Number 3 activation from SP-015 this summer, on the way home from work on Wednesday 2nd May 2007.  Warmer than yesterday, and less wind. Sat in my favourite clump of rocks which affords shelter from any south-easterly wind, which is what it was again today. With the setting sun shining right on it, it was a warm little spot. Stunning views across Cheshire as usual. The railway viaduct beneath, Sutton Common, Shutlingsloe, Shining Tor, Wincle Minn, Teggs Nose, Jodrell Bank, Mow Cop, Gun, The Roaches - wonderful.

My VX-7R suffered PMR QRM again. Not sure if this is coming direct or from the mast on Croker Hill (Sutton Common). Yesterday, heard a Macclesfield cafe mentioned in these PMR communications, but today they mentioned Princess Street, which is in city centre Manchester. I wondered if the Sutton Common mast had anything to do with it because yesterday (and before when experimenting with 10GHz WBFM stuff) I also had Signal 1 96.4MHz breaking through. This comes from the Sutton Common mast.

Anyway, three relaxed contacts on 2m FM, including a chap for whom this was his first contact after 6 years away from amateur radio - he'd never heard of SOTA! Also, one reply to my CQ call on 70cm, resulting in a nice chat. All very pleasant.  Many thanks to the following stations all worked on 2m FM with 2.5 watts, except G6GVI on 70cm FM:
 

The Bosley Cloud winter season rolls on.  Ninth of May? Rubbish. I got to the Cloudside parking area and my lovely silver Picasso with its porcupine-like array of antenna across the crest of its roof looked rather photogenic. I got the camera out and thought "I know - a SOTAscreens video of my ascent of this hill". I was confident I could get the whole ascent from car to trig recorded in the few minutes that my camera might let me have. Wrong! It stopped just a few feet up the tarmac track, before the stairs and well before the expanse of National Trust land up to the summit.

I returned the camera to the car and resumed the ascent in fine drizzle, but much less wind than recently. I reached the trig point, and was quite comfortable in my Berghaus Goretex jacket which did its job of keeping the weather outside where it belonged. My Yaesu VX-7R would do similar when called into action later.

My first call, initially using Jimmy's Yaesu VX-110 was immediately answered by Mike GW0DSP, who not only spotted me on SOTAwatch, but then remotely logged for me as my biro was struggling on the waterproof pad. I hadn't been able to find a pencil in my car prior to the ascent.

Three stations were worked, following which there was a 15 minute void. I could hear Mick 2E0HJD, but despite my efforts he couldn't hear me. A couple more stations were worked, before I descended and returned home.   Thanks to the following, all worked on 2m FM with 2.5 watts:

Keeping the run going to eight consecutive days was ambitious, with a full SOTA outing planned for the Sunday, 20th May 2007.  However, after Jimmy and I had returned from our successful activations of Horse Head Moor G/NP-021 and Buckden Pike G/NP-009, I slipped out again for another evening activation of The Cloud.  5 watts were needed for M3PXW and G4BLH, but 2.5 watts was sufficient otherwise on this 2m FM activation:

CQ CQ  ...  C.Q. C.Q.  ...  Connahs Quay, Connahs Quay  ...  GW0DSP & GW7AAV

Thanks for the contacts gents, and thanks Mike for the remote logging (not too onerous a task on this day hi!).

Arrived at Cloudside parking spot at 6.50am local on Thursday 14th June 2007 in heavy rain and strong cold wind. I sat for 10 minutes in the car thinking about not bothering, especially when I realised I didn't have a hat or any waterproofs with me. I found an old bomber jacket in the boot and used a sunhat to keep my head dry (it worked!), wearing shorts and trainers - what a sight! Nobody around to see me thank goodness.

Went for it, and the weather didn't seem too bad, especially in the shelter of the trees, climbing the stairs.  It wasn't even too bad out on the fellside. I made contact with Mike GW0DSP, then the weather got really nasty, with a significant drop in temperature, huge increase in wind and heavier driving icy rain. Time for a sharp exit. Worked GW7AAV, then no further takers on my QRG or on S20.

Back to the car, heater on full blast, shorts soaked and depressing news about childhood obesity. Took my mind of this with a stop off at Pittshill Oatcakes on the way to work for a Triple Decker bacon, cheese, sausage and black pudding special. With a pint bottle of fresh orange juice to ensure that it was a healthy breakfast.  Thanks to the following, both worked on 2m FM, Mike with 2.5 watts, upped to 5 watts for Steve:

Five days away from Bosley Cloud. How we missed each other. Anyway, back on my favourite hill for Tuesday Night Is SOTA Night, 26th June 2007.  I had quite a good night. Only one S2S - Mike GW0DSP/P on Hope Mountain GW/NW-062; I managed to miss Les, Terry, Barry and anyone else that was out, but I got about the bands and modes for a change. I optimistically alerted for six band/mode combinations. I actually managed four of these plus one other. I worked on 2m FM, 2m SSB, 2m CW, 70cm FM and 6m SSB. I think I will try to concentrate on either 2m/6m SSB/CW in future, as my operating time window is relatively limited - limited to between dropping off Jimmy, and picking him up again from the Macclesfield ATC Squadron.

I have carefully timed the driving, walking and set-up/packing-up and now know that if I am totally organised, I can be QRV from 1850 to 1950 on Tuesdays. Maybe we could even have a featured band/mode of the week?! I just wish I'd made more of 6m tonight.  Thanks to the following stations, all worked on 5 watts:

I am pleased to report yet another splendidly enjoyable activation of The Cloud on Sunday 8th July 2007. On Saturday night I had decided to treat the family to a meal at the excellent Chesters restaurant in Macclesfield. It was clear that Marianne, Jimmy and Liam all intended using most of the morning to sleep off their feast (and wine), so I sneaked out just after 6am.

