tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62678746635890784972024-03-12T18:12:37.661-07:00KR7RK Amateur RadioRamblings about the ham radio activities of KR7RK.KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-3454586391365783872019-08-12T17:46:00.002-07:002019-08-12T17:51:03.634-07:00W7A/SC-001 Josephine Peak and W7A/AE-014 Mt WrightsonThe Santa Rita Mountains are South of Tucson and contain some beautiful trails. The high point is <a href="http://kr7rk.blogspot.com/2016/09/mt-wrightson-hike-and-sota-activation.html" target="_blank">Mt Wrightson, which I have previously blogged about</a>; at 9,453 feet elevation, it is higher than Mt. Lemmon in the Santa Catalina range. But since the summits in the Santa Ritas don't have a public road to the top, they provide a much nicer wilderness experience.<br />
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Hiking Wrightson alone is a good challenge, but the trail system in the area provides a great double-activation opportunity for hams who want a tough but rewarding day. The "Super Trail" loop around Mt. Wrightson goes past Josephine Peak, a 10-pointer that is almost 1,000 feet lower than the summit of Wrightson, but is actually considerably harder to reach.<br />
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I've done this double twice as of this writing, first on March 8, 2018, and second on July 26, 2019. The March hike was cooler, but the July hike provided more daylight hours. In March, there was still snow on the trail above 8,500 feet; in July, a monsoon storm actually prevented me from completing the activation of Wrightson, although I did reach the summit. Overall, I'd recommend late fall or spring as the best time of year to do this double.<br />
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Starting from the top of the road in Madera Canyon, I took the Old Baldy Trail up towards Josephine Saddle. It's a steep trail but very beautiful. On the way up, sometimes there is wildlife to be seen - I spotted a few deer in July, but I have not yet seen a bear there, although they do live in the area.<br />
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Upon reaching the Saddle, there is a plaque to commemorate the passing of some Boy Scouts who were caught in a storm in 1958.<br />
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At the saddle I turned left to head up towards Mt. Wrightson. The Super Trail turnoff is a bit further up the trail and although there is a sign, it could easily be missed as it clearly does not get the same usage.<br />
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Hiking generally Eastward on the Super Trail takes you towards Josephine Peak. This section of the hike continues the climb, and is less traveled but quite nice.<br />
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Along the way, Mount Hopkins looms with its giant observatory building prominently guarding the summit. This is also a 10-point summit, and I'll blog about this one in another post.<br />
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When the first view of Josephine opens up, it's both spectacularly beautiful and a bit intimidating. This is heavily forested mountain terrain!<br />
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Somewhere around 4 miles in, the trail reaches Riley Saddle. There is a sign pointing to Josephine Peak. This is where things begin to get interesting!<br />
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Apparently, there had been a trail to the peak in the past, but it was obliterated by the Florida Fire in 2005. When I hiked in March 2018, someone had begun rebuilding a trail, at least for the first quarter mile or so. Apparently the USFS did not appreciate this and in 2019, I discovered that the trail was mostly gone, and a few of these signs were posted warning hikers against unauthorized trail building.<br />
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From Riley Saddle to the top, the hike becomes a very challenging bushwhack, with some very dense sections and some very steep sections. It's actually easy to get into a dangerous place during this bushwhack!<br />
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In March, I tried a route up that put me into some extreme exposure; a fall would have been devastating. In July, I foolishly took a route up a steep gully with the hope of saving some distance; upon reaching the top, I found myself facing into a deep cave that appeared to be "occupied" and I had to scramble back down, again praying not to fall and feeling fortunate that I didn't get eaten by some large fluffy creature. The best way to avoid serious danger on this bushwhack is to steer to the left (North) face, and go up in the treefall there, rather than try to scramble up through the rocky sections on the Western side.<br />
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The top of Josephine is actually a nice spot to activate, with bushes and rocks available to put a mast up, but no shade.<br />
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During the summer months, ladybugs sometimes come out in force at high elevation. They can be a bit overwhelming...and yes they do occasionally bite!<br />
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After activating Josephine, the focus turns to Mt Wrightson, which is majestic during the bushwhack back down.</div>
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Upon reaching the Super Trail, rather than turn left to return from where I came, I turned right (NE) to begin the trek towards the summit of Mt. Wrightson. On this side of the peak, the trail is a bit less forested and more rugged than on the West-facing side. It's about 3 more miles from Josephine to Wrightson, but with the bushwhacking and climbing it does take a while.</div>
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The summer season in Southern Arizona can have some bad monsoon storms. During my hike in July, when I looked back towards Josephine, I noticed dark clouds forming which had not been there earlier.</div>
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Sure enough, the rain began soon aftewards. I didn't mind the cooling effect of the rain, but it made me nervous about whether the weather would prevent me from completing the double activation. Not hearing any thunder at all, I decided to forge ahead. The rain eased up a bit as I approached the saddle below Mt Wrightson.</div>
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In March, this area had snow, although it wasn't deep. March is late in the season here, so it's possible to find the ground dry, snow-dusted, or even heavy snow. As the hike approaches the summit, there is a fairly steep series of narrow switchbacks that are a lot of fun to hike. When it's snowy, they can even be difficult to negotiate; fortunately, during my hike the snow wasn't bad enough to create any serious challenge.</div>
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The top of Mt Wrightson is quite exposed and definitely not a good place to be during a thunderstorm. Unfortunately, during my July 2019 hike, although I reached the top, I did not activate. I actually was pushing up my mast, with the dipole hanging off the top, and just as it reached maximum height, a huge <i>CRACK</i> and a boom of thunder just about startled me out of my hiking boots! I jumped and snagged my antenna's wire, ripping it out of the balun at the top...and proceeded to pull the mast down in record time. I threw my stuff into the bag and made haste to get off the high point asap.<br />
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The hike down from Wrightson is quite beautiful. There are a couple of springs along the path, and plenty of greenery on the Western side of the peak.<br />
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Either of these two summits is an honest day's work to activate; but their unique location and the trail design allows them to be combined for anyone looking for a good hard challenge.<br />
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One odd fact about these two summits: Josephine Peak is in the "SC" region and thus qualifies for the SOTA Summer Bonus. However, Mt. Wrightson is in the "AE" region, and thus qualifies for the SOTA Winter Bonus. This despite the fact that they are both in the same grid square!<br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Date First Activated as a Double by KR7RK</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">: 08 Mar 2018</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">
<b>GPS Track Uploaded to</b> <a href="https://www.sotamaps.org/tracks" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">SOTA Mapping Project Tracks</a> <b>Site</b>: Yes</div>
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<b>Approx Hiking Distance</b>: 14.2 mi</div>
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<b>Approx Elevation Gain</b>: 4,600'</div>
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<b>Summit Elevation</b>: 8,478' (Josephine Peak), 9,453' (Mt Wrightson)</div>
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<b>Summit Grid Square</b>: DM41nq (both summits)</div>
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<b>Summit County</b>: Santa Cruz</div>
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<b>ITU Zone</b>: 6</div>
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<b>CQ Zone</b>: 3</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-83542353992236616052019-08-04T16:21:00.001-07:002019-08-04T16:21:43.143-07:00W7A/CO-002, Ramsey Peak and W7A/AE-013, Miller PeakI was desiring a very long hike after my busy season ended, so early in the morning of April 18th, 2019, I got up early and made the long drive from Oro Valley to the Ramsey Vista Campground in the Huachuca Mountains. This mountain range lies along the US/Mexico Border, near the town of Sierra Vista. My targets for the day were two summits, W7A/CO-002 Ramsey Peak, and W7A/AE-013 Miller Peak. I actually thought there might be a possibility to add a third summit, W7A/CO-001 Carr Peak, which I had previously activated, but only if time permitted - as it turned out, I skipped Carr.<br />
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I parked in the campground, hung my USFS pass in the window, and began my day of hiking about 7am. Early on, I could see the mountain looming in the distance, its rocky eastern sides looking rather intimidating.<br />
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Starting on the Hamburg Trail, I began the hike. The first 2.5 miles or so were actually downhill, dropping about 700' into Pat Scott Canyon and the Hamburg Mine. It was nice and cool, with a decent trail and plenty of trees. I even found some running water in a few places.<br />
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After the canyon, the steep climb began with multiple switchbacks.<br />
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Ramsey Peak was drawing closer, and continued to look rather interesting.<br />
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At about 4.7 miles in, I reached a junction with the Crest Trail. Turning North, I took a path that would take me across Pat Scott Peak on the way to Ramsey. There were some interesting sights including some discarded old mining equipment (which is not unusual in Arizona).<br />
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There were a few sections with steeper climbs and more evidence of human presence from days gone by as I continued onward.<br />
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Eventually the trail became less apparent - there clearly were not as many hikers who go this far up. But it did level out for a while and was pleasantly forested. I saw a deer run by and breathed in the fresh air as I prepared for the coming bushwhack.<br />
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At about the 5.5 mile mark, I reached a boundary sign to inform me that the trail was about to enter the Fort Huachuca Army Base. This is where the bushwhack to the summit begins, and there is a fence to define the boundary of the Coronado National Forest and the US Military property. Although I doubted that the army would have anyone stationed up there, I decided it was probably best not to be bushwhacking through the forest on the military side of the fence.<br />
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So, I began the final ascent up to the summit. At first, it looked relatively simple - a mild slope in the pines. However, that did not last long! <br />
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It was a tough, dense, and at times rather steep bushwhack to the summit. It took me almost another hour to hike that final mile. But I did reach the summit, and had a nice activation starting at about 11am. I was testing out a shorter (and lighter) push-up mast so my antenna wasn't quite as high as normal, but it all worked out well.<br />
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Since I had plenty of hiking ahead, I only ran 20 and 40 meters, for about 45 minutes, before packing up. The bushwhack down was just as rough, and I was glad to be back on trail after a mile down. I headed back along the Crest Trail, but at the junction I kept on going instead of turning back down towards the canyon. I was really enjoying this trail, being alone in the quiet forest, with plenty of scenery.<br />
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There are quite a few trails in the Huachucas, but fortunately I had carefully mapped out my route and saved it to my GPS in advance. The Crest Trail is actually part of the Arizona Trail, and although I didn't see any other hikers all day, I'm sure there had probably been some through-hikers in this area within the past few months.<br />
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Some areas of the hike took me through sections that had obviously experienced forest fires.<br />
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My second summit target, Miller Peak, was a fairly good hike away from Ramsey. Around 5 miles into the hike between the summits, I reached what I believe was "Bathtub Spring". This is also a trail junction and I stopped to take a drink before starting the next climbing section. I was very sweaty and grubby by this time, but I decided not to take a bath.<br />
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Continuing on, I soon saw Miller Peak tempting me in the distance, roughly 2.5 miles away, and about 700 feet higher.<br />
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I was beginning to get a bit tired at this point but the magic of the outdoors kept me feeling excited. As I got higher, there were even a few sections of trail that had a snowy surprise to cool me off.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrpqU9Oq6Vd7LWpahRbYtkvH9wf9fUkvypEeecO387CQKUmQtXB_aOSpn2zYibWwYOlKMXiQhadrjaPQMHZn__ii4vluk9EiPi9lrv-nZWUM_IztP2IsybutRTfp0DmRb8mnwMy6MTkY5/s1600/IMG_1110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrpqU9Oq6Vd7LWpahRbYtkvH9wf9fUkvypEeecO387CQKUmQtXB_aOSpn2zYibWwYOlKMXiQhadrjaPQMHZn__ii4vluk9EiPi9lrv-nZWUM_IztP2IsybutRTfp0DmRb8mnwMy6MTkY5/s320/IMG_1110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I reached the final spur trail to Miller Peak and turned up for the final ascent. It was rocky and rough, but not too far to reach the summit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UzE6spf5oo_dPnm4ezvwpo8DZhbbDKbfwrK4WeWUT7kmxnbP64vfgdp9oR_zP9sK8xX2BTZtyDIYJ2d9PJgY3MO8Eofp0eUqWKv8XHsnefUB6bpG1uIyPZSD3-ITl-zxAD9ibV1cR3nG/s1600/IMG_1116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UzE6spf5oo_dPnm4ezvwpo8DZhbbDKbfwrK4WeWUT7kmxnbP64vfgdp9oR_zP9sK8xX2BTZtyDIYJ2d9PJgY3MO8Eofp0eUqWKv8XHsnefUB6bpG1uIyPZSD3-ITl-zxAD9ibV1cR3nG/s320/IMG_1116.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I set up and began operating about 4pm, but kept it very short as it was chilly and I knew I only had a few hours of daylight to finish my hike.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxXgVJumYQwyONnyxnS9ies4nQSfu448rldunVP6PgErP8dtQC7d3RSRV5w_n5PqXTM88Watv4FO044Sma6ag' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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The hike out was very nice, with long shadows and the stillness that slowly takes over wilderness as evening approaches. At one point I saw a deer who seemed surprised to see a human out here in his domain.<br />
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I walked so close to Carr Peak, in fact my final section of the hike took me right past the summit and around it, but there simply was not enough time to scurry up and activate. When I came around to the North side of the peak, I could see into Sierra Vista, and nearby was the famous tethered border surveillance blimp that has kept an eye on the area for many years.<br />
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The hike down after Carr Peak is rather steep and rocky, which was a bit tricky to navigate safely in low light.<br />
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I finished the hike right when twilight was pretty much done. The moon was full and was peeking through the treetops to add a mystical aura to the finish. The total mileage for the hike was 20.2 miles, with total elevation gain of around 5,400 feet. I was tired but very happy!<br />
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Date First Activated by KR7RK</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">: 18 Apr 2019</span><br />
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<b>GPS Track Uploaded to</b> <a href="https://www.sotamaps.org/tracks" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">SOTA Mapping Project Tracks</a> <b>Site</b>: Yes</div>
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<b>Approx Hiking Distance</b>: 20.2 mi</div>
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<b>Approx Elevation Gain</b>: 5,400'</div>
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<b>Summit Elevation</b>: 8,737' (Ramsey Peak), 9,466' (Miller Peak)</div>
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<b>Summit Grid Square</b>: DM41tk (Ramsey Peak), DM41uj (Miller Peak)</div>
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<b>Summit County</b>: Cochise</div>
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<b>ITU Zone</b>: 6</div>
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<b>CQ Zone</b>: 3</div>
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KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-7331189241148865432019-07-24T16:40:00.001-07:002019-07-24T16:40:36.485-07:00W7A/AE-011, Heliograph PeakHeliograph Peak is a special summit for me, because it's where I got my start with Summits On The Air. <a href="http://kr7rk.blogspot.com/2016/07/my-first-sota-activation-w7aae-011.html" target="_blank">See this post from July 16, 2016 for a blog about that first adventure that I had with my friend Quinton, NU7Y</a>.<br />
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Two years later, I was fully immersed in the addiction of ham radio and summit hikes. I had activated enough to reach "Mountain Goat" status, which requires attaining 1,000 points using the SOTA scoring system. I wanted to return to Heliograph Peak, which is worth 10 points, to cross that 1,000 point mark and earn my MG, so on July 6, 2018, I headed towards the Pinaleno Mountains for some fun.<br />
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I first <a href="http://kr7rk.blogspot.com/2019/07/w7aae-010-webb-peak.html" target="_blank">hiked to, and activated, W7A/AE-010 Webb Peak</a>, which is just a bit further down the road from Heliograph and makes for a nice double-activation option. It was a nice cool day and there were a few light rain showers but nothing to prevent a good activation.<br />
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There are at least two main routes up to the summit of Heliograph. The longer option is actually the easier way, because it involves hiking up a dirt road for about 2.3 miles with a bit under 1,000 feet elevation gain. The shorter option is to hike up a trail for about 2 miles, which is steeper with roughly 1,100 feet of gain. I've posted <a href="https://www.sotamaps.org/tracks" target="_blank">tracks for both to the SOTA Mapping Projects Tracks page</a>. I think the trail option is more scenic but they both are pretty good and you can combine them since the starting point is nearly the same either way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzXyhlv0F9Uicpd_aNsflv-e8oKxJth6pavQMdV0FalL-8qta4pjsdwhMiXUv3W2xGhWNP1MLPhY278mAInvH4kdthZLGXmb0URmub-pkOrvSV1gUQv-fxgjxopUWB-BnmFGQ83WLXVrO/s1600/IMG_0761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzXyhlv0F9Uicpd_aNsflv-e8oKxJth6pavQMdV0FalL-8qta4pjsdwhMiXUv3W2xGhWNP1MLPhY278mAInvH4kdthZLGXmb0URmub-pkOrvSV1gUQv-fxgjxopUWB-BnmFGQ83WLXVrO/s320/IMG_0761.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For my MG activation, I took the trail. There was some fire damage evident from the 2017 Frye Fire, but overall it was in decent condition.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDh7DkmVn2rPKNRXzNMaWl-aECkMYOcgUidCG3ODOYoul-D9H4Jnj1Vzrtuv8vs6yPeRDkq9sFlPjtwN-wCk6kAh0wdcXL3cXmjdOVGsGedtseG-hi16ciL7XP3fCIhSHM8ZII0fUIzOB1/s1600/IMG_0763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDh7DkmVn2rPKNRXzNMaWl-aECkMYOcgUidCG3ODOYoul-D9H4Jnj1Vzrtuv8vs6yPeRDkq9sFlPjtwN-wCk6kAh0wdcXL3cXmjdOVGsGedtseG-hi16ciL7XP3fCIhSHM8ZII0fUIzOB1/s320/IMG_0763.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Towards the top, the trail does get steeper, and became somewhat vague - because it had only recently re-opened after the fire, there had not been a lot of use to keep it well-defined, but there wasn't much chance of getting lost.<br />
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There are commercial towers and a fire lookout on top, but the summit is fairly broad and has plenty of space to set up a SOTA station. Here is a 360 summit view video (split into two due to size limits):<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dweRvPpOmdxcfcOCt0Ue0zY_fIq0QkaBBKNrbcmbb7wASOlxdqyFmX9MR4l8s6ZRhphERYje81_F6cR2FL3ig' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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It was a wonderful day, and some of the same Chasers who showed up in my log from that first SOTA activation in 2016 gave me contacts again in 2018, which was fun. And of course, first in my log was NU7Y! I did cross the 1,000 points level, and a couple of months later received this nice glass trophy to commemorate earning SOTA Mountain Goat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl4SnqLmKn5Qmg2EYxdol8tNqC0-Olj-MXIsMpKQUvY121pN0B_d85k69qae9FodYo8S2E19yGzWGvDkq_bFuSWSjDvvVq0vmKh553T7_xlMt_RC5zttaoUU2fCmfJF3lG5PO0PDlVMpt6/s1600/MountainGoatTrophyJul062018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl4SnqLmKn5Qmg2EYxdol8tNqC0-Olj-MXIsMpKQUvY121pN0B_d85k69qae9FodYo8S2E19yGzWGvDkq_bFuSWSjDvvVq0vmKh553T7_xlMt_RC5zttaoUU2fCmfJF3lG5PO0PDlVMpt6/s320/MountainGoatTrophyJul062018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Heliograph is in the Coronado National Forest, and is managed by the Safford Ranger District. I found them to be helpful when I called to confirm the status of the area - there are many fires in Arizona and they often result in closures, and sometimes information on the internet is not current.<br />
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">
<b>Date First Activated by KR7RK</b>: 16 July 2016<br /><b>GPS Track Uploaded to</b> <a href="https://www.sotamaps.org/tracks" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">SOTA Mapping Project Tracks</a> <b>Site</b>: Yes</div>
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<b>Approx Hiking Distance</b>: 4.1 - 4.5 mi</div>
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<b>Approx Elevation Gain</b>: 1,000'</div>
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<b>Summit Elevation</b>: 10,022'</div>
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<b>Summit Grid Square</b>: DM52bp</div>
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<b>Summit County</b>: Graham</div>
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<b>ITU Zone</b>: 6</div>
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<b>CQ Zone</b>: 3</div>
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KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-46053736983103771422019-07-24T09:52:00.000-07:002019-07-24T09:55:22.315-07:00W7A/AE-010, Webb PeakThe Pinaleno Mountains in Southern Arizona contain some high summits and provide an opportunity to find some cooler temperatures during the warmer months. Mount Graham is the highest, but it is off limits to most due to the observatories and to protect the endangered Red Squirrel population. Other summits are accessible, though, including Webb Peak. I chose to activate Webb Peak in July, 2018, as my first of two summits on the day I reached the Summits On The Air "Mountain Goat" status.<br />
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It's a long drive from Tucson to the trailhead - roughly 3.5 hours. As I neared the base of the mountain range, I noted some gathering clouds near the top but I was excited for the day and not too concerned.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZJjbLFcJuoqsD0N8V9JVAqDbo441eBFejp3T_161oRqlLkZSD0t6gnTji3I9Nccde4cBCM2NZyYwVtH9QRJXnmQFz7U-w1760v7e24fi9x_GT9SIbJ1lWzEiER9G5-J6G5pHtvpmPCmK/s1600/20180706_055523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZJjbLFcJuoqsD0N8V9JVAqDbo441eBFejp3T_161oRqlLkZSD0t6gnTji3I9Nccde4cBCM2NZyYwVtH9QRJXnmQFz7U-w1760v7e24fi9x_GT9SIbJ1lWzEiER9G5-J6G5pHtvpmPCmK/s320/20180706_055523.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As I neared the top, I noted some signs restricting access to certain areas. There was a very major fire in 2017, the Frye Fire, and the Forest Service had only recently re-opened some areas; others remained closed. Along the drive up, the damage was evident.</div>
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Initially, the trail appeared to be relatively untouched and it was a pleasant hike.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUUV4tWPkL0PwB47sKahCuMcOGC8juThQLRXKEodlBBtVNNr0tL_Cxn9QZVQz-qFRIaAjFwAAosmzkIfQ9b3DnEWfCfAABobzctUHP9AFGpw7lU0l_wJ_EM5dSoZCeajhFxW3JfUFXaxY/s1600/IMG_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUUV4tWPkL0PwB47sKahCuMcOGC8juThQLRXKEodlBBtVNNr0tL_Cxn9QZVQz-qFRIaAjFwAAosmzkIfQ9b3DnEWfCfAABobzctUHP9AFGpw7lU0l_wJ_EM5dSoZCeajhFxW3JfUFXaxY/s320/IMG_0755.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Further up, however, the fire had completely burned everything and the trail was basically a soft layer of ash.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShmy560uxyMT5ETwiI9pGj79FikDrHQr1tG4jCYjYDVVCO-iLBDcd-VoSByYSVjJ8kPIar8xmEzqQaGXnSunRfATZx9Ui6MMcxIDJyHDNmwUu0t8O2cOzcx6D0_uj7PAYHx0MEs0Ye7AV/s1600/IMG_0757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShmy560uxyMT5ETwiI9pGj79FikDrHQr1tG4jCYjYDVVCO-iLBDcd-VoSByYSVjJ8kPIar8xmEzqQaGXnSunRfATZx9Ui6MMcxIDJyHDNmwUu0t8O2cOzcx6D0_uj7PAYHx0MEs0Ye7AV/s320/IMG_0757.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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At the top of Webb Peak, there is a fire tower. There was also plenty of evidence of other structures but the fire burned all but the tower. It was a windy day but I had a great activation. Here is a 360 video of my operating position (split into two due to size limitations).</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwvVrssAikoaEU-PU3IwS5-La3pHsHiRzO5NnVxDQCsaW5lpqtagd7jnRVCmW3hfDv3Pe1qD86ZKUIxc--ptg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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After this activation I headed down the trail and made a short drive over to activate Heliograph Peak, which I'll post about in a separate blog.</div>
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<b>Date First Activated by KR7RK</b>: 6 July 2018<br />
<b>GPS Track Uploaded to</b> <a href="https://www.sotamaps.org/tracks" target="_blank">SOTA Mapping Project Tracks</a> <b>Site</b>: Yes</div>
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<b>Approx Hiking Distance</b>: 2.0mi</div>
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<b>Approx Elevation Gain</b>: 500'</div>
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<b>Summit Elevation</b>: 10,030'</div>
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<b>Summit Grid Square</b>: DM52ar</div>
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<b>Summit County</b>: Graham</div>
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<b>ITU Zone</b>: 6</div>
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<b>CQ Zone</b>: 3</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-51344482169959556292019-07-22T16:18:00.000-07:002019-07-22T16:18:22.696-07:00W7A/AE-009, Greens PeakGreens Peak is an easy Drive-Up 10-point summit, with a dirt road (FR 61) that leads to the top. I drove up in a Jeep Cherokee and although 4wd was not needed, I was very glad to have high clearance. The final mile or so was full of deep washboard grooves.<br />
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The mountain itself has grassy slopes and if you wanted to hike instead, you could hike up the road or probably bushwhack up the slope without much trouble. I chose to drive up, since I was doing an evening activation, but once up top I made a short hike around the broad top to look for a good setup location and to make sure I got as close as possible to the high point.<br />
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The top is full of commercial towers, so expect RF interference. There is a restroom at the top.<br />
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Here's a 360 view video that I took while I was up there (split into two files due to size limits):<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzdEcFVhWEv6cRJKsQjY8wmtt_IYU1MBYQt2I_vf29Bna26gJJbfdr-bhvzqOurVGoa4vsRHNl34bUapQNeOg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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I made plenty of good contacts, including some nice long-distance QSO's on 60m and 40m as the evening set in. After only an hour I was in total darkness and packed up to carefully navigate my way down.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22FVtLZf8WLg0F7fN455_TIyyYrus7tOZ9na8dqa1vADmJ-W9OnbYznfPQZ08ZIv7egOK1QbrQF-BjxN24zZS8PbGqonxsEEmiSBmkPtwP8VAsNHuTZfQFWG6agkjDMAE96WGiU85pMLn/s1600/20180908_190414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22FVtLZf8WLg0F7fN455_TIyyYrus7tOZ9na8dqa1vADmJ-W9OnbYznfPQZ08ZIv7egOK1QbrQF-BjxN24zZS8PbGqonxsEEmiSBmkPtwP8VAsNHuTZfQFWG6agkjDMAE96WGiU85pMLn/s320/20180908_190414.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Date First Activated by KR7RK</b>: 09 September 2018<br />
<b>GPS Track Uploaded to</b> <a href="https://www.sotamaps.org/tracks" target="_blank">SOTA Mapping Project Tracks</a> <b>Site</b>: N/A</div>
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<b>Approx Hiking Distance</b>: 0.25 mi</div>
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<b>Approx Elevation Gain</b>: 0'</div>
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<b>Summit Elevation</b>: 10,133'</div>
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<b>Summit Grid Square</b>: DM54fc</div>
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<b>Summit County</b>: Apache</div>
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<b>ITU Zone</b>: 6</div>
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<b>CQ Zone</b>: 3</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-73743677736229076772019-07-21T08:05:00.000-07:002019-07-21T08:10:05.097-07:00W7A/AE-001, Humphreys Peak<br />
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Humphreys Peak is the High Point of Arizona, with summit elevation of 12,633 feet. It's located near Flagstaff, in the Coconino National Forest.</div>
