N1CLC: 2020-03-29 SOTA Hike to Fallbrook

Today’s activation was W6/SC-445, a no-name mountain next to Monserate. I was actually at Monserate last weekend. Unlike last weekend, there wasn’t a sole on in trail the entire time. I’m guessing this hike is relatively unknown except by the locals and SOTA geeks. I wanted to ensure that I hiked a relatively unknown place to avoid shutdowns and it worked. For example, I was going to hike Iron Mountain last Friday but it was closed so I headed back over to Black mountain by my house after work. I was able to nab LZ1BYZ in New Zealand though the really strong RFI up there so it made my Friday.

Today’s activation was fun. I hung out for a while on-top and relaxed. I was able to reel in ZL1BYZ with the KX2 and the K6ARK spider thread end-fed antenna. I brought a super lightweight camp chair with me and a sandwich. I need to do that more often.

I did a little chasing of other SOTA operators on summits of their own, and had lunch so I was up there for a couple of hours. At one point I was waiting for another summit operator in Oregon to use a band I might be able to chase her on. My patience worked. I was initially skunked because I couldn’t hear her, but after playing with the filters on the KX2 and learning how they were operated I was able to get an RF lock on Amy, AG7GP for a summit-to-summit. The KX2 is a fantastic little radio. Elecraft took all the features that are found on home stations and packed it into a perfect backpacking rig that is 5.8 x 2.8 x 1.5. Because of that, they have to give almost every knob and button three functions. I still don’t know how to operate all aspects of it but I’ve mastered a few, like the programmable function keys and memory slots for the bands I use the most. Both of those features save me a load of time on the mountain.

It was a short hike but not a person in sight the entire time. My CW is coming along well enough that I can copy calls at 15wpm first time if I don't get pooped on by Mr. kilowatts and the band holds out. I tried SSB phone at the beginning just because I know some hams don't know CW and want to chase but that was a lost cause due due to the contest going on. The band was absolutely packed and after setting up on a clear frequency, someone camped right on top of me. What I should have done is gone up there yesterday afternoon and stayed late with my 100w rig. Had I done that, I would have some great DX.

Speaking of DX, I decided to use the contest that was going on to test my new R-8 antenna in my back yard. I’m pretty happy with it. My longest contact was to Puerto Rico on 20m and Brazill on 40 last night. It’s working well enough. To do any better, I’d really need to setup something above the roof line of my house.

Pictured below is Amy, AG7GP, working me and other stations from her mountain top.

I made a video of this little adventure so you can get a feel for what it was like.

Until next time... 73.

Contacts

Time	Band	Mode	Other Callsign	Other Summit	Is S2S?
18:25	14MHz	SSB	WW7D
18:32	14MHz	SSB	WU7H
18:33	14MHz	CW	AE7AP
18:40	14MHz	CW	W0MNA
18:41	14MHz	CW	W0ERI
18:41	14MHz	CW	AC1Z
18:43	14MHz	CW	VE7HI
18:44	14MHz	CW	N6AN	W6/CT-225	✔
18:46	14MHz	CW	NN7M
18:46	14MHz	CW	KT5V
18:48	14MHz	CW	NW7E
18:48	14MHz	CW	WB7BW
18:52	14MHz	CW	KX0R	W0C/FR-179	✔
18:54	14MHz	CW	KT0A	W0D/BB-037	✔
18:59	14MHz	CW	KI4SVM
19:00	14MHz	CW	AF7MD
19:02	14MHz	CW	W5ESE
19:05	14MHz	CW	ZL1BYZ
19:09	14MHz	CW	KE5AKL	W5N/SI-010	✔
19:20	14MHz	CW	K6ARK
19:21	14MHz	CW	WA7JTM
19:24	14MHz	CW	W7RV
19:26	14MHz	CW	NQ7R
19:27	14MHz	CW	KR7RK
19:28	14MHz	CW	AE9Q
19:55	144MHz	FM	K6ARK
20:26	144MHz	FM	N6MY
20:54	7MHz	CW	AG7GP	W7O/SC-051	✔