It was a beautiful warm, clear and sunny morning, and it was gorgeous up on The Cloud. I set up for 40m CW and got straight to work at 0614z on 7.032MHz. I worked three chasers, but was soon swamped by many calls of "CQ TEST" by stations that obviously couldn't hear me. I decided that 40m CW was probably not the best place to be right now and set up the SOTA Beam, which I had also brought up with me.

Several stations were worked and I mentioned that I was going to try some 2m CW while working around a net of Bolton stations on 145.575MHz FM. One of them - Jean G0WBT from Horwich - immediately said that she would follow me down there as she wanted a 2m CW QSO. I had a nice CW chat with Jean, and then Ken GW3SRT/P, who tail-ended.

A return to 2m SSB saw many more 24 hour contest stations, and the 5 watts from the FT817 and SOTA Beam had no difficulty in working into G, GW, GM, GI and EI. I was surprised to hear CW on 144.325MHz in the contest. It was GI4GTY/P who I had already worked on 2m SSB, but I called him again to get another 2m CW contact!

Another try on 40m CW saw wall-to-wall contest stations, but I did manage to answer a CQ call from GB2IWM ("Imperial War Museum" IIRC) for a single contact before returning to 2m. Five North-West chasers were worked on 144MHz FM, during which Mike GW0DSP offered to spot me on a clear frequency on 40m CW (Peter ON3WAB was not the only one to suffer the inconvenience of forgetting the mobile 'phone!). This time I got a great run working regular CW SOTA chasers in F, G, HB9, EI, OK and DL. It was great to work Roy G4SSH/A, as I know he had been looking for me from Cornwall. The last CW contact of this mini-session came from Fried OE8GBK/8 on Kabesnock OE/KT-118 for a summit-to-summit. This was excellent, but then the frequency became swamped with chasers calling Fried, so I ducked out and returned to 2m.

A run of nine contacts on 2m SSB was followed by five on 2m FM which included summit-to-summits QSOs with Tim 2E0KEA/P on Shobdon Hill G/WB-017 and Geoff MW3SFN/P on Waun Fach GW/SW-002. These were thanks to tip-offs from Mike GW0DSP. He also advised that John G4YSS was on 7.032MHz CW from Great Whernside G/NP-008. I heard a strong signal from John, operating as GX0OOO/P and responded to his call. There was a massive pile-up, but to my astonishment, John called me in first! This was another very pleasing QSO, as John is another who has encouraged me greatly with the CW, but this was our first actual contact.

It was now time to go home and touch base with the family. Marianne served up a welcome lunch of bacon and cheese baps with cheesy beans, then we were off out in the car after prising Liam away from Scrapheap Challenge on the telly. Marianne said that she fancied a walk up Shining Tor G/SP-004, but I convinced her that The Cloud G/SP-015 was a much more attractive walk. She agreed, and we made out way there after coffee and scones at the garden centre. While partaking in our afternoon snack, there was a little thunder and then ten minutes of the most incredible heavy rain. Water was gushing off the awnings outside the tearoom in incredible volumes. Little were we aware of the hair-raising experience of our fellow Maxonian on Bishop Wilton Wold G/TW-004 at that time!  (Richard G3CWI was very nearly struck by lightning up there).

       

I was pleasantly surprised to find parking spaces available at Cloudside at that time on a Sunday afternoon. We walked up onto the summit, and for me, it was my second ascent of this hill today. My activation records would indicate a gap of 3 hours 40 minutes between consecutive contacts! Jimmy and I set up for 2m SSB, while Marianne and Liam lay basking in the sunshine for a while and then went off to explore the rocks. Eleven Backpackers Contest stations were worked, including summit-to-summit contacts with Charlie GW0PZO/P on Moel y Gamelin GW/NW-042, Keith G8HXE/P on Gun G/SP-013 and Steve G1INK/P on Cross Fell G/NP-001.

This left Jimmy with one contact to make to get his four. (Yes, believe it or not, this was Jimmy's first visit to The Cloud in 2007!). He called on S20 and worked Steve M0SGB on 2m FM. Back in the car, we were increasingly following the Wimbledon final on BBC Radio 5 Live. We called in at The Rushton Inn for a pint of Bosley Cloud (appropriately enough) and watch Rafael Nadal outclass Roger Federer to go 4-0 up in the fourth set of the Wimbledon final. We made it home in time to watch most of the deciding fifth set, which Federer deservedly won.

Some statistics:

Jimmy M3EYP/P: 1439 to 1507 UTC, 4 contacts; 3 x 2m SSB, 1 x 2m FM, 3 S2S, 2 DXCC

Tom M1EYP/P: 0614 -1503 UTC, 71 contacts; 14x40m CW, 23x2m FM, 3x2m CW, 31x2m SSB, 7 S2S, 10 DXCC.

Sincere thanks to everyone that worked us on the various bands and modes, all on 5 watts:

It was all wet an' 'orrible this morning - Friday 13th July 2007 - and I was tired after last night's pub quiz exertions. Quite why I walked up Bosley Cloud I don't really know, but I did and made six contacts on 2m FM with 2.5 watts.  I could have practically written the log in advance... Thanks lads.

This was my 67th activation of this summit in the SOTA programme.

I must be slacking. (Or the weather must be absolutely bobbins). Just the one Cloud activation from me in a whole week, on the afternoon of Tuesday 17th July 2007, on the way home from work. Nothing special, mainly 2m FM handheld activation, with one contact on 70cm (G6GVI).  All conducted in a most relaxed and unhurried style, with each QSO taking an average of six minutes.  Certain people will be wondering what has happened to their standard five chaser points per week guaranteed retainer.  All stations worked on 2.5 watts except 5 watts used for 2E0NHM at the end: