Jimmy, Liam and myself activated Shining Tor for 2004 on January 2nd.  After chasing Alan M1EYO/P on Shining Tor G/SP-004 and Clive M1YAM/P on Pen-y-ghent G/NP-010 that morning, I took a stroll up Shining Tor G/SP-004 myself from the Cat & Fiddle, with Jimmy & Liam. There was a lot of drifted snow by the path to the summit, and we enjoyed writing in it with our walking poles.  I know SP-004 has been activated by several since me - anyone noticed the "M1EYP/P 2-1-04" notices in the snow? (!) The best bit of drifted snow was covering the bench at the summit, and in it was a three foot hole, the exact diameter to take a SOTA pole without the guying kit being needed!  Surely this was Alan's from earlier in the day? I dropped the feeder to the other side (trig side) of the wall which provided the best shelter at that point.   There was no wind on the summit, which meant that although it was cold (about 1 degree C), conditions were comfortable for us to stick around for a while.  This I did, working 14 stations over an hour and a half on 2m FM and SSB.  Most of the NW regulars were there - G0OXV, G1INK/P, M1FHM, M1CVL, G7DIE, M1EYO, G7NAL - plus others, as were the Midlands lads G4JZF and G0NES, and of course John GW4BVE.  One summit-to-summit, with Dick M3EIQ/P on Black Hill G/SP-002. After descent, we popped in the Cat & Fiddle for some mulled wine and hot mince pies for returning home to Macclesfield.

Thanks to the following stations, all worked on 2m FM with 1 watt, except the four starting with G4JZF, which were 2m SSB, the first three of these on 2.5 watts, the other on 1 watt:

On Saturday 22nd May 2004, we did a repeat activation.

Marianne on the night-shift meant that we could get an early start.   A gig on the Saturday night meant that I could not travel far enough away to do any that I still needed, save for Raw Head which I was saving to take Marianne with us. The use of a club callsign and the likelihood of many summits to chase dictated that we still needed to be out and about somewhere. So it was that the first pointless repeat activation of 2004 was called for, and my 7th activation of Shining Tor G/SP-004.

After breakfast in Burger King, we parked opposite the 'Cat', as reported by Steve and Riley, and walked in on the path that overlooks the Peak View Tea Rooms and heads towards Goyt's Clough before turning left for the summit. I set up on the Cheshire side (trig point side) of the wall, utilising the space to erect both a 40m inverted V dipole and a SOTA Beam. The summit was pretty busy throughout with parties of walkers stopping for a rest, and indeed a ranger did come and have a word about what I was up to. This was all explained, with the assistance of Jimmy's SOTA T-shirt, and he left content. The weather was very nice - bright and sunny with only a little wind, and much of the activation was done in T-shirts.

Many regular chasers and newcomers were worked, plus summit-to-summit contacts with Riley on The Cloud SP-015, Shirley on Helvellyn LD-003, Riley again, this time on Gun SP-013, Charlie on Old Man of Coniston LD-013, Clive on Kirk Fell LD-014 and Dave on Black Mountain WB-001.

With the kind assistance of John GW4BVE, I got going on 40m, making numerous contacts, one of the best being Andre GM3VLB/P on Gunna Island for IOSA, another being Pete EI7CC. I SWL'd Barry GM4TOE/P on Bynack More ES-010 and Jack GM4COX/P on SS-029 on 5 MHz. Then with John's help (again) I got a 40m SOTA-to-SOTA contact with Jack, which was undoubtedly the highlight of a fine day. Repeat activations like this are great fun - you can sit and "play radio" to your heart's content, no pressure, and close to home! The zero activator points are compensated for in other ways!

Then it was back to the car, passing Riley who was ascending, then Richard who was packing up his 5 MHz test where the path meets the A537 near the 'Cat'.  I drove down to my dad's house for the Cup Final, but did nip out at half-time to chase Riley on Shining Tor, and give him the scoreflash he requested! Another surprise summit point came courtesy of Ian G7ADF later on Winter Hill, after 7pm when I was in Manchester driving to my gig!

Thanks to all the following stations worked on this lengthy activation:

Yet another "pointless" activation took place on Monday 19th July 2004.   It was my birthday, and I chose to spend it by walking in the peak, taking in giving some chaser points away from Shining Tor.  This was done following the first part of the walk from the Cat & Fiddle.  Afterwards I walked down the ridge to Pym Chair, then down the road towards the Goyt Valley before taking a path on the right towards Errwood Hall.  The path then zigzags up to the ridge, from where one walks back to the Cat & Fiddle to complete the circuit.

Thanks to all the following stations worked: