2018-08-04 Escudilla Mtn.

Today’s summit is a repeat of my Thanksgiving summit.  This should count since the new year ticked over.  I decided to do a video blog.... And then forgot the gopro. 

Last time I only had 5 watts.  Today I brought the FT-891 that should be putting out 100 watts.  The band conditions were difficult and at the end, a thunderstorm to the south east of me made hearing anything very difficult.  On the plus side, the trek up to 11,800 feet was no problem and I’m surprised how quickly I recovered.

The trek up to the lookout and activation zone was easy.  The trail is in good condition and I think I had to step over one fallen tree.  I was actually surprised that I wasn't gasping, given that I was at 10,000+ feet.  I guess the cycling to work is doing me some good.  

The rains start the first week in July so it's very green up here.  It's a heck of a lot more pleasant than the brown you get prior to the monsoons arriving. 

I first setup the 20 meter packtenna dipole and tied it off with ropes to a tree and the fence (then moved off the fence to a tree to get it up higher.  I had difficulty hearing and the SWR was about 2 to 1.  It was at 15’ off the ground but it probably needed to go higher.  I got 16 contacts and then setup the CHA MPAS . It wasn’t any better so after logging a contact I decided to exfil from the area of operations.  There was a storm moving in and the thunderstorm to the south east of me was making it really hard to hear a complete call sign.

The trip back to the car was easy enough.  At one point I got some light hail but I didn’t get that wet.  Not enough to really warrant putting on the rain cover.

There is no recording today since I used the phone to capture call signs.

W7A/AE-006 - Escudilla Mountain (Alpine Area)

Association:   USA - Arizona Region:   AZ-Eastern Arizona Lat / Long / Height:   33.9553°N   -109.1251°W   3326m / 10910ft Locator:   DM53kw Show » Points / Activations:   10 points,  activated 5 times Latest Activation:   2017-11-25 by N1CLC IAF

Date	Time	Summit	Band	Mode	Station Worked	Notes
04/Aug/2018	18:55	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	ND0C
04/Aug/2018	19:32	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	NK6A
04/Aug/2018	19:33	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	K4VOZ
04/Aug/2018	19:34	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	W0AF
04/Aug/2018	19:34	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	W4CIR
04/Aug/2018	19:35	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	VA2MO
04/Aug/2018	19:36	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	VE2JCW
04/Aug/2018	19:37	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	NG6R
04/Aug/2018	19:37	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	KB7XL
04/Aug/2018	19:39	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	W7VI
04/Aug/2018	19:39	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	K0LAF
04/Aug/2018	19:39	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	KI6EAB
04/Aug/2018	19:44	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	WA2USA
04/Aug/2018	20:13	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	N4EX
04/Aug/2018	20:14	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	KB6CIO
04/Aug/2018	20:15	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	KG5SW
04/Aug/2018	20:16	W7A/AE-006	14MHz	SSB	NS7P

Loadout for today:

●      Gregory Zulu 40 backpack

●      CHA MPAS with spike and additional MIL mast

●      Yaesu FT-891D HF Radio at 100 watts

●   30’ of coax feed line

●      Yaesu FT-2DR HT

●      Slim Jim dual band antenna for my HT.

●      3 L of water (8 lb)

●      SOTA Dog 

●      iPhone with All Trails, MotionX GPS and sota goat

●      MFJ-939Y auto antenna tuner for 891

●      Treking poles

●      Jetboil MicroMo cooking system

●     Packtenna.

73,

N1CLC

Christian Claborne