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Because Humphreys holds the crown for the Arizona High Point, it's a popular destination for hikers. There are multiple routes up, but the Humphreys Peak Trail is the most common way to approach it. Starting from the parking lot at Arizona Snow Bowl, the trail heads into the forest after passing below a ski slope.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVgkg9gG6ZJtxFdkBLlgXbhk6PUvxRajpw2GUD0qhnXFwPYiV7XBj1P3OcxHZ0NhpSmhv4alTNwJLoXWHkV6CSWpAjUxKu1bB7aVAapYCkjhxc8otMxa606cTeOd3t6cHwKjz2FlK5oIP/s1600/IMG_6716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVgkg9gG6ZJtxFdkBLlgXbhk6PUvxRajpw2GUD0qhnXFwPYiV7XBj1P3OcxHZ0NhpSmhv4alTNwJLoXWHkV6CSWpAjUxKu1bB7aVAapYCkjhxc8otMxa606cTeOd3t6cHwKjz2FlK5oIP/s320/IMG_6716.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The trail is obvious the entire way up. In most places it is steep but no real rock climbing is required. There is a trail register after a mile or so - you should veer left at this register.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnTnoaQvHnpRT7pKO89ci-beVbgwebtosaWd4hMMn82WCVOPALXZK2roXidgXnXN5nZLbOYM-mo1Y50cECIy5B3nasNWC58_i2PrI0rCajxX7CW1A5UNJcjGTjZWiIKymh1t7AXDnnG7F/s1600/IMG_6735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnTnoaQvHnpRT7pKO89ci-beVbgwebtosaWd4hMMn82WCVOPALXZK2roXidgXnXN5nZLbOYM-mo1Y50cECIy5B3nasNWC58_i2PrI0rCajxX7CW1A5UNJcjGTjZWiIKymh1t7AXDnnG7F/s320/IMG_6735.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The forest begins to fade away after a few miles, as the elevation gets higher. Eventually you will find yourself hiking along rocky terrain, but the spectacular views that open up offset the loss of the beautiful forest greenery.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLphaMcQx-JD0CQJqx0Tj7sC-Qo-b48xuqNYYk8jGvH3yfor0-OYAgOxOpgBGLeiowxWuWmCVYmno0J78AHZLFgBhh9St2PejJn1b3uOyfKlMLx1Te6-WrBvm1dSMdOmg6fxpfy_l9-4Vw/s1600/IMG_6758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLphaMcQx-JD0CQJqx0Tj7sC-Qo-b48xuqNYYk8jGvH3yfor0-OYAgOxOpgBGLeiowxWuWmCVYmno0J78AHZLFgBhh9St2PejJn1b3uOyfKlMLx1Te6-WrBvm1dSMdOmg6fxpfy_l9-4Vw/s320/IMG_6758.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Even in the summer, you may see areas with snow. Also be prepared for extreme weather - when I activated in 2018, the winds were in excess of 50mph and at one point near where the photo above was taken, I was literally blown over! There are several false summits before you reach the peak, and the reduced oxygen at the high elevation will slow your progress.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxQkyS81QBwR_PRkGmB8-npea-eNbQZRFPHpM2bzufat8K19u_sqxL-LWiE2FgGsB7koSGbS-LKKLtU2InYttpCMgzY0u50FkwfeeZwgqb-XJ4DOF4H9DqxYO2_JhKxQ_lSLe2yclJBDg/s1600/IMG_6769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxQkyS81QBwR_PRkGmB8-npea-eNbQZRFPHpM2bzufat8K19u_sqxL-LWiE2FgGsB7koSGbS-LKKLtU2InYttpCMgzY0u50FkwfeeZwgqb-XJ4DOF4H9DqxYO2_JhKxQ_lSLe2yclJBDg/s320/IMG_6769.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The reward of reaching the summit after 5+ miles of tough hiking makes it all worthwhile. This is one of those "airplane-view" summit experiences, with stunning panorama landscapes in every direction.</div>
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Radio operation from Humphreys is truly a wonderful experience. There are zero manmade noise sources and the height advantage is obvious. In 2017 my son Jason used a 2 meter handheld and beam to easily work stations in Phoenix, over 150 miles away.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7lYBUqrNdGM9Hlj3WwbjMiI59jQx3ht4_D_xzAtIFuPCL-ZvZp6XqYMK3lzIiMo2c9msPF_ulFxZ5_oywTvRYPIaOIPI5Z3ApMTAlYEJ5cSKkDozGtDqVSRjAgffZE-XfwGclruV4z3j/s1600/IMG_6794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7lYBUqrNdGM9Hlj3WwbjMiI59jQx3ht4_D_xzAtIFuPCL-ZvZp6XqYMK3lzIiMo2c9msPF_ulFxZ5_oywTvRYPIaOIPI5Z3ApMTAlYEJ5cSKkDozGtDqVSRjAgffZE-XfwGclruV4z3j/s320/IMG_6794.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's also a great place for HF, but you may need to set up slightly off the true summit because there are many other hikers. In 2017, we used some rocks to hold a push-up mast and inverted vee. Unfortunately a thunderstorm arrived soon after - you can see it over the neighboring peak in this photo, and about 10 minutes after a hasty take-down was necessary!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEITP0xD-Ub5-NpMZpDeOGjy6u3n5f8Cx-_SDkgy300pruHQ_sPyCUZL9nUqzHBLPQDYxZEvSwJN_OimgtA4qfuTY2lLAu_HCPBobRR-GYMWPMNNqRfKEDJjz4qcJMqXw1KUDFy_Q_lXmX/s1600/IMG_6788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEITP0xD-Ub5-NpMZpDeOGjy6u3n5f8Cx-_SDkgy300pruHQ_sPyCUZL9nUqzHBLPQDYxZEvSwJN_OimgtA4qfuTY2lLAu_HCPBobRR-GYMWPMNNqRfKEDJjz4qcJMqXw1KUDFy_Q_lXmX/s320/IMG_6788.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In September, 2018 I activated Humphreys for the Arizona 10-point Summit-to-Summit Madness event. The winds that day were very extreme, and although storms were all around, they were mostly lower down. But the temperature at the top was very cold! I set up next to a small rock wall and shivered for about 3 hours while operating. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz1Uy-_kxkoxITEhal32gjDcxjNdKNKRoSppPtsU3BJB3h_dgvot-BPVVMrYn93YvGlaHnhmtT064ETLVwmeA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I highly recommend doing this summit. Be prepared for harsh weather, as well as possible closures due to wildfire. Lighter gear will be helpful and be sure to bring plenty of hydration as there are no sources of water anywhere along the trail.</div>
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To reach the Trailhead, take N. Snow Bowl Rd from Route 180. Note that since this is in National Forest land, you will need a USFS Permit to leave your car parked while you hike. The TH is at the far North end of the parking lot.</div>
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<b>Date First Activated by KR7RK</b>: 16 July 2017<br />
<b>GPS Track Uploaded to</b> <a href="https://www.sotamaps.org/tracks" target="_blank">SOTA Mapping Project Tracks</a> <b>Site</b>: Yes</div>
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<b>Approx Hiking Distance</b>: 10.7mi</div>
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<b>Approx Elevation Gain</b>: 3,500'</div>
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<b>Summit Elevation</b>: 12,633'</div>
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<b>Summit Grid Square</b>: DM45di</div>
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<b>Summit County</b>: Coconino</div>
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<b>ITU Zone</b>: 6</div>
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<b>CQ Zone</b>: 3</div>
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KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-674110769958388562017-01-19T15:17:00.000-07:002017-01-19T15:17:14.144-07:00National Parks On The Air 2016The <a href="http://www.arrl.org/" target="_blank">American Radio Relay League</a> really hit a home run with their National Parks On The Air program last year. In hindsight I really wish I had participated in it more. I worked a few NPOTA activations (including a couple with the Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club gang, which did not count towards my own participation credit), and never really made much effort to chase. I did enough to earn a couple of nice certificates though.<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9QcbMdLduhE2SNl_8D2mht1HRc9uF5g22VbmxFlAQpSoPieC1cYXyFoNwOnTlc0PvfP8c4C1ByDin2aTGyXJI-juFNZKgc6hUyAD92H-OkcHxJSzp7EAtQDQRLH4KeOX36uL6gHyjCjM/s1600/20170119_151139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9QcbMdLduhE2SNl_8D2mht1HRc9uF5g22VbmxFlAQpSoPieC1cYXyFoNwOnTlc0PvfP8c4C1ByDin2aTGyXJI-juFNZKgc6hUyAD92H-OkcHxJSzp7EAtQDQRLH4KeOX36uL6gHyjCjM/s320/20170119_151139.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-89996748512633162022017-01-02T12:35:00.000-07:002017-01-02T12:35:12.909-07:00Reached a Goal for 2016!The last few years have been much slower for me in terms of ham radio operations, but I'm gradually finding ways to get back on the air and have some fun. Earlier this year, I decided I'd like to see my "Total QSO's" count reach 12,000 on the ARRL Logbook of the World (LoTW) system. I normally only log HF contacts and my LoTW account does not have 100% of all my contacts ever made, but it's a pretty good record especially for contacts from around 2005 forward.<br />
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Reaching 12,000 wasn't an easy task without any major contests and not a whole lot of daily activity. Certainly my SOTA chasing and activations helped, as they have made up the majority of my contacts in the past 6 months.<br />
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I did reach the 12,000 mark on December 30th, and with a short NPOTA activation of Saguaro National Park on New Year's Eve, I jumped up to 12,055 for my final year-end tally. (The screen shot below includes a few QSO's from Jan 1st and 2nd).<br />
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Not sure yet what my 2017 goals will be, but I'm sure that my #1 Goal, to have FUN, will definitely be a priority!</div>
<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-56867759973587367042016-12-28T21:00:00.000-07:002017-01-19T16:09:07.620-07:00Earning the Winter Bonus - Radio Fun on Chiricahua Peak in the SnowSOTA has a "Bonus" point feature which rewards operators with a few extra points for activating peaks under less-than-favorable weather conditions. Usually this is in the form of a Winter Bonus (although in Arizona, we also have many summits that qualify for a Summer Bonus instead).<br />
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Chiricahua Peak, W7A/AE-012, is one of the summits that earns the winter bonus. My friend Paul, K9PM, and I decided to have a go for Chiricahua Peak as a joint activation. Paul has a 4WD vehicle and we certainly needed it to drive in to the starting point of the hike at Rustler Park! The road was getting very difficult by the time we parked, due to both snow and mud.<br />
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We had two options, either get on the Crest Trail, or walk further up the FS42D "road" for another mile and a half or so. We chose to walk up the road, but that doesn't mean it was easy hiking!</div>
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It was very beautiful with pine trees and animal tracks in the snow everywhere we looked.</div>
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Some parts, like in the photo above, were not bad but other parts of the road were quite steep. After a while we reached the trailhead and left the road.</div>
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Paul and I are about equal in hiking ability and this was an area where having a buddy along really improved safety. (As an aside, I did a backpacking trip here in my college days and we got lost in a blizzard, and ended up being in the mountains for a full week, wandering around. So it was nice to return under safer conditions!) The trail is a good one but with nearly 6 miles each way, it's a fairly serious hike for a single day.</div>
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There have been some major fires in the Chiracahuas, and some parts of the hike went through some fire-ravaged areas. One place in particular that made me sad was a place called "Round Park". When I did the college backpacking trip, Round Park was a lovely forest-surrounded meadow; now it is a barren spot of earth surrounded by dead timber.</div>
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There are some amazing vistas further up, with views for many, many miles.</div>
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As we approached the summit, I noticed this interesting looking tree. Mountain conditions are harsh - I suspect that this tree was the victim of a lightning strike.</div>
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The summit was snowy and there were lots of trees around. Although we had read forecasts that predicted high winds, we were fortunate that they did not materialize. But it was very cold and even the light breeze was enough to give it an extra chill.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzBEXIu7RUn-PcHhNVIkA5XLQYO_7V0GTwkA-y9jC9WbXaSedw38PUZb7m5k4GlE1GramW6MCSe0A8H7HSsBw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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There was plenty of room for us both to string out our dipoles. Paul found a dry tree to use as a seat and got to work pretty quickly on 40m.</div>
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We set our antennas up in approximately the same plane (i.e. end-to-end, with plenty of space between) to mimimize interference. I never did have any interference from his station. I also found a log to sit on and started my operating on 20m.</div>
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I had to put on some warmer gear and it still was very cold. But, I was loving every minute of it! Being up high on a summit (Chiricahua Peak tops out at 9,760 ft), operating a radio, free from the daily grind, makes me so happy. I have to credit SOTA for completely re-invigorating my amateur radio activities and providing an extra incentive to head for the hills.</div>
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With such a long hike, we only had about an hour of actual operating time up top. I made 31 QSO's, about 2/3 on 20m, a few on 30m, and a few more on 40m. Band conditions seemed a little worse than normal but my log still contains contacts across the continental US.</div>
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On the hike down, we noticed that the snow was a bit "slushier" - the daytime sun had warmed it up just a bit. We had a nice hike down. Although we saw animal tracks at every point of our hike, we only saw an actual animal once - a curious mule deer doing a bit of grazing.</div>
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I'm already looking forward to more snow hikes!</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-23390332048407887302016-12-26T17:00:00.000-07:002017-01-19T15:08:23.958-07:00A Little Christmas Snow and a Peak - Activating 5471 PeakI wanted to do a hike but didn't have a lot of time, so I browsed the mapping project and decided to give one of the lower peaks in the Catalinas a try. This particular peak is simply called "5471" - there's no official known name in the SOTA database, so they just name it after the height, along with the catalog reference W7A/PE-025. My friend Paul K9PM had previously activated this peak, so I messaged him for some details. He confirmed to me that there is no trail to the summit, but that the hike up would be fairly short - maybe an hour from the parking lot at the Gordon Hirabayashi Campground off the Mt. Lemmon Highway.<br />
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The Arizona Trail runs alongside the peak, but really isn't helpful for this summit assault. I was happy to see that a nice Christmas snow covered the ground - this was going to be a fun one! Basically, my approach was pretty much a scramble up the North facing side of the hill.</div>
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It was rocky and steep, and icy in some places so the going was slow. This wasn't a problem for a herd of deer that I startled though!</div>
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Some of them seemed to know how to pose for the camera:</div>
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There were some parts where the climbing got pretty steep. But it was a great workout and since the hike was a short one, I didn't mind much.</div>
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Eventually Ireached a saddle next to the summit. The highest point was atop a very large boulder, which was easy enough to climb up on. The views from the top were very nice!</div>
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I operated for a little over an hour and made 40 QSO's. Most were on 20m, plus some on 10m, 30m, and 40m. I was surprised at the noise levels - I guess this peak is close enough to Tucson that it's not immune from all the RF. There was also continuous loud traffic noise from the highway down below. But the weather was nice up top and I enjoyed it.</div>
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There wwasn't anything at the top of the boulder to strap the antenna mast to, so I just leaned it up against the boulder instead and found a few jagged rock edges to hook a bungee cord to. It wasn't the ideal mast setup but it wasn't terribly windy so it worked ok.</div>
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After I packed up, I decided to try hiking out by scrambling down the South side, which was snow-free. </div>
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This turned out to be a mistake, though. It wasn't really any easier, and it seemed like I would need to hike pretty far to the West in order to get around the hills and back to my car. I ended up hiking back up on the South side, along a large rockfall area, and through a passage. It turned out that I came rather close to being right back up to the same elevation that I was at on the peak!</div>
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I did eventually make it back down though. Another fun SOTA activation, this time one that didn't require a full day of hiking. I expect to be back to activate this one again!</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-56580044661379770212016-12-17T18:00:00.000-07:002017-01-05T14:30:21.038-07:00Wasson Peak SOTA Activation, Short and SweetI live in an area surrounded by mountain peaks, but most of them require a full day's workout to climb. The fact that the optimal season for hiking is during the time of year when days are short makes it even more challenging. There are not a lot of "drive-up" options nearby, so a "Short" hike for SOTA usually means one that can be completed in 6 hours or so.<br />
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I decided to activate Wasson Peak, W7A/PE-052, because I've hiked it (and run it) before and know that it's got an established trail, and can be completed in a fairly short amount of time. It's a popular trail for Tucson hikers and runners, and you can climb it from either the East or the West side; I chose to hike the East side which meant the trailhead was less than half an hour's drive from my house.<br />
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The sign said El Camino Del Cerro Trailhead, because that's the name of the road that ends there. But the trail itself was called "Sweetwater Trail". It began at about 2,800ft and climbed to the peak at a little over 4,600ft, over about 4.6 miles. It was an easy trail to follow, through rocky desert terrain.</div>
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At about 3.3 miles up, Sweetwater intersected with Kings Canyon Trail, which leads up from the West side of the peak and is a bit more popular. As I pushed on towards the summit, there were sections that became steeper and more rocky, and I also passed numerous other hikers, some of whom were taking rest breaks and moving slowly due to the tougher climbing. It was a great workout and I was feeling excited because I knew the summit was drawing closer.</div>
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Just below the peak was a summit register. The valley below would normally give some nice views of the City of Tucson and the Santa Catalina Mountains, but there were some clouds. The weather prediction for this day included forecasts for rain and winds, but other than a moderate breeze it wasn't bad at all, and the clouds kept things cool.</div>
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On reaching the summit, I set up my station as quickly as I could. There was a large group directly at the peak, so I set up about 10 years to the East. I had expected to see other hikers on this peak, especially since this was a Saturday activation and close to the Christmas holiday. I was up there for about 1.5 hours and probably saw at least 30 other people there. A few did come up and ask what I was doing, including one who asked me, "Do you know what all this stuff is?" (Huh? I was using it!), and then proceeded to tell me he "used to do that stuff a long time ago". I try to be friendly and I love to share my ham radio hobby, but to be honest I prefer doing SOTA activations on the more remote peaks. It can be frustrating to try to complete a QSO while someone is standing behind you asking questions!</div>
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I did have fun though and some of the conversations I had weren't so odd. I made 38 QSO's total, on 20m, 30m, and 40m. One thing I noticed was how noisy the bands were - perhaps I've become spoiled by the quiet noise floor that I often experience when I'm up on the higher peaks?</div>
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The wind eventually picked up a bit, and a few minutes before 2pm local time it was starting to gust. I had stuffed my antenna mast into a creosote bush for support, which was fine when the breeze wasn't too strong, but one gust came along and blew it over! That was my sign to pack up, and I had planned to complete my hike by around 4pm so that I could get home to my YL anyway.</div>
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Fortunately nothing was damaged and I actually did squeeze out a few more contacts, including one into Canada, despite the fact that part of the antenna wire was laying on the ground! I packed up and started down the hill. My hike up took just over 1.5 hours, and the hike down took just over an hour - I was pushing the pace on this one. It was another fun day, not a crazy hard activation but certainly worth it.</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-80843752016100928842016-12-13T09:51:00.000-07:002016-12-16T09:52:06.409-07:00Ten Meters is AwesomeMy favorite band has always been 10 meters. While I have not been able to spend as much time on 10 meters lately that I'd like to, I was able to get on the air for a small amount of operating during a couple of recent QSO Parties from Ten-Ten International Net.<br />
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I was surprised to receive these awards today in my inbox! Thank you 10-10!<br />
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-84557617719752037072016-12-12T11:30:00.000-07:002016-12-16T11:31:04.688-07:00Climbing Mountains...10% of a GoatI recently passed the 100 points mark for SOTA Activations. My goal is to achieve "Mountain Goat" status, which requires 1,000 points...at current rates, I estimate that will take me at least 5 years and probably more! It's not easy, but actually it's nice to have a long-term goal. You cannot rush your way to the Summit!<br />
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I also recently reached the 500 point level as a SOTA Chaser. Points as a Chaser come much more rapidly. My goal as a Chaser is to achieve "Shack Sloth" status, again requiring 1,000 points...at current rates I will likely be a Shack Sloth by early spring, 2017. I really enjoy working other operators who have made the effort to reach the highest peaks, some of which are very challenging.</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-48663618137934572442016-12-09T20:00:00.000-07:002016-12-19T10:39:20.297-07:00Tanque Verde Peak - A Wonderful Hike and SOTA ActivationSome SOTA peaks are easily accessed, and others are very challenging to reach. When I plan an activation, I usually start by deciding how much time I have available. Some of the activations I've done involved only a short car drive and left me with plenty of time for other activities the same day. On the other hand, the challenging peaks may require a strenuous hike, and they also may leave me sore and tired afterward. Interestingly, the point value for peaks in Southern Arizona does not always correlate to the level of difficulty in reaching the peak, with some 10-pointers being drive ups.<br />
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There are several 8- and 10-point peaks surrounding Tucson, and on December 9th I was able to take a day off from work and decided to look for a peak that might also require a good long hike. I settled on Tanque Verde Peak in the Rincon Mountains, East of Tucson. The total hike distance was about 18 miles round trip, and it appeared that adequate trails existed to make summit access likely. Since Tanque Verde Peak, W7A/AW-023 had never been activated for SOTA before, this would be a "New One" for chasers.<br />
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I left the house early enough to enjoy the sunrise over the peak during the drive to the trailhead.<br />
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The hike began at the trailhead of the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail inside Saguaro National Park East.<br />
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The trail began to climb fairly quickly. It was typical desert trail - rocky, lots of cacti, with a stark beauty that offsets the dusty dryness.</div>
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As I hiked along, my cell phone was buzzing and ringing with business messages, but I chose to ignore them and enjoy my hike. The freedom of the wide-open desert and the amazing vistas in every direction, the blue sky, and fresh air are what keep me coming back to the trails.</div>
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As I reached higher elevations, it was obvious the trail was less traveled. At some points, the terrain became too rocky for a true trail to exist, and it was necessary to carefully look for rock cairns to follow.</div>
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I didn't see any large wildlife on the way up, but at one streambed crossing, I did notice some fresh evidence that I was not the only living creature on the mountain that day! I'm fairly certain this was a bear print, and it was quite large. I looked around but didn't linger for too long - maybe he was watching me!</div>
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Higher up, after passing the Juniper Basin Campground (which appeared to have no visitors when I passed), I noticed quite a few cactus with bright yellow fruits, which almost looked like candy (but I didn't taste them!)</div>
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There were a few sections of rough scrambling before I reached the rocky formations that included the peak, but nothing too bad.</div>
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I reached the summit after about 4 hours of hiking and was greeted by some patches of snow!</div>
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At the base of the rocks that form the true summit is a Summit Register. The peak is about 4,000 vertical feet higher than the starting point of the hike, and about 9 miles of hiking distance. There were not a lot of entries in the Register.</div>
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I climbed up the rock and claimed victory! It was a beautiful view in every direction and I was quite happy to have reached the top by noon.</div>
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I quickly set up and made my first QSO with my friend Quinton, NU7Y. It didn't take long for the pileup to begin and I was really having a lot of fun! As usual my Elecraft KX2 and Begali Key made the operating a joy. My antenna is an Aerial 51 OCF Dipole and I've really appreciated how well it works and how nice it is to be able to change bands instantly.</div>
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I operated for a little under 2 hours total, making contacts on 5 different bands (7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 MHz), all CW mode. I worked 63 QSO's total. A few of my favorites contacts were with my friend Karen, W4KRN, as well as 10 meter contacts with Canada and New Hampshire!</div>
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I would have loved to keep going but it was only a few hours to sunset and I had 9 miles of hiking to get back down the mountain. So I packed it up and started out. One thing I love about mountains is how the weather and air changes throughout the day. Hiking in the late afternoon felt very different from hiking mid-day, with a coolness that wasn't there before even though the sun was still up. About an hour into my downward hike, I was startled by a flash of white, and looking up I realized there was a large young deer next to the trail, who was equally startled by my presence. He stayed nearby and watched me, and I stopped to watch him. He was a healthy young buck, curious but remaining at a safe distance.</div>
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Watching him brought back fond memories of hiking and observing wildlife as a child with my family, especially my mom who is a wildlife artist and has painted many beautiful deer.</div>
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I could not dawdle too long as shadows were lengthening. (As it turned out, maybe I dawdled just a bit too long). I continued my hike down, and eventually it was nearing twilight and I still had about 3 miles to go. I was cruising along at a good pace, but somehow, I managed to walk myself right off the trail. For a few moments I found my heart rate quickening as fear tried to take over; this was very steep, very dense desert foliage terrain and hiking in the pitch dark through this would be very slow and risky. I wasn't concerned at all about getting lost, as this is on the East side of the hills and I could easily see down towards the city, and knew exactly where I needed to go. But scrambling through cactus and sharp rocks is tough enough when it's light, and in the dark could easily become a major problem. As the sun set in the West, I decided it was simultaneously trying to be both beautiful and terrifying. The beauty won, and I will never tire of seeing our amazing Arizona sunsets, regardless of the circumstances.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9XbeA8WLr2HLfx36uycAiKpiVzuWWfRP8zBur2C7McivPloqdm7hdHMy7YZ2c2jT_uJECh0nkmiWLteisbjoJBoCAlgt_U48QeQOaelcFJDdBulRArAxoPQFQbeTg82J96yBEgi3MbgF/s1600/20161209_173012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9XbeA8WLr2HLfx36uycAiKpiVzuWWfRP8zBur2C7McivPloqdm7hdHMy7YZ2c2jT_uJECh0nkmiWLteisbjoJBoCAlgt_U48QeQOaelcFJDdBulRArAxoPQFQbeTg82J96yBEgi3MbgF/s320/20161209_173012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I used my GPS to navigate back towards where I believed the trail might be. It took me about half an hour, during which the sun had set and darkness was rapidly falling, but fortunately I did manage to eventually get back on trail. I had packed a small flashlight for emergency purposes, and I put it to good use.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7uBNE_2D8wt44V4Ik9g04MzVajkAfCVIq97nd4DH6ntPQQxhqbnAgejxKMlWb7kIJ7TVmxNRfB8Zm3sbLOU0PAbFx1ojIstGnL2hNXFac8rjc5Em0QWNn07ctj6hawxx0LCG7b6vWN4I/s1600/a5_IMG_4526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7uBNE_2D8wt44V4Ik9g04MzVajkAfCVIq97nd4DH6ntPQQxhqbnAgejxKMlWb7kIJ7TVmxNRfB8Zm3sbLOU0PAbFx1ojIstGnL2hNXFac8rjc5Em0QWNn07ctj6hawxx0LCG7b6vWN4I/s320/a5_IMG_4526.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's an interesting dilemma we face in the desert. The optimal season for hiking is late fall and winter, yet that is the very time of year when days are shortest. For hikes of this length, the probability of hiking in the dark is high. I was fortunate to get back on trail! I made it out safely and made mental notes to myself to be better prepared for darkness hiking in the future.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the downward hike only. I normally save the up and down portions separately for easier comparison.</td></tr>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-89764979726872123152016-12-02T13:00:00.000-07:002016-12-16T11:05:36.301-07:00An Easy Activation in Northern California - Pine HillAs I've gained experience with portable operations, I'm finding myself including amateur radio gear as a standard item in my luggage during out-of-town travels. My YL and I had planned a trip to Sacramento, CA to run the <a href="http://www.runcim.org/" target="_blank">California International Marathon</a>, and as the trip approached I decided I should search the SOTA Mapping Project site to see if there were any nearby summits that could be added to the trip itinerary.<div>
