Pt. 1502 (W6/NC-367) SOTA Activation

On 20 January the family and I went out to Harvey Bear / Coyote lake state park that we had been eyeing for hiking, geocaching and SOTAing. We had planned to start a little earlier but when the kids are not ready to get out of bed, then I wait. Pt. 1502 was a previously unactivated summit and I wanted to make sure it had been activated before I left CA. There are still a few of these summits that I have my eye to do before leaving in a few months. This is one of those summits that you would not want to do in June or July even if it is only 4.5 miles. 

Route: See my everytrail post and you should easily find directions. From 101 south and follow the signs on the HWY

Cell Signal: 

Great verizon signal. Digital. Call, Post, and Text no problem.

Radio working conditions: 

No issues. Nice and quiet on the bands

Trail Condition: 

Well Maintained Easy to follow fire road and trail.

Weather: 

70 degrees beautiful day!

Fees: 

$6 Fee at the Entrance to the park.

Lessons Learned: 

*** I like the Lambda antenna that I made. I first tried to use my MP1 Superantenna and had nothing. I then switched to the wire and was getting 599s from the east coast. See the link to the antenna in Setup notes.

EveryTrail Route: 

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=2636273

Setup: 

PFR3 with internal AA batteries - http://www.qrpkits.com/pfr3.html

Lambda Antenna - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXo0XucRpt0&list=FLuy-J6QwwXmIdgM0-I2ue7w&index=1

AME Porta Paddle II - http://www.americanmorse.com/portapaddle.htm

Contacts: 

20 Total CW contacts. 1 S2S with KC5CW, Thanks Curtis.

On the way up. All the kids. Peyton is carrying his overnight pack getting ready for a backpacking trip.

 Delma is carrying Kimber in the pack. This is one of the rare occasions that Kimber was awake she sleeps most of the time in the baby carrier.

At the summit. Kimber was enjoying her spot by the tree!

 A shot of the PFR3, key and log. If you look closely you can see the lambda antenna on the rig. This antenna is two wires. The bottom part is wound together to act as the feedline and then splits for the elements. Very impressed with this setup today. My signal reports were great. Maybe it was conditions but when I started with the MP1 I was not doing well.

Glad to be back at the truck!

The wild boars are everywhere in this park. I don't think that I have ever seen so many pigs.

Thanks to all the patient chasers!!!!