Being renowned for operating near the Irwell or the Ship Canal, I decided that this year would be different.  Whilst out walking down the disused railway line through Roe Green I came across a patch of undergrowth next to the M60 and just on the edge of Worsley Woods that looked promising as a site.  I hoped that if I was able to get up a good aerial I would be heard from the start and so visited the site with my reel of wire and my billiard ball with a staple driven into it, which is used to throw the aerial up into the trees, on the Wednesday preceding the event.  Two hours later the aerial was up and the billiard ball, which was bright red was stuck high up in a tree.

The morning of the DF was below freezing, and well wrapped up I entered the woods and looked for the billiard ball to see if it had blown out of the tree, but was unable to see it, in spite of having marked the ground below the tree in which it was dangling.

Two competitors heard the first transmission and they all set out and passed within 30 yards of me as they zoomed up the motorway.

The sun shone and I warmed up a little before Dave Holland was the first to arrive at 11.15.  After finding me he decided to lurk in the woods and await the arrival of the other competitors, but became bored after 30 minutes and walked back to the car and on to the pub.

Chris Heys came crashing through the undergrowth at 11.53, closely followed by Dave Chippendale at 11.58.  A quick phone call to Roger by Dave revealed he was too far away to make it to the transmitter before 12:30 and the so the station shut down early at 12.05, and off we went to the very quiet Bridgewater Hotel for lunch.

Many congratulations to Dave Chippendale who spotted the billiard ball in the tree, shame it didn’t give him more of an advantage.
 

RT plots bearings and prepares for action
 

Dave tests his newly installed circuitry
 

John pops up from his hidey hole
 

The billiard ball!
 

Our activities disturb the local tramp
 

Dave Chip with assistant Hayley
 

Time is running out for Roger
 

Winner and operator enjoy a pint
 

Smile please...