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The main purpose of the trip was the marathon, and my YL does not share my amateur radio passion, so any "plans" I made had to be very flexible, achievable in a very short amount of time (no long hikes), and subject to change. I located 3 candidates for SOTA activations, all of which were reasonably close to the Folsom Lake area. These were all low hills - the classic high peaks of the Northern Sierras would have to wait for some future visit. Of the 3, Pine Hill (W6/NS-357) and Pilot Hill (W6/NS-426) seemed to be the best options. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVG8vXwLHDHEIP76D8QtR_py2KKVxIcWu-9FqEYymYGOAcn3gLVa3ghs75WOb1vfyty4NLYG_x_ISW5UFwZwuQd2X5SELoR5wVJUdZ5lJ1gi1nC5z2yTWy2meEpu5U7PxgPjtdRBIwGviz/s1600/PineHill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVG8vXwLHDHEIP76D8QtR_py2KKVxIcWu-9FqEYymYGOAcn3gLVa3ghs75WOb1vfyty4NLYG_x_ISW5UFwZwuQd2X5SELoR5wVJUdZ5lJ1gi1nC5z2yTWy2meEpu5U7PxgPjtdRBIwGviz/s320/PineHill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We arrived in Sacramento on Thursday and for a variety of reasons, it looked like my best bet was going to be Friday morning. So with trepidation I suggested to my YL that I rise early on Friday and go spend a couple of hours with radio stuff. I had printed off directions using both Google Maps and Mapquest. I actually thought that if things went very well, I might do a brief activation on Pine Hill, then head over and activate Pilot Hill as well. The maps estimated a total drive time for this plan at around 2 hours, but since there was not a lot of hiking I thought it would be possible if things went well. Unfortunately, they did not. My first leg of the journey brought me to a location that seemed correct, yet did not match the descriptions I had seen of the <a href="http://www.pinehillpreserve.org/tours/index.htm" target="_blank">Pine Hill Preserve</a>. I saw numerous Deer and other wildlife, but not a single sign, and the roads did not lead me to anything resembling a pathway to the top.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look close, there is a deer!<br /></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I pulled out my maps, and realized that one of them had different directions. So I backtracked and drove to where they said I would find the Pine Hill Preserve. Instead, I found myself in front of a BLM office in a valley...clearly not where I wanted to be!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is NOT where the Summit is.</td></tr>
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Frustrated but not willing to give up, I drove all the way back to the other location to see if I had missed something. By the time I reached it, I had been driving for about 1.5 hours instead of the half hour I had expected. But, I did realize that I had in fact been in the correct location the first time. There is a gated "Private Road", but apparently it is OK to park outside the gate and hike up the road to the summit. What I had missed the first time was the small pedestrian gate next to the road gate.<div>
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I measured a 0.8 mile hike up the steep road on my Garmin 64cs GPS unit. I like to obtain the data, partly because I'm just a data junkie, but also I like to upload it to the "Tracks" section of the SOTA Mapping page, in hopes that perhaps it will help others to plan their own summit adventures. At this time of year, the road was lined with plenty of pretty red berries and mistletoe hanging in the trees, adding a Christmas sort of feeling to the scenery.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyVFtd9rAYlSdMxBYyhVnoWJrMWDqhoKIF_j-0k_F1l4MmMA-1sLqYL-5EGXOXdoA6rVMSJRcL7Eu-ntlh81NyMhco7GoRrC4SSaChUI4zyO7B13vKYTumgIuiSfmnLnwzdyLpvbkLvVU/s1600/IMG_4421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyVFtd9rAYlSdMxBYyhVnoWJrMWDqhoKIF_j-0k_F1l4MmMA-1sLqYL-5EGXOXdoA6rVMSJRcL7Eu-ntlh81NyMhco7GoRrC4SSaChUI4zyO7B13vKYTumgIuiSfmnLnwzdyLpvbkLvVU/s320/IMG_4421.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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When I arrived at the summit, I quickly set up, knowing that this was going to be a short one. The views were spectacular in every direction, with Lake Folsom to the West and snow-capped peaks of the Sierras to the East.</div>
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<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxkgX2IQffIZCcNQu_RgqeLGBwG6dMYQvZ3C1bV09gCY-Z0nZ2f1_JNnWE1RDu9PqhPFY2uBobtizkfa9cCJg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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My first QSO was with my friend Quinton, NU7Y, back in Tucson, at 1737 UTC, on 40 meters. His signal was surprisingly strong and I later learned he was running QRP power. I stayed on 40 and operated for only 28 minutes, logging 22 QSO's.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5pyIGkDH-vsa38hyphenhyphenuIY6rg8nix0nd48zmKI__iMe9nlOi4ydi4J4Vt-nVZ4Q8F5uQy4N5qibyv_Ysp_lJNeJHAOlGBO14NF0HzoQ4NwpTOTPq37SoPbEGfW6tdNI65t47fczJ0W_QbD2/s1600/a1_20161202_092748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5pyIGkDH-vsa38hyphenhyphenuIY6rg8nix0nd48zmKI__iMe9nlOi4ydi4J4Vt-nVZ4Q8F5uQy4N5qibyv_Ysp_lJNeJHAOlGBO14NF0HzoQ4NwpTOTPq37SoPbEGfW6tdNI65t47fczJ0W_QbD2/s320/a1_20161202_092748.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wanted so badly to stay longer, and work other bands, but after the mapping fiasco I was already running late. So I packed up and practically jogged down the road to my waiting car. I made it back to our hotel around lunch time. Pilot Hill was out of the question for this trip, but maybe I'll be back. The rest of the weekend went well, and my YL and I ran the marathon together, finishing in 3:24. This was my second SOTA activation from W6 - both were brief, simple, low-point activations, but I'm glad to have done both and I'm looking forward to many more!</div>
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KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-81650997542838270812016-11-27T18:00:00.000-07:002016-12-12T10:10:33.529-07:00Activating a Congested Hill Overlooking the City - Tumamoc Hill on Thanksgiving WeekendThere's a small hill on the edge of Tucson which is a very popular spot for locals. Tumamoc Hill is an easy hike, with a paved 1.5 mile trail that leads to the summit, which provides spectacular views of the city valley. The hill is apparently controlled by the University of Arizona and is closed to the public on weekdays during the day, so the availability for a decent SOTA activation is somewhat constrained.<br />
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Thanksgiving weekend was coming to a close and my YL had a friend over on Sunday afternoon, so I decided it would be a nice opportunity to take a walk up and activate the peak (W7A/AW-057). I parked on the side of Anklam Road, along with plenty of other vehicles. At the base of the hill was a sign and the peak was already looming close.<br />
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The road quickly got steep, and the pavement felt odd under my hiking boots. Carrying my heavy pack full of radio gear made me stand out from the crowd - the many other people I saw were just out for a stroll and had no gear at all.</div>
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It didn't take long to climb high enough to enjoy some spectacular city views.</div>
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At the top, there were a couple of signs which both welcomed me and informed me that I was not welcome to go any further.</div>
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There were some commercial radio antennae, and a bit further was the true summit, with an astronomical observatory. (When I was a student at the U of A, I was allowed to use this observatory and we worked on a project to renovate it, but alas those days are long gone). Although the true summit was off limits, the final public area was very close and easily within the minimum elevation to qualify for a valid SOTA setup in the Activation Zone.</div>
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I began to set up, but it was quite windy, which also added a serious chill to the air. It took me around 30 minnutes to get everything going.</div>
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I was a little concerned about being so close to the commercial equipment. I've learned from other activations in high-RF environments that SSB mode will usually be overwhelmed by noise but CW, with a narrow bandwidth, is very possible.</div>
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My first QSO was at 23:17, or 4:17 pm local time. I decided to start on 30 meters, which seemed to have the least noise. Other visitors to the peak seemed curious about what I was up to. One thing that was a problem was that the wind was blowing so strong, it created a high background noise level, making it difficult for me to even hear the signals despite using earphones.</div>
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After about 15 minutes of operating, I took a short break to have a snack and try to warm up. When I started up again, I switched over to 40 meters. It was already after 5:00 pm local, but more importantly it was a new day in Universal Coordinated Time! Although I didn't realize it until later, when the day switches, SOTA technically considers it to be a new activation. While I won't get any points (the rules award points only once per year per summit), the chasers were able to work me a second time and get another 4 points. As it turned out, I didn't make a ton of QSO's anyway, and the only station who took advantage of this was WB0KIU, Bill from Iowa. I really desire to make as many QSO's as possible on every SOTA activation, even though the rules only require 4. But I'm learning that there are often many factors that keep activations short. On this blustery day, which began close to sunset, I only logged 16 QSO's total, but it was still a great experience.</div>
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As I packed up, darkness was rapidly falling. A guy came up and handed me his business card - apparently he is the Site Director and at first, he questioned my presence in a somewhat unfriendly-sounding tone. I explained about amateur radio and he became a bit nicer, saying it was fine for me to be there. However, he did ask me to set up on the pavement next time.</div>
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This was a short activation and certainly not the most pleasant. The environment is one that almost makes you want to just get in and get out, with regards to setting up a radio. But the views of the city are nice, and the walk down in the dark is safe and peaceful as you can watch the city lights brighten as the night life awakens.</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-20601412337733866342016-11-25T12:00:00.000-07:002016-12-07T14:36:23.612-07:00Thankful for Amateur RadioLately I've been on a streak with doing SOTA activations on Fridays. This week I was in Phoenix, because my YL and I ran a Turkey Day 10k race to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, so I wasn't able to plan a local hike in Tucson. But, thanks to the <a href="http://www.sotamaps.org/" target="_blank">SOTA Mapping Project</a>, I was easily able to search for summits closer to Phoenix. My search criteria also included finding a peak that was easily accessible, preferably a drive-up. It didn't take long to discover that the South Mountain range was my best bet. Suappoa Mountain, W7A/MS-048, was only about 20 miles away from our downtown hotel, and there is a paved road all the way to the top. It's only a 2-pointer, but it would easily provide my SOTA fix.<br />
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I left around 9:00 am, and I only had a few hours maximum because I had to get back to my YL and check out of our hotel. The drive up was uneventful, other than dodging numerous bicyclists who were out enjoying some fresh air on a post-holiday Friday.<br />
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Mt. Suappoa is perfectly located to provide wide-range broadcast coverage to the Phoenix metro area, so not surprisingly, it is absolutely covered with commercial antennas. As I drew nearer to the peak, these antennas dominated the view.</div>
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The actual summit is closed to the public. Apparently the FCC requires registration of any antennas on this site!</div>
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However, right next to the summit is a nice large parking area called the Gila Valley Lookout. The elevation of this area is only about 35 feet below the true summit, so it's within the SOTA Rules Activation Zone. It was only when I reached the Lookout that I realized I had forgotten to bring along my push-up mast! I panicked for a few minutes until I realized that in my car's trunk, I had an old 20 meter vertical portable antenna that I had purchased at the local hamfest for $10. The reason I bought it was that it used a fiberglass push-up pole to support the antenna wire...so bingo, I had a mast available by pure luck! I set up as quickly as possible, knowing that my YL was waiting for me and time was of the essence.</div>
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My little OCF dipole looked a bit out of place amongs the giants in the background. But it performed nicely for me. I operated mostly CW, as the heavy RF overpowered the wider bandwidth on phone. I did, however, make a couple of SSB contact on 10 meters, when I realized that the timing of my operation coincided with the daily 10-10 International Net on 28.380 MHz. I was able to work my friend, 10-10 Director Bob N6OPR, and another local Phoenix op. Other QSO's included CW on 10 and 20 meters. I only made 18 contacts total, once again I would have loved to continue operating for hours but was on-air for only about 30 minutes. This time it wasn't the pending hike, rather I needed to get back to check-out from our hotel before the deadline. But I did have fun while there.</div>
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As I was packing up, a local law enforcement officer stopped by to make sure I wasn't doing anything illegal, and I had yet another chance to share the hobby with the police. Another guy stopped by and introduced himself as a fellow SOTA enthusiast; NJ7V wasn't there to activate that day, but it was nice to meet him in person as he has been recorded in my log a few times.</div>
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On my way down, I stopped to snap a pic of this interesting structure which is at the base of the mountain. This certainly is a low desert environment, so I suspect there are plenty of scorpions, as well as snakes and other scaly, spiky creatures, but fortunately I didn't make any contacts with them on this day!</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-59404555992891491432016-11-18T19:21:00.000-07:002016-12-06T16:24:14.112-07:00Window Rock Peak - A Tough Hike and a Fun ActivationNovember in Arizona is an excellent time of year for hiking. I've been craving a serious hike and decided to take advantage of the cooler weather and slightly less stressful work schedule and take a hike up to Window Rock. I've hiked there before, but it was over 20 years ago. My main memory was that it was a rather steep, challenging hike. This time around, I wanted to take my portable amateur radio setup for a Summits On The Air (SOTA) activation. My target destination would be <a href="http://www.sota.org.uk/Summit/W7A/AW-018" target="_blank">Window Rock Peak, W7A/AW-018</a>. An added bonus for me was that this would be a "First Activation" of this summit, meaning I would be the first amateur operator to activate this 8-pointer peak.<br />
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I set out on the Ventana Canyon Trail around 8 am, which was a bit later than ideal. The hike up took about 5 hours, with plenty of stops for photos. This trail is very scenic with a good variety of desert landscape and some amazing views.<br />
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As I began the hike, the "Super Moon" was setting (actually it was a couple of days prior but still almost full).</div>
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The trail in the early stages of the hike was easy to follow. At one point it went directly beneath an old Saguaro cactus. A few miles later, I passed the Maiden Pools, and noticed an interesting rock. Supposedly this rock was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metate" target="_blank">a Matate</a> used by native Americans for grinding grains.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2kKVq8ash1jCL-Jo0nlFiy8exDhydd7dgouVPYz1_NCotMfT7zlXV07xChuugrDi_nGBNqzxeXk2e_f_5M0SS7TEz1uVyQyL3hm33rbZEH8iajdlsGdq_kwj9KRCsKHe4s17mV5edDRV/s1600/aIMG_4228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2kKVq8ash1jCL-Jo0nlFiy8exDhydd7dgouVPYz1_NCotMfT7zlXV07xChuugrDi_nGBNqzxeXk2e_f_5M0SS7TEz1uVyQyL3hm33rbZEH8iajdlsGdq_kwj9KRCsKHe4s17mV5edDRV/s320/aIMG_4228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As I climbed higher, the expansive views down Ventana Canyon were quite spectacular.</div>
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After around 5 miles, the trail had become much less clear, and it connected to the Esperero Trail ,which in some places was almost invisible. But my confidence that I would reach the summit began to grow, as I saw the jagged peaks off in the distance. On the other hand, I began to wonder how I would ever be able to reach the top!</div>
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Along the ridge is the geological feature that gives this range its name. Window Rock is a natural "window", and apparently there are places in the city of Tucson where you can actually see the Window if you look carefully. For purposes of SOTA, Window Rock was not my destination as it lies too far below the summit. But since the trail passes so close to the Window, I felt compelled to stop to enjoy a few minutes exploring the Window and it's incredible views.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLp7Iqvd0XLteW-sdNVe4mMHA3Sw4f7tVG-tv-GzuYtgNZMVKH6qAx65At0etXEHT7BXiT0i5soidoLFM9pfeBnN1Sl_8SXxNPtIjunJt8zPhyphenhyphenUy6tGzYl93HmVhaEjTKeGI7RmQoLlD_F/s1600/20161118_120449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLp7Iqvd0XLteW-sdNVe4mMHA3Sw4f7tVG-tv-GzuYtgNZMVKH6qAx65At0etXEHT7BXiT0i5soidoLFM9pfeBnN1Sl_8SXxNPtIjunJt8zPhyphenhyphenUy6tGzYl93HmVhaEjTKeGI7RmQoLlD_F/s320/20161118_120449.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Pushing onward, I found the trail was significantly less obvious, and significantly more challenging, once I had passed the Window. I suppose most people probably don't hike past this point, which is already a fairly solid day's hike. But I was determined to reach the summit and get on the air!</div>
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Unfortunately, I reached a point where it seemed that it would be impossible to go any higher. SOTA rules allow you to set up within 25 meters of the peak's highest elevation, and I was just at the edge of this limit, but I was also was surrounded by pillars of rock...setting up an antenna in this area was not an option. I tried calling my buddy Quinton, NU7Y, on a repeater, and the rocks made that virtually impossible too.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gZ19z40mGFqSEAaK7xMwlWoPqhk1hkhSBtb5alF9fs1tLtXyjwEiG_j5xOwpt7eFpB_IUdX6MI5FfOFXy-bMhyphenhyphenjH7EytBF-e5f_qpwVVel8zmfVQ5auxvWmtniiJDDOJ-7e_J8b4GtbY/s1600/aIMG_4290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gZ19z40mGFqSEAaK7xMwlWoPqhk1hkhSBtb5alF9fs1tLtXyjwEiG_j5xOwpt7eFpB_IUdX6MI5FfOFXy-bMhyphenhyphenjH7EytBF-e5f_qpwVVel8zmfVQ5auxvWmtniiJDDOJ-7e_J8b4GtbY/s320/aIMG_4290.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was discouraged, but then I realized...I had just hiked for almost 5 hours, climbed over 4,500 feet, and I came here to operate my radio! I was not going to give up. There were some trees, and I realized that with some creative scrambling/tree climbing, I might be able to get higher.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSW9hjQ0CUpFSoxHoFbCW2Zxj48SJBTL0Pt0_-UP8PqcQHN16Mo6LiNFf6_2Kr4mWRQ-Ec4qT_7q7B9PlTXE4EwGFny7lQRkN9F4j5m5rpV_Y4uKLDElwvWvVfxR2wQYmjvRoN6GKAghu/s1600/aIMG_4294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSW9hjQ0CUpFSoxHoFbCW2Zxj48SJBTL0Pt0_-UP8PqcQHN16Mo6LiNFf6_2Kr4mWRQ-Ec4qT_7q7B9PlTXE4EwGFny7lQRkN9F4j5m5rpV_Y4uKLDElwvWvVfxR2wQYmjvRoN6GKAghu/s320/aIMG_4294.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It worked! I found my way to the top, and was rewarded with a nice rock summit!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDWY12BvlIfJxdKmj0kRNUsk_kHNOPpB-M88zp_NxA6Bo3CjqhmSfIxOMe209jiZsaN1wIMj0ZvxiWY3LqZ9FTD2BWYG9wrYzP6Yq5o68qREh4lv670hQ-zTcXVLeL5hTQjOPo_BdNPAG/s1600/aIMG_4296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDWY12BvlIfJxdKmj0kRNUsk_kHNOPpB-M88zp_NxA6Bo3CjqhmSfIxOMe209jiZsaN1wIMj0ZvxiWY3LqZ9FTD2BWYG9wrYzP6Yq5o68qREh4lv670hQ-zTcXVLeL5hTQjOPo_BdNPAG/s320/aIMG_4296.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The views were absolutely amazing up there. I quickly set up and got on the air. It was already past 1:30pm and I knew time was going to be short if I was to make it back down before sunset.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholORVNMfFONaT8WBi3j0KycUBwWgbmXU9Bvae0ndnG14pWvFv2w7k08h5T4yzhE8WzY863DqFVC65KimBXTo6BC-M6Nf-sBCokCdLBrcIqis5GXtVkltUPwSYYepkqc77UbLGWo5J1GIh/s1600/aa3IMG_4297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholORVNMfFONaT8WBi3j0KycUBwWgbmXU9Bvae0ndnG14pWvFv2w7k08h5T4yzhE8WzY863DqFVC65KimBXTo6BC-M6Nf-sBCokCdLBrcIqis5GXtVkltUPwSYYepkqc77UbLGWo5J1GIh/s320/aa3IMG_4297.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I would have loved to just sit up there and run the rig, but sadly I only made 17 QSO's before I decided it was time to pack up. I'm learning that while operating from summits is supremely fun, my time up there always seems to be quite limited.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJdzTo0UEk4TcCN0PCmcfy71slMqnTMe8pZ-JkiRcqZ4x-7xY_EATsbanDHXJ0N9Dfpbs6Kzcre2AOfGGEY8Yr9ChSpV-fHVUwbVYP4Igzt0S_69eSVTSLbN3D6oieV4HJtbW9BakOa45/s1600/a20161118_140735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJdzTo0UEk4TcCN0PCmcfy71slMqnTMe8pZ-JkiRcqZ4x-7xY_EATsbanDHXJ0N9Dfpbs6Kzcre2AOfGGEY8Yr9ChSpV-fHVUwbVYP4Igzt0S_69eSVTSLbN3D6oieV4HJtbW9BakOa45/s320/a20161118_140735.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's a 360 degree video view from the summit. I had my HT on a local repeater and there were a few locals planning the next day's public service ops for El Tour de Tucson, a big bike race.</div>
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<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxzCkqmS_cWWhHOrVKcxNOnWV8Avvz9D5_ML6n03qDOFYkcC_aKHdrwgNwOV1tG3LWl3DgTLae-SYobrQd5LQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I really had to hurry on the hike down. The views of the mountains were quite stunning as the sun set, with hills taking on a golden hue and shadows growing longer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zNBuXYbdk-KsDf4QGjY3Tob3YJZfH4sobSv5g79h8bHkFIACXFjT4jao3XzGRmZXEwdlReZJCko5a46iwiGUBu5B-282LAQtb-SJE2fogFH7uymNurtwjMwcSooQ1BNdq9bFdoU2-h1x/s1600/aIMG_4313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zNBuXYbdk-KsDf4QGjY3Tob3YJZfH4sobSv5g79h8bHkFIACXFjT4jao3XzGRmZXEwdlReZJCko5a46iwiGUBu5B-282LAQtb-SJE2fogFH7uymNurtwjMwcSooQ1BNdq9bFdoU2-h1x/s320/aIMG_4313.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I finally made it back to the car just about 10 minutes after sunset, tired but happy. The total hike distance was 13.2 miles, according to my GPS, with 4,779 feet of elevation gain. This was a beautiful hike and a successful SOTA activation, and I'm looking forward to doing it again!</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-56228485147576104242016-11-12T13:00:00.000-07:002016-12-07T10:02:59.964-07:00OVARC Hamfest 2016 and Ten Meters PresentationThe <a href="http://www.tucsonhamradio.com/" target="_blank">Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club</a> held their annual Hamfest on November 12, 2016. This is a nice event, a large one for a local hamfest. This year, I had a busy agenda as I was attending as a Speaker for a forum session, an Exhibitor for <a href="http://www.ten-ten.org/" target="_blank">Ten-Ten International Net</a>, a Volunteer for the club, and a Flea-Market Socializer the rest of the day.<br />
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The morning began very early, as I had volunteered to staff the entry booth from 5:00 - 7:00 am. This turned out to be an easy job, since the only hams allowed entry during that period were vendors and exhibitors.<br />
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Once the gates opened, and the sun rose, things began to get a little busier. There were many hams from Tucson and even some out-of-towners who drove in for the fun.</div>
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My presentaion was in the first time slot for forums at 8:00 am. I gave a talk called, Ten Meters - An Ideal Band for ALL Hams. It went very well and I gave lots of real-life, current examples of successful 10 meter QSO's. It's my belief that many hams are under the mistaken impression that 10 meters is a dead band, but there is plenty of technology that easily proves otherwise!</div>
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After the talk was over, I returned to the parking lot, which is a great one for an Arizona hamfest because it has solar-panel covered parking spots which are used for the vendor area. This gives both sellers and buyers some nice shade - although it was cool, the sun is still strong here in the Southwest. Our booth for Ten-Ten International was staffed by myself and Bob Farrow, N6OPR, who is a Director of 10-10. Bob drove down from Phoenix just to promote 10 meters and as always provided plenty of entertainment.</div>
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It was a nice day, thank you OVARC!</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-27933738201771682282016-11-11T17:00:00.000-07:002016-11-21T19:59:44.542-07:00Amateur Radio in the Great Southwest - QSO's, Cactus, and ShotgunsI miss the days when I had a nice beam and a home station that was always available to operate. My current home QTH does not have that luxury, so I'm forced to seek opportunities to engage in my ham hobby in alternate ways, one of which has been the Summits On The Air (SOTA) program. As my interest in SOTA grows, I am learning that there are a great many peaks in Arizona just waiting for an intrepid ham.<br />
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My work schedule occasionally requires me to visit clients, and on Friday November 11th I had arranged a meeting in Casa Grande. It seemed like a lot of driving for only an hour's meeting, so I checked the SOTA Mapping site to see if any peaks were nearby that I could activate afterwards. I was excited to discover that there was a 2-pointer peak very close to where I would be! Further investigation took me to the <a href="http://casagrandeaz.us/rec/parks/cgmountain/" target="_blank">Casa Grande Mountain Trails Project website</a>, which seemed to indicate that there were plenty of trails meandering through a pleasant desert landscape.<br />
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So with great anticipation I decided to activate Casa Grande Mountain HP, SOTA W7A/ PN-125. I packed my gear and threw it in the car along with some hiking clothes.<br />
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I was done with the meeting before noon and headed over to the parking area off Arica Road.<br />
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It didn't look too bad! I set off on the trail and even had a simple map that I printed from the website. It all seemed quite simple - make my way on to the Ridge Trail, head a bit North, then take a short off-trail scramble to reach the summit. My planned route appeared to be less than a mile to the top. At the beginning, the trails were nice and easy. I even found a sign after winding around a bit, which let me know I had made it onto the Ridge Trail.</div>
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It was a rather warm day, as I expected at mid-day in low desert elevation. The desert has a stark beauty to it, and often shows signs of life under harsh conditions. Cactus are thorny, rocks are jagged, critters are dry and scaly, and sometimes death lies exposed as if to remind one of the challenging environment.</div>
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Oddly, the Ridge Trail does not actually go along the ridge, but rather it goes below it. I had gone a little too far South at the beginning, and after about 1.7 miles I decided it was time to forge up the mountainside to reach the summit. I knew this was not going to be an easy scramble as soon as I began.</div>
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If you zoom way in, you can see a tiny flagpole near the top of this photo - that is the peak. So I set my sights on that as a goal and headed on up. The rocks were crazy hard and cactus were everywhere! In fact, I managed to lodge a nasty piece of jumping cholla deep into my calf muscle. This is one of the hazards of desert life, and those of us who live in Southern Arizona know all too well what it feels like. You can't simply remove a cholla by scraping it away either :-(</div>
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The climb became quite steep nearer the top.</div>
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I did finally reach the top (and also found a small trail leading in from the sides that I didn't know about!) There was a flag that someone had left up there, along with about 6 dirty old tins that people had left full of summit registers and miscellaneous trash.</div>
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The hike up had taken much longer than I had expected so my operating time was not nearly as long as I had hoped for. I worked mostly cw. I made a couple of contacts with Tom, NQ7R, who lives right near the base of the mountain - we even had my first 2m SOTA QSO using FM simplex from my HT. There is a shooting range to the West and during the entire activation, loud gunshots were blasting and I was nervous about ricocheting bullets!</div>
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I made 29 QSO's on 40m and 20m before packing it up. On the way out, I decided to attempt a different route back, which took me along the true ridge. This turned out to be a mistake, as it took a very long time before I was able to descend.</div>
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The route rolled up and down along various sub-peaks. At the top of one, I found some rocks arranged in a tri-pattern, all pointing inward towards this marker which apparently was placed there in 1966.</div>
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Finally, late in the afternoon, I reached a point where the only way to go was down - and it wasn't too easy.</div>
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I did make it out alive, with a swollen calf and legs that were far more exhausted than the original plan had called for. Maybe that's why this particular summit had never been activated before? Anyway, I was happy to add another summit activation to my log and a couple more points to my activator total.</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-41304135675893386842016-11-04T19:00:00.000-07:002016-11-16T17:36:17.924-07:00Working the World from Oracle Ridge SummitThere are quite a few summits to climb around my home QTH in Tucson. I was ready for another hike and my buddy Quinton, NU7Y, was off work so we decided to do a SOTA activation on Oracle Ridge, W7A/PE-004. Quinton had researched possible summits and another local ham, K6HPX had activated Oracle Ridge a week ago, so we had some good info about how to approach the summit. We decided to drive up the Mt. Lemmon Highway and start hiking along the Arizona Trail from a parking lot near the fire station on the ridge below Ski Valley. On the map, it appeared to be a moderately long but fairly easy hike.<br />
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The trail was beautiful, and the weather was cool when we began hiking a bit before 9 am. The trail started just under 8,000 feet and was net downhill towards the summit (until the final climb), but it went up and down over several peaks along the way. <br />
