6 SOTA Summit weekender (part 3) The Cloud G/SP-015, Shining Tor G/SP-004 & Black Hill G/SP-002. 7/9/24

Day 3 of the multi summit weekender, and we decided we would do the Cloud, Shining Tor and finish on Black Hill for a total of 5 points! We were omitting the Gun, as I had done that earlier in the year.. We had been keeping an eye on the mountain weather, and the front wa supposed to move to the South from the North of the South Pennines area through ghe day, meaning it would be horrible on Black Hill in the morning and nice on the Cloud! and Vice Versa in the afternoon, we were soon to find out this would not be the case..

Anyhow, an early start and off down to Macclesfield we went.. The cloud is a trial by a million steps (ok slight exageration but still...) but the summit is doable in 20 mins or less from the parking spot, as we were early, it was thankfully quiet! Chucked the antennas up, fired a spot off and away we went! First up, the ever faithful Paul, M0CQE, followed by 14 more on 2M including 2 S2S (Matt M0MZB/B on G/LD-025 Seatallan. And Duane 2E0DIJ/P on G/SP-017 Billinge Hill).. after I had exhausted 2M, i fired up the 4M handheld, sadly only 1 contact on 70Mhz, but 16 all told, in just under an hour on VHF.. happy with that!!

As can be seen from the Tshirt, it certainly wasnt cold, but the clag was looming in the background on the Cloud! 

Anyhow, Job done! Off to Shining tor we went.... The weather was intermittently Claggy as we got up to the Cat and Fiddle, but still fairly mild... we reckoned it being the crappy weather heading south, as we were heading North, passing us on the way! we kitted up, and set off, but noted the path up was decidedly damper compared to the Cloud... hmmmm.... in and out of the Clag we passed, and managed the summit in a fairly good time, although it was busy! the bench on the summit was clear, so up went the mast on the finger post, and the ever reliable Spectrum Communications Slim G, and we got on air. Again Paul, M0CQE was number 1 in the log, followed by a 14 more on 2M and 2 on 4M! 16 total in 35 mins, with the clag thickening... we were off! 

Note the thick claggy cloud behind us.... it was a taste of what was to come!

Lastly we set off to Black Hill, and this is where things would get fun! the Clag was thicker than ever, but still thin enough to be able to sensibly navigate, the path these days is pretty well marked and obvious, so we decided to have a go.... there are 2 streams to ford on the way along the pennine way, and these would be make or break, if they were even remotely raised, we would be calling the trip off.... but thankfully there were ok!

 William on the ford crossing! Note the thankfully low water levels..

Anyhow, the clag got thicker and wetter, wetter and thicker as we climbed the Pennine way to the summit plateau, by the time it levelled off we were RIGHT in the thick of it, already soaked we decided we may as well find the trig, and get the activation done. Now I have NEVER had much luck on Black hill, its a bogey summit to me, but the mast went up, this time on the William mount and we got too it... I literally managed 6 contacts in 5 mins, mast down, and gone! 

One day im going to do black hill in glorious weather! 😂😂

The way down was claggier, and wetter and more miserable.. but we safely got back to the car.. What a great day! and some plans for the next day on my return to the Girls in Wales! and that will be the subject of my next piece.... for now, 73 everyone!

Alan & William

SOTA in the dark! G/SP-015 - The Cloud. Trig #14 TP6366 WAB sq SJ96. 23/10/22

 SOTA in the dark?? Well.... the wife decided herself and her niece wanted to go to play Bingo and I dropped them off at the Bingo hall around 1715 (BST). all dropped off, i sat in the car and pondered what to do with myself for the next 3 and half or so hours till the needed collecting! Anyhow, I had all my portable kit in the car so decided to have a go at a SOTA in the dark! 

I needed an easy hill, one that wouldn't get too technical, could be done fairly quickly and preferably one I wouldn't have to put the antenna up! only 1 fitted this bill.... The Cloud! so off I went... just a smidge over an hours drive to get there after a satnav fail I was in the parking area at SJ907633, follow the track up the hill to the steps on the right, and follow your nose to the trig! now, let me talk about them steps.... They are HORRIBLE in my opinion, each step is a different height and shape from the previous, and its damn near impossible to get a rhythm going on them, and they seem to go on FOREVER! anyway, once up the steps its a well defined marked path for about 6 or so mins walking up to the Trig and Viewing area...

 No sparkling photography today, handheld night shots off my phone! Sorry!

*A quick important note about this summit* 

It is located on National Trust land, and sometimes the patrolling wardens do get funny about radio hams chucking big daft antennas and elaborate setups up on their hill! Permission is recommended if not discretion is a must! Keep it simple folks :)  that said I went up at 1900 on a dark Sunday night, i didn't reckon on there being an issue, and there wasn't 😂😂 

Didn't bother chucking the antenna up, went for a handheld activation.. spotted on the app and then called CQ.... Nothing.... UH OH!! this surprised me considering the views and the area's i was potentially transmitting over!

I had a pause, and decided to let the spot do its "thing" as i sat there, a HUGE lightning storm caught my eye to the east, over the hills.. I later found out it was over Leicester and it looked spectacular!

Ok, time for another CQ.... THANK THE LORD! there was life... first call 2E0LKC-Mark in Heald Green followed by his wife 2E0LMD-Anne. a quick recall produced 2E0NRL-Ethan in Sandbach and then finally 2E0DIJ-Duane in Prestwich. PHEW! Activation complete! WAHEY! few more CQs came to nought and the lightening storm appeared to be on the move and getting brighter, so a quick exit was decided upon. Ascend - Activate - Descend all done in 40mins perfect! so I hit the car, and headed back to the Bingo hall to collect the girls and arrived back with time to spare! Short and sweet, the plan worked!

As usual thanks to the chasers for the dedication to be listening at 1900BST on a Sunday night and coming back to me. 

Till next time 73 for now and cheers! Alan