I did a very short distance DF this year again, even closer than last year (saving up the best site until more competitors come, besides I would have had to go out miles from home to find a pub, and then go out again on the Sunday).

Anyway, I decided to test them again and put the station just off the tow path of the Bridgewater canal in a bit of wood that's not on the map just North of the M60 as it crosses the Mersey, canal and tram link to the west of Sale Water Park.  This time it was outside the water park.  I tailored the signal level to give a readable signal at the start and was well gratified when I heard that DP went all the way up to the Jumbles Country park for 10:42.

DC complained of a misaligned set (he had been tinkering that very morning and upset it proper) and requested the approximate which Roger gave him after DP and Graham Blomeley(!!!) had left.  However, when all was said and done DC and DP arrived onsite around 12:20.  DP passed within touching range 5 times, DC craftily tapped my foot and wandered off so as not to alert DP, who then took three more circuits of my thinly hidden site to find me 1.5 minutes later.  GB spent most of the morning in Sale Water Park and didn't get in.

DP complained that the signal was weak even close in (cheek it was full power to a 1/4 wave) but it was partly under the super grid power lines.

Geoff Foster was coming but called off with a heavy cold the day before, maybe he wouldn't have been fooled by the distance.  Remember last time I ran one within 100 yards of this site (November 1997) it proved the same problem to most competitors and was won by a team in a Lada driven by a learner driver (no M'way driving!)

Well done Dave - your first win since November 1998!
 

Bridgewater Canal
 

Bridgewater Canal
 

River Mersey
 

Bridgewater Canal