Whilst on a rest period at the 1999 NFD, relaxing and trying to keep warm outside of the contest caravan at Lichfield, Andy G4PIQ enquired whether I might be interested in joining him and the team for the multi-multi operation at M6T for this year's CQ WW SSB contest. 
"Yes" and "Wow" were mumbled very quickly.   And then things got moving. 

In the weeks before the contest most of the towers had been moved into position, and some of the antennas had been put on the masts. 

I turned up on site the week before the contest, and spent four days helping to put some of the yagi's up, running out 160m dipoles, and also the 80m four square plus the ubiquitous radials (!)    It was surprising how much time was required to get everything ready - I'll never complain about a single weekend NFD type activity again. 

On the Wednesday and Thursday, I went home to recover some of the energy I'd just expended.   By my return on the Friday, things were really in full swing, with nearly everyone once again on site, and the towers now wound up. 

My actual involvement in the contest itself was a little operating on 15m, keeping the seat warm before Andy took over, and trying to provide as many mults as possible to the guys in a spotting capacity.   And a little bit of crap soldering too, but you can't have everything! 

I've now got a better idea of what CQ WW Multi Multi is all about - I'm impressed by the "QSO machines" and pileup busters having seen them in action, everyone's ability to keep going for the whole weekend, and to Bob G4BAH for organising things and keeping everything going.   Well done to the guys, and I hope our expectations for a good result come true when the results come out next year. 
 

Good news #1:   The group won the 1999 European Multi-Multi title and broke the all time record in the process. 

Good news #2:   They asked me back for 2000 ! 

Plan was pretty much the same as last year.  I turned up the weekend before the contest (had to miss the WAG contest - eek!), and quickly got back into the swing of winding towers, putting out guy ropes, the infamous radials for the 80m four square, and trudging through the mud to set up some beverages. 

This year I stopped in a Bed and Breakfast which I can say is much more pleasant than trying to sleep in the car.  More expensive but worth it ! 

My activities over the contest weekend itself were: 

First hour:  Try 15m !   It was still open around an hour before the start of the contest, so it was tempting to see if there was any life still there. 

Then back to the B+B for two hours sleep.  I normally feel very disoriented after such a short sleep but this time I was okay. 

Back on 15m for the band opening proper.  After a gradual start (10m and 15m battled away to 25 QSOs each very slowly) the band came to life and I was able to get a good rate going.   Worked quite a few loud JAs and was getting settled in to operating the 15m station, flicking the RX Audio between different antennas, and collecting a few mults via the second VFO.     Then Andy arrived before breakfast time (relative term!) and I went over to the spotting station. 

The spotting station was in an adjacent farm, and comprised a TH5 and a dipole.   It was cramped inside but we had 4 listening posts. 

I did a run for some evening food with Harri OH6YF, but my exhaust fell off my car during the way back !    Thanks to Ian and Jim for rescuing me ! 

Then it was to 80m for a few hours overnight, but there had been an aurora and conditions were quite bad. 

I then had three hours sleep on the Sunday morning, before coming back to 15m.  Like 80m, the band opened late and there was little DX to work. 

After a brief stop to call the AA and get me roadworthy again, I went back to the spotting station for the duration of the contest and tried (in vain!) to find lots of new multipliers for the guys. 

From claimed scores things look quite positive again for us, although the multiplier totals were the worst ever !