Rig: Yaesu FT857d 30 watts into an MP-Superantenna (6 - 1/4 wave counter poises, 12ft MFJ Telescoping Whip),
Route: This route is an easy on that any GPS will lead you to. The road up the Canyon is narrow at times and changes from Paved to Gravel to paved. There are some steep parts but no need for 4wd. Most cars would make it up there.
This SOTA Activation was a last minute plan. I had to go to Travis Air Force Base for a medical appointment. As I was there I pulled out my phone and started messing with my SOTA Goat App in the event that I got out of the appointment with time to spare. I noticed that Mt. Vaca was close and that you could drive all the way to the top according to the last activator. After the appointment the Doc wanted me to get my x-rays uploaded at radiology. The technician told me that it was going to take about 2 hours to do this. In my mind I am thinking just enough time for a SOTA activation! I jumped in the truck and headed up. The road is narrow but no problem in making it most of the way to the top. About 1/2 mile short of the summit I found a place to pull the truck over and grabbed my bag to walk the rest of the way up to the summit. I did not see any other people up there but there is a lot of sign of teenage partying and 4 wheel drive trails. There is not much of a view from the top but there is some spots on the road up that there is some decent views. I did not stay to long as it was bare and hot up at the top.
Not Much of a View looking up towards the summit. During the QSO with Elliot (K6EL) he mentioned that he periodically sees a lot of sand blowing off of the summit when it gets windy. I can see how this could be a miserable summit to be on if it was a windy day.
This must be a great location for the bay area. Lots of antennas. Did not seem to give me much RF trouble.
A nice looking lake to the North. I will have to see if there is a good route to this. I did see a lot of trails heading down the ridges to the lake but probably to narrow and steep for the 3/4 ton Dodge.
A Doe and two fawns on the way down the Canyon
Here is my log:
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1907 KF7PXT 59 K6EL 59
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1903 KF7PXT 59 WB5USB 57
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1856 KF7PXT 57 WB5USB 53
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1849 KF7PXT 33 N4EX 33
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1848 KF7PXT 44 W5QC 44
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1847 KF7PXT 33 NS7P 22
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1846 KF7PXT 57 N6KZ 59
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1846 KF7PXT 45 AE4FZ 33
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1844 KF7PXT 55 W0MNA 55
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1844 KF7PXT 55 W0ERI 55
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1843 KF7PXT 55 WA2USA 45
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1843 KF7PXT 58 AB7YL 56
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1842 KF7PXT 56 W7RV 54
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1842 KF7PXT 56 N7AMA 56
QSO: 14345 SS 2013-08-22 1842 KF7PXT 58 K7JFD 55
Thanks as always to all the Chasers. I look forward to hearing you all on another summit.
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