After learning that if G3CKR/P were not going to be on Merryton Low, then G3CWI/P was, I reasoned that my previous Backpackers site - Shining Tor G/SP-004 - was never going to match the 2nd place I got last time. Mind you, with the weather much better and more people therefore out in the 3w Backpackers section, that was never going to happen anyway!  Various sites were considered, and it was looking like Hutton Roof Crags G/LD-052, which would have been more of a checklog than a competitive entry!  But a weekend in the Lakes with Jimmy and Liam was planned, and that was about the best realistic match.

       

A series of unfortunate events caused the reluctant cancellation of the LD outing, so I had a rethink. Jimmy suggested Moel Famau GW/NW-044, but I wasn't sure if that score would be allowed to be added to my Shining Tor score what with a conflict between my M and MW callsigns.  However, I had another idea. The Wrekin G/WB-010 isn't exactly the biggest mountain out there, but it does stand very tall relative to its surroundings, which are low and flat for many miles in most directions. After having an unorthodox Sunday breakfast of cold chicken legs and sausages at home on Sunday 5th July 2009, we made good time down the M6 and M54, and had begun the ascent before 9am.

   

The cafe halfway up the hill was open, and promised to be open later at 5.30pm for ice creams. We continued up the ridge to the summit, chatting to the many red-shirted British Heart Foundation eventers, doing 100 ascents of The Wrekin between them.  On the summit, I chucked a couple of quid into the bucket, and set about pitching the little budget tent. It is a 2-man job from Sainsburys, but the three of us could sit up in it quite comfortably, surrounded by all our packs, radio stations, food and other luxuries.

Food today was indeed luxurious. We had been into Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent for lunch the previous day, and done some stocking up in the Pak Foods supermarket opposite. So today's energy food was carrot sweetmeats, and soup of the day was butter, milk and dumpling "Instant Feast" - a name that barely suggests its very spicy flavour!

Jimmy M3EYP connected his handheld to the SOTA Beam to start with, and made a handful of contacts on 2m FM. Liam read his fast car and Nintendo magazines, and played on his DS. But as the clock striketh noon, it was my turn, and onto 2m SSB for four hours of contest operating.

I ended up with 64 QSOs, which wasn't too bad, but not brilliant either. Signals from GM were good, but nothing was heard from GI, EI and GD. Best DX was ON4WY in JO11. DLs and PAs were heard as well, but they couldn't hear me. Occasionally, Jimmy took over to work a S2S or a SOTA chaser friend. As we started to pack away at 4pm, Liam set off to the cafe. Jimmy and I completed clear-up and followed him down for the promised ice cream stop.

   

The journey home was swift and unimpeded, and it had been a very enjoyable day. Many thanks to all callers, worked as follows.  Jimmy used 5 watts on FM, and 2.5 watts on SSB in the contest.  All Tom's QSOs, whether FM or SSB, were 2.5 watts in the contest.