Christmas Day activation photos at the end of this page...

My CW speed was up to 18wpm by the end of the recent CQWW contest, but already it has slipped back to 16wpm. Since terminating my membership of the gym and not yet joining a new one, my fitness has also slipped, such that I am getting beaten at squash every week, and having colleagues not known for their blistering pace ghosting past me at five-a-side on a Friday.

Two birds, one stone, back to a walk up The Cloud every day. Possibly...

I set off from home at 0620 on Wednesday 5th December 2007, and spoke to Steve M0SGB and Frank G6TNO on the GB3MN repeater on the drive. I collected the gear (almost forgot the pole) from the boot of my car, and set off on the ascent just after 0650. It was still completely dark, and so I took a hand torch to illuminate the stairs. In fact, the torchlight was still needed when out of the trees and up on the ridge.

The torchlight was still needed on the summit, for unpacking the rucksack and laying out the legs of the dipole. This was actually quite hard work in the dark, and I was much slower than usual in setting up.

Eventually, I was QRV around 0725, but failing to solicit any response. I was further hampered by there being an existing QSO on 7.032, thus meaning I would have to find a different QRG to that for which I had alerted. I spotted myself on 7.031, and put out a few calls with no response. Then a loud voice station appeared, splattering all over 7.030 to 7.034, so I rested for a while. When it disappeared, I noticed that 7.032 was now clear, so I called on there, and was called back by a very loud DL6DQI.

Further calls brought only silence until a G station called me five minutes later. This station wanted a conversation rather than a rubber stamp QSO, but seeing as I was wanting to practice my CW, that was not a problem. We had a longish contact lasting 8 minutes. I was by now behind schedule for getting to work on time, so two more contacts with PA0HRM and DL4FDM were very speedy, and then I had to pack up and descend. I think there was another station calling me after Fritz, but I really had to go - apologies.

I frantically collapsed the pole and wound in the dipole, then legged it down the hill. At least it was now light! I was in the car for 0805, and arrived at work at 0831. So a late mark for being 1 minute late to staff morning briefing, but sufficient time to change into my suit and meet the pupils at 0840.  Many thanks to the following stations, all worked on 7.032MHz CW with 5 watts:

I was at the Cloudside parking spot, on the summit, and set up for 40m CW all by the usual and expected times for an after-work activation on Wednesday 12th December 2007.  Except that I hadn't even been to work. I won't bore you with the details - because these particular details are rather boring.

It was very cold and very windy on the summit, but huddled in on the East-facing side of the topograph, it was simply very cold. It felt as though my fingers wouldn't be able to withstand the extreme cold for much time. However, operating the paddle seemed to warm my fingers up well, and I was quite comfortable.

Five stations - F, DJ and 3 x HB - were worked in a seven minute period, following which there were no further calls. I managed to pack away in daylight, but even at 4.25pm, it was getting really dark during the descent. I managed to get to the car without the assistance of torchlight, but only by a few minutes.  Many thanks to the following, all worked on 40m CW on 5 watts:

It remained clear and dry on Thursday 13th December 2008, so I left the chalkface at 3.15pm and made straight for Cloudside. The wind was blowing at an angle across the topograph, so no one side of it offered complete shelter, unlike the previous two activations. I decided that side looking ahead towards the end of the ridge, in a NW direction was just about the better one, and set up with that as my operating position.

I only made three contacts before silence reigned - HB, I and G. I was quite surprised, because several stations seemed to be calling in the "pile-up" from which G3CWI was extracted, but Richard turned out to be my last contact. The band hadn't died completely; activity remained in the 7.000 to 7.029 range, but my further CQ calls, either on 7.031 or lower down the band were unanswered. I am coming to the conclusion that 4.30pm on a December afternoon is not the best time for 40m QRP! Maybe I should wheel the 2m CW back out.

It was very cold while packing up in the final dregs of daylight, and the descent was torchlit as day rapidly became night.  Many thanks to:

I had stayed in a B&B in Burslem on the Friday night, after the work football team's Christmas Bash. On the way home on the morning of Saturday 15th December 2007, I decided that a bit of fresh air and exercise was a necessary antidote to the previous evenings real ales, karaoke, sambuca shots and balti.

As I began the ascent, I noticed piles of small rectangular pieces of ice on the ground, particularly under trees. I pontificated as to the process of their being there as I climbed the steep stairway.

This was a low effort activation, with just 2m FM from the handheld. I didn't even take the SLAB for back-up power, nor the RSS for an antenna improvement. Just me, and two items - the VX-110 and my coat - simple!

Nonetheless, 20 minutes operating brought 8 contacts spread around the North West and North Wales, and including a S2S with 2E0RSM/P on Sharp Haw G/NP-029. Then home, pick up the kids, then around town picking up other peoples' kids and onto the derby - Macc v Stockport - and a deterioration to the level of enjoyment of the day.  Thanks to the following, all worked using 2.5 watts: