Recent SOTA Activations

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Mount Vaca (W6/NC-151) SOTA Activation

Date: 8/22/2013    Summit: W6/NC-151 Mount Vaca

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.

No comments:

Post a Comment