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The terrain was rocky and bushy, with lots of interesting weather-worn trees. For some reason we could not determine, there is a fence running much of the way along the ridge.</div>
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About an hour into the hike, we could see our destination far off in the distance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWG_pwV6ffRJ0UUtyO5SJG38ghFypfcLEwhrL5QsPHh_rNf926_IBfLVHczFH0im8kxb4HKQ0j5L53J_ZnxlVlt5XKB7iOBXd59-sKThjM80I1igO5MR7xUcdQXxvWhKcPZ1lQScDw5Su9/s1600/IMG_3715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWG_pwV6ffRJ0UUtyO5SJG38ghFypfcLEwhrL5QsPHh_rNf926_IBfLVHczFH0im8kxb4HKQ0j5L53J_ZnxlVlt5XKB7iOBXd59-sKThjM80I1igO5MR7xUcdQXxvWhKcPZ1lQScDw5Su9/s320/IMG_3715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We also saw some ominous clouds moving in! One fast-moving one had a vertical wall that was rapidly sweeping across the sky and eventually obstructed our view. We began to be concerned that we might be hiking into a rainstorm, but we kept moving ahead.</div>
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After about 3 1/4 miles of hiking, we were close to the summit. Unfortunately, the trail does not lead to the summit. We were already getting weary, but the only way to the top involved a "bushwhack" up some steep, crowded terrain. The pace of our hike became very slow as we climbed up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaDdWYB0jjgc26UjE_PJk4ehLAiVEu4SxPhr8z_9ddnFQjR5FxSaZXO2zthQfesPSsyxecAaAHj0wmjZIgLTnOoowkyaRMOv9NVE3X2Fo-klvU-SvmhfMMD_h5CrmkiDr5PeNP3riJt-k/s1600/IMG_3741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaDdWYB0jjgc26UjE_PJk4ehLAiVEu4SxPhr8z_9ddnFQjR5FxSaZXO2zthQfesPSsyxecAaAHj0wmjZIgLTnOoowkyaRMOv9NVE3X2Fo-klvU-SvmhfMMD_h5CrmkiDr5PeNP3riJt-k/s320/IMG_3741.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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When I finally reached the top, I took a short break to have a sandwich and take in the view. Actually, there wasn't much view, as I was pretty much in the clouds.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6StGfp-qMLsgqUYFmhdw5eKcEKuhRDmhzoVURDEQQ_eBwB6-CUZbbpbU1QIp6AUNzynkuv6aIYns67kio1jbhNETkuGqYZUnM5mpoZY-N2QfN5-2tyqQregKCgI44zszLl2LlxKyUKJnB/s1600/IMG_3757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6StGfp-qMLsgqUYFmhdw5eKcEKuhRDmhzoVURDEQQ_eBwB6-CUZbbpbU1QIp6AUNzynkuv6aIYns67kio1jbhNETkuGqYZUnM5mpoZY-N2QfN5-2tyqQregKCgI44zszLl2LlxKyUKJnB/s320/IMG_3757.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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We had planned to operate two independent stations, but when Quinton set his up he discovered some antenna problems. So we both worked with my KX2 and OCF dipole. Conditions were good on the bands but we were tired from the long hike!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPrKXf0NTeebN_PHjeEULIgw0AZo0MGCuP6b2vrm56GlT2ekXdw1VMDMAEFpDYN26H9CjcxVISx5XZqW8y4WaVFKDPcTKBeoMyCTZAioaXGJwbaX_aiiUQZ3wx9IAPXjmi25OKWQcsiv-/s1600/aIMG_3750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPrKXf0NTeebN_PHjeEULIgw0AZo0MGCuP6b2vrm56GlT2ekXdw1VMDMAEFpDYN26H9CjcxVISx5XZqW8y4WaVFKDPcTKBeoMyCTZAioaXGJwbaX_aiiUQZ3wx9IAPXjmi25OKWQcsiv-/s320/aIMG_3750.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We worked CW for a while, on several bands.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIrMlJvhzkClXIPXttbfHhBEuptcY7-fcSRbjxV9h7ukcp4QokR6Rrzp5NA1lv8BWNBMU903frCGy0xL4BTcykfzIvcQvG72hnIdVQ-lhEZlBVcE46h9qeOBrd8bMkOg_Xh7LGY9tRAOi/s1600/IMG_3754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIrMlJvhzkClXIPXttbfHhBEuptcY7-fcSRbjxV9h7ukcp4QokR6Rrzp5NA1lv8BWNBMU903frCGy0xL4BTcykfzIvcQvG72hnIdVQ-lhEZlBVcE46h9qeOBrd8bMkOg_Xh7LGY9tRAOi/s320/IMG_3754.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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One of my favorite QSO's of the day was when I worked ZL1BYZ, John from New Zealand, on 15 meters. He actually sent me an email with an mp3 recording of my calling after our QSO, and I was amazed to hear how strong my signal was - 5 watts to NZ was plenty!</div>
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I also worked a few stations on phone before we wrapped things up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZMCF0-tfvGY-8QRNNjSpPKmmM11LENj52BkiZoaBcwiRE1DUos9nL0O_um7e0YkVFOYf3GW1erk3NYQN_adb9THTo36E4OGOxXCSIK0cLnN-C44BxAr3s6lYHhmtZqGIteOSD4OAgvYA/s1600/IMG_3760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZMCF0-tfvGY-8QRNNjSpPKmmM11LENj52BkiZoaBcwiRE1DUos9nL0O_um7e0YkVFOYf3GW1erk3NYQN_adb9THTo36E4OGOxXCSIK0cLnN-C44BxAr3s6lYHhmtZqGIteOSD4OAgvYA/s320/IMG_3760.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Since the hike in took so long, we knew we could not stay long so I only ended up with 29 QSO's for the day, including one Summit-to-Summit contact. We packed up quickly and began the trek out. Going back was a little faster but we chose the right time to leave - the sun was nearly set when we finished up the hike.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqpF-UjhyORG1q7vvRmlGzW6b6xQ6ut6_si8aPVImgrSMHz7nHyEYBRLihOee7ap31Ev75NWkGP7l4RrQPGyBCjnX3ZTjUdoqig3RoQ2UQdfGUp-DxcipPN2KL87CEUcTUQx1YRdOSkCE/s1600/IMG_3764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqpF-UjhyORG1q7vvRmlGzW6b6xQ6ut6_si8aPVImgrSMHz7nHyEYBRLihOee7ap31Ev75NWkGP7l4RrQPGyBCjnX3ZTjUdoqig3RoQ2UQdfGUp-DxcipPN2KL87CEUcTUQx1YRdOSkCE/s320/IMG_3764.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I ran my Yaesu FT-2D in APRS mode on the hike and it recorded a somewhat accurate track - my experience with RF-based APRS tracking using only an HT hasn't been very good, it tends to not make it in to the digipeaters very often due to the high volume of APRS traffic. Here's the track result:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxuqaRZ5onPQVNGARtulX3FYIx4IlmL6bxnqcQ4yVp5d4k1FaFCVsenQtvzH-S-vrg0UQdGH-jhKHuKlR-YSyQpAmXmaXqccUkgfGF3Pt4yxfUkOd53H8bA8PYJL7JgpDRPcyOVX20GzA/s1600/APRSTrackKR7RK-720161104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxuqaRZ5onPQVNGARtulX3FYIx4IlmL6bxnqcQ4yVp5d4k1FaFCVsenQtvzH-S-vrg0UQdGH-jhKHuKlR-YSyQpAmXmaXqccUkgfGF3Pt4yxfUkOd53H8bA8PYJL7JgpDRPcyOVX20GzA/s320/APRSTrackKR7RK-720161104.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm really happy we did this hike, but I'm not sure I will be too eager to do Oracle Ridge anytime again soon. It was an awesome way to spend a day with my friend, and we made some nice QSO's and enjoyed perfect weather conditions. But, it was a difficult hike (off-trail bushwhacking seems to be a trend in reaching SOTA peaks?). We'll see what comes next!</div>
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<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-81178659534011169492016-11-03T16:02:00.003-07:002016-11-03T16:06:48.249-07:00Current SOTA KitWhen it comes to portable operations, there are unique challenges with regards to assembling the best amateur radio station. In addition to the usual cost considerations, planned uses, and operating style and ergonomic preferences, it's necessary to think about minimizing weight and size. A portable setup that can be transported in a car may have some flexibility (<a href="http://kr7rk.blogspot.com/2015/12/go-box-latest-version.html" target="_blank">see my previous post regarding my amateur radio Go-Box</a>), but a ham station that will be carried in a backpack on a long, strenuous hike needs to be planned much more carefully.<br />
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As I've become more serious about the <a href="http://www.sota.org.uk/" target="_blank">Summits On The Air (SOTA) program</a>, I've learned more about ways to create a very small, very portable station. My first experience with a tiny QRP rig was when I <a href="http://kr7rk.blogspot.com/2016/07/my-first-sota-activation-w7aae-011.html" target="_blank">activated Heliograph Peak with my buddy Quinton, NU7Y</a>, who introduced me to SOTA.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PDf_sOhzJZhYuEgYy5lC_4gtKX62VRhG006EUYxQAKaT1rQVWNS20zSlI1oEGYGzP3xZ2A3v_7GwdDpCCbChK1RpmpJb8C0Cg2MgzVJb2Ynamrv2cW4WkibG73ljbKb6lPTguW8sGaP3/s1600/20160716_113444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PDf_sOhzJZhYuEgYy5lC_4gtKX62VRhG006EUYxQAKaT1rQVWNS20zSlI1oEGYGzP3xZ2A3v_7GwdDpCCbChK1RpmpJb8C0Cg2MgzVJb2Ynamrv2cW4WkibG73ljbKb6lPTguW8sGaP3/s320/20160716_113444.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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Much of my current setup is modeled after Quinton's rig. I liked the clipboard idea, but for mine I decided on a bamboo cutting board that I purchased from Bed Bath & Beyond. The wooden board allows me to drill holes to use for holding things securely during operation. I also purchased a plastic waterproof case from Walmart to carry the gear (except antenna) in. Here is the equipment that I take along:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpGZj_x1m3oDAllks0Gtc9nJoNZDXXg_gsmCDP3Fm9pN-2l4FKeds4DYvNhjN1if4eO7ftu4lPAQtj2ww2yIgnd5rcLKE4JgSlRgSy3Y3OJZYIm0EyoK6GJR5-vWnW8zvVXRbBaLYU32g_/s1600/20161103_144032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpGZj_x1m3oDAllks0Gtc9nJoNZDXXg_gsmCDP3Fm9pN-2l4FKeds4DYvNhjN1if4eO7ftu4lPAQtj2ww2yIgnd5rcLKE4JgSlRgSy3Y3OJZYIm0EyoK6GJR5-vWnW8zvVXRbBaLYU32g_/s320/20161103_144032.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I put some of the smaller items in plastic bags (bolts, clip for log and mic, earbuds, keyer cable, and spare battery) just to keep it tidy. I also use microfiber sunglass carrying bags to wrap the Begali Traveler Light paddle and the microphone in, for a little protection while carrying.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Vyk8Y0AuDTjYcCyfYiEB-ZQZpxGPiIRybSkvAvfDsAICjfqAdskjPfzJWMsY-WODmUq4FICuxeIH2c5J2dl1bdhyphenhyphenqb3IjdtJ2IyeWowIkt8NucPiHj2SuRrraPRdZLpu0gjLh1rySL7t/s1600/20161103_145035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Vyk8Y0AuDTjYcCyfYiEB-ZQZpxGPiIRybSkvAvfDsAICjfqAdskjPfzJWMsY-WODmUq4FICuxeIH2c5J2dl1bdhyphenhyphenqb3IjdtJ2IyeWowIkt8NucPiHj2SuRrraPRdZLpu0gjLh1rySL7t/s320/20161103_145035.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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I also wrap up the KX2 in a thin sheet of packing foam, to protect it from scratches.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk27Gnk4sYxQiB8bMNVMqX8C7Ay3m8C2dsIk48jc3-6RCOF-wrO4MiJCxU6P2tuVTAlCUolpRikF19jwdhyphenhyphenAYAClOhv_9Na5kuNeRrwmCkq8FHVmTJPQAbJox7DqaS-C4q5UqsUfflqEIO/s1600/20161103_145329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk27Gnk4sYxQiB8bMNVMqX8C7Ay3m8C2dsIk48jc3-6RCOF-wrO4MiJCxU6P2tuVTAlCUolpRikF19jwdhyphenhyphenAYAClOhv_9Na5kuNeRrwmCkq8FHVmTJPQAbJox7DqaS-C4q5UqsUfflqEIO/s320/20161103_145329.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the plastic box - it's very similar to some expensive brands but it's a cheaper brand found in the camping section of Walmart. I added a <a href="http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/sota-items/" target="_blank">SOTA window sticker that I got from SOTABeams</a> - it's perfect for this because it sticks from the inside so won't get rubbed off in the pack.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStJHnCBR6fM0qCPyivTMMxMuXl-deg-ak5Qpww3iW5WwHN3uTtiufohwWlrmm2t2qJv3sWhkwFfItXVJ5BM43aS0EXpid-tFeaMIvVvTJU7UBKUoKhdaEDBICc1llCZO_wUIPpw60S0dY/s1600/20161103_145426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStJHnCBR6fM0qCPyivTMMxMuXl-deg-ak5Qpww3iW5WwHN3uTtiufohwWlrmm2t2qJv3sWhkwFfItXVJ5BM43aS0EXpid-tFeaMIvVvTJU7UBKUoKhdaEDBICc1llCZO_wUIPpw60S0dY/s320/20161103_145426.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also used packing tape to stick a copy of my FCC Amateur Radio License on the inside of the bottom. This turned out to be a very helpful item when I went through airport security with the kit last week - they were quite interested in the contents of the box (and even swiped the KX2 with some sort of chemical sniffer), but showing the agent my license was useful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVToOKIk_LQK8ZI1GbnP9v1wnkDvJAV9wR8XbwRuvJgw_KWjwtCqlmv0O5R5-CSnAkzm4tj-parQPkp_b9kBtk61bSst50cEw1_7Warfl6xYL9MmWU8lC8aRkAm9TelDugIqehE7XpW31/s1600/20161103_145538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVToOKIk_LQK8ZI1GbnP9v1wnkDvJAV9wR8XbwRuvJgw_KWjwtCqlmv0O5R5-CSnAkzm4tj-parQPkp_b9kBtk61bSst50cEw1_7Warfl6xYL9MmWU8lC8aRkAm9TelDugIqehE7XpW31/s320/20161103_145538.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The box came with an orange rubber divider inside. I place my log notepad under it, and it also gives a slight padding for the other gear. But it could also be pulled out and left behind.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJUAQAuVhYTwJigHM6UnFJkIoxndJ8rhZGdUiwqw5bqQ0Zn-Jwr-EQNKqn2kQORENRNdHVSGmMLODE9ynNFX9fC2IgxSOOLhA-it5L7Qb_HkNXETx2T7tHvRGxIcFxRdU3kJmyCZb54o9/s1600/20161103_145625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJUAQAuVhYTwJigHM6UnFJkIoxndJ8rhZGdUiwqw5bqQ0Zn-Jwr-EQNKqn2kQORENRNdHVSGmMLODE9ynNFX9fC2IgxSOOLhA-it5L7Qb_HkNXETx2T7tHvRGxIcFxRdU3kJmyCZb54o9/s320/20161103_145625.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I place the wrapped KX2, paddle, and microphone in the box on top of the notepad.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98CS1iFUs6Q45_vuQ-AAunfST9zq4d4_52QVOOZcaeUlakfD1hJR4GnY1_OAE3cOvtDQo5TjFG_Jr-iENyodhQ9qZSCUmJ4Tr71ylEEitoIMpQT29RWSJY0yyZMCvLEykikYg2e9ztBek/s1600/20161103_145731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98CS1iFUs6Q45_vuQ-AAunfST9zq4d4_52QVOOZcaeUlakfD1hJR4GnY1_OAE3cOvtDQo5TjFG_Jr-iENyodhQ9qZSCUmJ4Tr71ylEEitoIMpQT29RWSJY0yyZMCvLEykikYg2e9ztBek/s320/20161103_145731.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then I fill in the remaining spaces with the plastic bags with the accessories and spare battery.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GWdk47SU_2Ip_oRkbXi_Y_IqX6GaVBjFfF04lBVTlHqKi5sdELlNNPHbT65aOc3wjPCUK3MwmFpybOBPNT8OM6BZiWgu3ijo9k2AtmvSt1159mFl86HMa_9oMEBN-ZiL3bKzMGqMa9a1/s1600/20161103_145810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GWdk47SU_2Ip_oRkbXi_Y_IqX6GaVBjFfF04lBVTlHqKi5sdELlNNPHbT65aOc3wjPCUK3MwmFpybOBPNT8OM6BZiWgu3ijo9k2AtmvSt1159mFl86HMa_9oMEBN-ZiL3bKzMGqMa9a1/s320/20161103_145810.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The final step is to fold up the SOTA flag, which I also purchased from <a href="http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/sota-items/" target="_blank">SOTABeams</a>, This serves as a slight padding on the top of the case. Then I snap it shut, and everything is in nice and neat, not to tight but also not jostling around, and ready to go out for another activation!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMj3IkmMdqufp9ZQ_VUEm6Dpmg3stkXf2GJey91O7RqRoUinhfS8oznwbDyC5-XTdgb34Bfrf0Q-zwa0DSLqnyk-rOq61K4wpvgxr_tEF6uFxa5H-4VRnYE_QE4MsUEi6qsAx_QlChLICx/s1600/20161103_145959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMj3IkmMdqufp9ZQ_VUEm6Dpmg3stkXf2GJey91O7RqRoUinhfS8oznwbDyC5-XTdgb34Bfrf0Q-zwa0DSLqnyk-rOq61K4wpvgxr_tEF6uFxa5H-4VRnYE_QE4MsUEi6qsAx_QlChLICx/s320/20161103_145959.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have not weighed the loaded kit yet, but my guess is that it comes in around 3 - 4 pounds. It's not feather-light, but for my hiking it has been a very nice way to transport my gear and feel safe about it in the pack. I would love to see how others have designed their kits!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pCHo2bKGe5sjEwwATj85VAWNIkTbjwDkBqf5_C6AwNA7PdsNhkbd5AR4vZuvGKImN-QNHlBH40od07UTP5vEu62PbMS1AMxlo0BuIA9Q2kD16B6c2fB8e274sSd0eAStoNwN3WNb0DUV/s1600/IMG_3670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pCHo2bKGe5sjEwwATj85VAWNIkTbjwDkBqf5_C6AwNA7PdsNhkbd5AR4vZuvGKImN-QNHlBH40od07UTP5vEu62PbMS1AMxlo0BuIA9Q2kD16B6c2fB8e274sSd0eAStoNwN3WNb0DUV/s320/IMG_3670.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-75304515080471469562016-10-28T12:00:00.000-07:002016-11-01T16:50:33.519-07:00Everything's Big in Texas - Except the Summit! Newton County HP, SOTA W5T/NT-039<div class="MsoNormal">
My recent <a href="http://kr7rk.blogspot.com/2016/10/san-pedro-hill-short-sota-activation-on.html" target="_blank">experience activating a peak in California </a>made me
want to do more activations while traveling.
Arizona has plenty of wonderful peaks and I'm looking forward to activating
many more, but part of the fun of portable operations is, well, the “portable”
aspect – which includes bringing gear along to many different places. I had arranged to make a trip to Houston, Texas
to visit my parents, so I decided to check the <a href="http://www.sotamaps.org/" target="_blank">SOTA mapping project</a> website and
my SOTA Spotter App to see if there were any peaks nearby for a quick
activation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CmhnlKWCx63RkvbQvIjLh93YHRDkzrwEWXf_AZ_I9P2u25WR8zbzITnIva8iqYCLtd3tWwwwP6e4Qy7H3ua40FiAdmItuOBkHplowf-yUlbk14H-3IArQjWvRiTHHWReB21W1FfugAmn/s1600/Screenshot_20161027-220328.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CmhnlKWCx63RkvbQvIjLh93YHRDkzrwEWXf_AZ_I9P2u25WR8zbzITnIva8iqYCLtd3tWwwwP6e4Qy7H3ua40FiAdmItuOBkHplowf-yUlbk14H-3IArQjWvRiTHHWReB21W1FfugAmn/s320/Screenshot_20161027-220328.png" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Much to my dismay, I discovered that the entire Houston area
is basically a flatland. I mean, really,
really flat! The closest peak I could
find was about 145 miles away!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But hey, I'm trying to be a good SOTA op, so that means I
need to embrace the challenge, right? So
I set to work on planning how to make this activation happen. First, I located a ham in the Houston area
who appeared to be an active SOTA guy, and emailed him to make sure I wasn't
somehow missing something (was there a huge peak nearby that wasn't showing up
in my search?) His answer confirmed my
fears; in fact he said that he drives over to NM and AZ to get peaks because
it's so flat in Texas! So, my only
option appeared to be a one-pointer summit called “Newton County HP”,
W5T/NT-039. As an aside, I don't
understand how this falls into the “North Texas” region, given its southerly
locale, but that's not too important). It took quite a bit of work to use MapQuest to
find the best driving route, but eventually I got one that appeared to be near
enough to get me in the area.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was visiting primarily to care for my parents so being
away for a long time would be a problem.
My solution was to leave very early, do the activation, and return later
that morning. With a 145 mile or so
drive, this meant that I'd be on the air earlier than most US activations that
are posted on <a href="http://www.sotawatch.org/" target="_blank">SOTAWatch</a> these days, but I didn't really have a choice. On Friday, October 28<sup>th</sup>, I left
their home for a long, dark drive. It
was foggy and dark but somehow I managed to get myself in the area just around
sunrise.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLhzpz1pQr69loLlbIce9ZEwG9vZ5vaW5ab8DMGteLUTqFIuXCegT8LnlzEcDz6lrz6aYoDwJ984HBZsGxaZcoHw2vNbNbtV2M81xwQFxVH61QajeCqacz4Wagz2zfPpkVtIwVrvMvNwt/s1600/IMG_3677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLhzpz1pQr69loLlbIce9ZEwG9vZ5vaW5ab8DMGteLUTqFIuXCegT8LnlzEcDz6lrz6aYoDwJ984HBZsGxaZcoHw2vNbNbtV2M81xwQFxVH61QajeCqacz4Wagz2zfPpkVtIwVrvMvNwt/s320/IMG_3677.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I was driving East on Route 255, but had no exact directions
from there. So I pulled up the summit on
the SOTAWatch App on my cell phone, which gave me a distance and
direction. As I approached it, I
realized that the summit was not going to be on Route 255, but rather to the
left. There were occasional dirt roads
leading off, but I had no idea where they led.
Eventually, as I drove, the app began to show me that the direction to
the summit was now slightly behind me to the left; so I decided I'd better take
a dirt road.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWN7vmtVbaLcVK30ivHz7KMQNdP1z4a8FrRmY9PGxbdtfmwKYiHJb-gtDTZomGXOFfSv2RLrl7dYWBen4DhTC7qv8TMbS2TThbHExzj1ZzUNvETL7v2Gv_0DqwK9OqAM1JfatdnxtOZuvU/s1600/IMG_3687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWN7vmtVbaLcVK30ivHz7KMQNdP1z4a8FrRmY9PGxbdtfmwKYiHJb-gtDTZomGXOFfSv2RLrl7dYWBen4DhTC7qv8TMbS2TThbHExzj1ZzUNvETL7v2Gv_0DqwK9OqAM1JfatdnxtOZuvU/s320/IMG_3687.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
As it turned out, I
was very lucky, because the dirt road I took (County Road #1105) did in fact
lead me to the summit, which was on CR 1106!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TMc39KcrurLySNQwEWVMU75AtgsXVL5ltEs55jMVp4gzAln9lFQRn70F8Ia-AE2JxqQ3meXlUPvI70sziGnf3TU8vj0Q3ZJ1zaHeh2wwhyGB8IRgdgY2dv_qdxte5ZxSN2I9zMmUixG7/s1600/IMG_3689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TMc39KcrurLySNQwEWVMU75AtgsXVL5ltEs55jMVp4gzAln9lFQRn70F8Ia-AE2JxqQ3meXlUPvI70sziGnf3TU8vj0Q3ZJ1zaHeh2wwhyGB8IRgdgY2dv_qdxte5ZxSN2I9zMmUixG7/s320/IMG_3689.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p>The summit was pretty obvious, because a few large commercial
tower structures were present.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyl49GGuTrO3JT5YvBD_4i0sfnW6QmqJjvGDlgdp9l3uMnkvC3QaTntMjs5n7nkvT1eD578p8-GTlECvOJyo1ZkMBjjtbrKC5hZTWbOBT9yg6tXL5BpOvZUx4yRwgEBgRdpO1RApz8io-/s1600/IMG_3685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyl49GGuTrO3JT5YvBD_4i0sfnW6QmqJjvGDlgdp9l3uMnkvC3QaTntMjs5n7nkvT1eD578p8-GTlECvOJyo1ZkMBjjtbrKC5hZTWbOBT9yg6tXL5BpOvZUx4yRwgEBgRdpO1RApz8io-/s320/IMG_3685.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I pulled up alongside them on the dirt road and quickly set
up my gear, as close as I could without trespassing beyond the Posted
signs. Actually I didn’t really want to
be so close to the towers anyway.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I initially hoped to just sit on the ground, but almost
immediately, a swarm of ants was marching all over my gear and myself! So, I just decided to do the operation in a
standing position.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKFHD-Ud0xtlccxlmMwl5Ev-eZ86HpWb6RMh2Fgbop7ynzLsGbjHJNpXPw9Ozgw07VquhhXMPeiRO5g2hS4M6HTtkjkVr3B4cl49G7W9j5H4Kfo7XPsDfUnBxPMEx_lodhWK8f7gBhpp2/s1600/20161028_094559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKFHD-Ud0xtlccxlmMwl5Ev-eZ86HpWb6RMh2Fgbop7ynzLsGbjHJNpXPw9Ozgw07VquhhXMPeiRO5g2hS4M6HTtkjkVr3B4cl49G7W9j5H4Kfo7XPsDfUnBxPMEx_lodhWK8f7gBhpp2/s320/20161028_094559.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It was a little challenging tapping the paddle but I managed
to pull out 6 QSO’s on 40m, 6 on 30m, and 7 on 20m (including a phone
Summit-to-Summit QSO with KK4OSG. The
bands seemed pretty good and I was having fun, but I had to shut down in less
than an hour and head back to my take care of my folks. Was it worth all that driving just for a very
short 1-pointer QSO? The answer is yes,
it really was a fun time and I was happy to add another Association to my
list. Traveling with amateur radio has
become much easier with the advent of the KX2 (although airport security did
take it out of my bag and wipe it down with some sort of test strip on the way
to TX). I’m learning more about setting
up a very quick multi-band system as well.
All in all, I’d say it was worth it!<o:p></o:p></div>
KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-45932609794237124102016-10-25T13:43:00.000-07:002016-11-01T13:43:45.570-07:00Begali LineupI've been a fan of Begali Keys since I purchased my first, the Sculpture, several years ago at the Dayton Hamvention. I'm not a super-fast morse op, and the cost is rather high, but once you use a Begali it's hard to go back to using other keys. The quality just gives a much smoother ride and the ability to fine-tune the adjustments lets me find the optimal feel.<br />
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Here is my current lineup of Begali Keys. I use the Sculpture when I am at the home QTH. The Traveler Lite goes out with me on portable operations. And my latest addition, the Stradivarius, resides in my office for use on the remote setup.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_Kt0qu3rOd7pmmhRag6X0c_pkZfdiZb-ZOikJP_yT9A-KjzugMtsBay0AXsm0BEvpMMRcTyUCJ4PwS1BL8G6LBtolOGFRFWEx83mASWUiO-9kKp9ZDaPEdRb8662hv4f63OSw85sTFt9/s1600/20161025_110126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_Kt0qu3rOd7pmmhRag6X0c_pkZfdiZb-ZOikJP_yT9A-KjzugMtsBay0AXsm0BEvpMMRcTyUCJ4PwS1BL8G6LBtolOGFRFWEx83mASWUiO-9kKp9ZDaPEdRb8662hv4f63OSw85sTFt9/s320/20161025_110126.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6267874663589078497.post-46098544147254844292016-10-21T20:30:00.000-07:002016-11-01T13:14:20.164-07:00October OVARC Meeting - APRSThe October meeting of the Oro Valley Amateur Radio Club (OVARC) had an informative presentation on APRS by Bob, AF9W. I began using APRS way back in the 1990's and had a lot of fun using various types of TNC's, GPS units, and displays. For a while I had a nice weather station that beaconed APRS from my home QTH, and lately I've used it to beacon out my position along my SOTA hikes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEShp4kb7TlUm6p5Zq0xNENRnqODmfkLgC7GM-xtouxoyG4IuF8AHEf5nHOiPIem2-TLaVpXJo8HJ1Hvfa50cL4D0a5usfcbk0klNqbTOoynUEFO5rdQcgPOVXe48i60e1faLgGOFNyvg/s1600/20161021_190831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEShp4kb7TlUm6p5Zq0xNENRnqODmfkLgC7GM-xtouxoyG4IuF8AHEf5nHOiPIem2-TLaVpXJo8HJ1Hvfa50cL4D0a5usfcbk0klNqbTOoynUEFO5rdQcgPOVXe48i60e1faLgGOFNyvg/s320/20161021_190831.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Technology has improved APRS a lot. For example, many radios now have built-in TNC's and GPS units (like my Yaesu FT-2DR handheld). Mapping back in the early days used DOS-driven software with rudimentary character-drawn maps, whereas now we have high-resolution mapping, satellite images, and super-fast colorful displays that draw very little power. Websites like http://www.aprs.fi give near-real time aprs data via the internet.</div>
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As usual, the OVARC meeting had other interesting stuff including a demo of his Lindenblad Satellite Antenna project by Ron, W7HD, and a short Handyman's Corner talk by Tom, W8TK on how to build a $5 antenna tuner.</div>
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KR7RKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01875614986490895993noreply@blogger.com0