Jimmy and myself decided to undertake only our second SOTA
activation of the year on 11th February 2007, in order to claim the five points each from our
most local summit - Shining Tor G/SP-004 - before the end of the winter bonus
season on Thursday. We took Baxters Haggis Broth soup out with us, to be used as
a warming breakfast on the summit.
Usual parking spot, usual route (see previous years on
http://tomread.co.uk) and we
were walking in the very cold wind and low cloud by around 9am. They say "What
comes around goes around", and sure enough, just before the halfway point of the
walk-in, Jimmy found a mobile 'phone on the ground. We walked with it until it
indicated network coverage, then had a snoop through the contacts list.
Usefully, we found one that said "Home" and dialled it. Even more usefully, it
was answered by a lady, who said that her husband and friend were doing a walk
from Buxton to Leek today.
While we were setting up on the summit, the found mobile rang, and it was one of
these two hikers. They had already passed the Cat & Fiddle and were en route to
Shutlingsloe, but he fancied himself as a bit of a fell runner, and indeed made
it back to the summit of Shining Tor in less than 15 minutes. There was a
certain kind of symmetry to the incident where Jimmy lost his mobile on
Kisdon G/NP-026 last year. It was found by a
Geocacher/Sotacacher who acted similarly and got in touch with us. The main
difference was that the 'phone we found today could have only been lying there
for a handful of minutes, while Jimmy's faced the elements for a couple of
weeks!
We set up using the new SOTA Beam and SOTA pole won by Jimmy in
the 2006 SOTA Beams Challenge. Intending to work 2m SSB, I mounted the Yagi in
the horizontal position, but as soon as I turned on the radio (which was set to
145.500 MHz FM) I found Steve GW7AAV calling me (by mistake as it turned out!).
I dutifully worked him, and there ensued a traditional pile-up, so Jimmy and
myself worked all calling stations before switching to SSB. This was all done
with the H-pol which I didn't bother to change.
There must have been some VHF lift conditions, for Jimmy, using 500 milliwatts
at the time, was called by a station in Devon, with 59 reports both ways! And
this was on 2m FM, not SSB! Just after 1010 UTC, I did switch to SSB, and who
did I work first? Andy G1DDU from Congleton, a fellow member of the
Macclesfield & District Radio Society.
Certainly pulls the DX in this SSB...
There followed a steady string of callers, including pleasing DX from G3RMD,
G0LGS/P and G0RQL again - the Devon station that worked Jimmy on FM. Greg M3RXX,
another member of the Macc club was worked, and summit-to-summits were enjoyed
with Martin M3LUH/P on Thorpe Fell Top
G/NP-025 and Ian G7KXV/P on Boulsworth Hill G/SP-008.
As well as his initial four contacts, Jimmy M3EYP also worked both his fellow
Macclesfield radio club members, and of course the two summit stations for his
chaser points. This meant that he came off the hill with no less than eight
contacts in his log; most uncharacteristic. I finished with 25 contacts across
the two modes, but couldn't find any takers on 70cm.
On returning to the car and reinstalling the FT-817 as a mobile rig, I heard
Richard GW4ERP/P on Great Rhos GW/MW-002. Jimmy and I both worked Richard,
before making the short journey up to the Cat & Fiddle. Here, we met my XYL
Marianne, and other son Liam for a drink and carvery lunch. It was very
pleasant, especially the sticky toffee pudding for desert, which was awesome! A
top tip though for this area - The Robin Hood Inn at Rainow does a gorgeous
Sunday roast carvery - as we found out the previous Sunday.
A couple of hours mooching around Buxton (Marianne's request) and we were on our
way home again. I dropped Marianne off at the Cat & Fiddle, where she had left
her car, then continued down to Macc. Turning the radio on, I was surprised, and
a little chuffed when I overheard two Cheshire amateurs, one reporting to the
other about Jimmy's 59/59 contact into Devon with 0.5 watts on 2m FM!
Many thanks to all stations worked:
M0AAS |
Warrington |
John |
2m |
FM |
0.5 watts |
T |
GW7AAV |
Connahs Quay |
Steve |
2m |
FM |
0.5 watts |
T |
G0PZO |
Birkenhead |
Charlie |
2m |
FM |
0.5 watts |
T |
G4JZF |
Walsall |
Graham |
2m |
FM/SSB |
0.5/2.5 watts |
T |
M0DWQ |
Warrington |
Roger |
2m |
FM |
0.5 watts |
J, T |
G0RQL |
Milton Damerel |
Don |
2m |
FM/SSB |
0.5/2.5 watts |
J, T |
M0JDK |
Blackfordby |
John |
2m |
FM |
0.5 watts |
J |
GW0DSP |
Connahs Quay |
Mike |
2m |
FM/SSB |
0.5/2.5 watts |
J, T |
G1DDU |
Congleton |
Andy |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
J, T |
2E0NHM |
Warton |
Nigel |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
GW7AAU |
Connahs Quay |
Helen |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
G3RMD |
Cheltenham |
Frank |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
G0LGS/P |
near Cleeve Hill |
Stewart |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
G0CER |
Coalbrookdale |
Dave |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
M0GIE |
Royton |
Phil |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
M3LQA |
Royton |
Phil |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
GW8ICT |
Bwcle |
Chris |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
G7NAL |
Gorton |
Harold |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
2E0PUS |
Royton |
Phil |
2m |
SSB |
2.5 watts |
T |
M3RXX |
Macclesfield |
Greg |
2m |
FM |
0.5 watts |
J, T |
G0HDX |
Accrington |
Roy |
2m |
FM |
0.5 watts |
T |
2E0VOM |
Gorton |
Noel |
2m |
FM |
0.5 watts |
T |
M3LUH/P |
Thorpe Fell Top NP-025 |
Martin |
2m |
FM |
2.5 watts |
J, T |
G7KXV/P |
Boulsworth Hill SP-008 |
Ian |
2m |
FM |
2.5 watts |
J, T |
G4USW |
Barrow-in-Furness |
Bill |
2m |
FM |
2.5 watts |
T |
|