering that we must have done 150 miles motoring to get to the first one! Anyway, number four was to be Ruardean Hill G/WB-021, for the purpose of a demonstration SOTA activation for the members of FODARG.  From Ysgyryd Fawr GW/SW-016, we made good progress back through Monmouth and into the Forest of Dean. Jimmy directed me up to the top of Ruardean Hill, where we parked outside the Ruardean Hill Sports & Social Club - also the venue of FODARG and our talk there that night.

   

No other radio amateurs were spotted, but a few mobile whips on magmounts were in evidence on cars. Soon enough, an amateur walked towards us and introduced himself as a member of a neighbouring club that had been invited for the evening. He pointed us in the direction of a large group of people - and cars - over by Pan Tod Beacon. So we walked past the trig point, and past the flagpole (the true summit) and onto the pleasant grassy area with nice views around the beacon.

There were plenty of introductions and handshakes to get through first, one of whom was regular SOTA activator Geoff 2E0BTR. Now that was one member of the audience that certainly did not need the live demonstration of how to conduct a portable SOTA operation!  It was 2m FM again for Jimmy, and although his over rate was slow, and lots of CQ calls were required, he ended on five QSOs. Conditions on 40m had improved slightly from the earlier afternoon, and I was able to rattle through 15 calling stations. This was all in front of an audience of between 5 and 10 stood around me at any one point!

       

Jimmy and I packed away, and walked back across the true summit to the car park for the social club. We carried all the props for the talk into the clubhouse, then went to get changed into SOTA T-shirts.  Chris G0SDD who had arranged the talk, had kindly brought the projector and speakers as requested, and we were soon ready to run. One of the members brought Jimmy and I a pint of bitter each over, which was extremely welcome, and we got into the lecture. The SOTA talk includes a lengthy powerpoint presentation, a couple of videos, a demonstration of setting up a 2m station and antenna, then operating it from inside a bothy bag (that is obscenely hot when done indoors!) and Q+As.

   

There was a brilliant turn out of about 25 to 30, and virtually all of them had been there since the start of the activation demo at 6.30pm. The talk finally finished at 10.05pm, with everyone still in the room, and I felt it had been a very worthwhile evening. I get a real buzz when I get to do this talk for a large and enthusiastic audience, and this one was up there with the previous best ones like Bolton Wireless Club and the lecture stream at the Leicester Show.  After packing everything away, Jimmy directed me down to Cinderford where we grabbed a late fish supper, and then onto our B&B - Edale House in Parkend. It was great to get into a comfortable bed and drift (very quickly) off to sleep, ahead of the next morning's planned activation of Tor y Foel GW/SW-013.  Many thanks to all the callers to this activation: