[ArHam] Successful TEXAS SOTA activation.

Mike Olbrisch mike-2007 at elp.rr.com
Mon Aug 23 23:35:26 EDT 2010


On Sunday 22 Aug 2010, three ham operators ascended South Franklin Mountain
(W5/FR-003) for the second Texas SOTA activation.  http://www.sota.org.uk.  The
operators were Mike - KD9KC, Ron - WT5RZ and Jerry - KF5BBT.  We hit the trail
at about 0600, it was just light enough to actually see the trail.  This was a
little dangerous as the lower trail is a rocky wash.  We managed to keep from
twisting a ankle or worse as we slowly progressed.  Fortunately, I volunteer in
this park and I know the trails well.  The morning was warm and humid for El
Paso, but there was a nice breeze in the canyon so it wasn't too bad.  We
reached the ridgeline just at sunrise, and we got a spectacular view of the
sunlight slowly creeping across the desert floor to the west.

You can see most of the trail here.
http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/ElephantsTrunk_2320.asp

The trail on this map ends at the bottom.  To the right of the trail's end is
the word RADIO.  This is the radio towers where the summit is.  The main trail
continues south, and there is a little-used goat trail (sorry Rooster and
Peanut) going up to the summit.  That trail basically follows the arroyo up.  We
reached the summit at about 1430 UTC.  We were all hot and sweaty by then, so
the next 15 minutes were spent catching breaths, drinking cold water, looking
for a place to set up, and basically cooling down.

There are two summits at this location, with a shallow saddle between them that
is well within the allowable vertical distance.  There is a radio site on each
summit, connected by a sidewalk about 100 yards or so long.  This sidewalk has a
guard-rail, and some 8 ft poles that once had flood-lamps on them.  I decided
that one of those light-poles was the perfect thing to tie my Jackite pole on
to.

Ron was with me on the first ever W5-SOTA activation, so while I was struggling
with my problems, Ron got his FT-817 (bought from Alex - K5UNY near Dallas,
thanks Alex) on the air.  Ron was trying a home-brew vertical.  This was the
first SOTA operation for Jerry, so I wanted to be sure he had a great time.

I was just beginning to get my gear unpacked when disaster struck.  I didn't
have my 300 ohm twin-lead.  I double-checked and triple-checked.  No twin-lead.
What to do.  I wasn't going to hike down to the car, drive home, drive back, and
hike up again.  So I took a few moments to think it through.  I considered
feeding the dipole as a vertical with one radial.  THINK - THINK - THINK... then
another idea hit me.  Normally, I set up with the FT-817, a short coax jumper to
the T-1 Tuner, a 30 ft coax to the base of the Jackite pole, a 4:1 balun for the
coax, then twin-lead from the balun up the pole to the top where it attaches to
the center of an 88 ft doublet.  But I had no twin lead.  So I Velcro-strapped
the balun to the top of the Jackite pole, attached the dipole wires to the
balun, and let the coax hang down the pole.  At the base, I strapped the T-1
tuner to the pole with Velcro, then used the short coax jumper to the radio.

Optimum.....  no indeed.  But I was hopeful that it might work.  And it did,
thanks to the wonderful Elecraft T-1 tuner.

My first contact was on 20m with K9ZI-mobile, Ken in Vernon Hills IL, near
Chicago.  I was born right near there, so we had a nice chat.  As I finished
with each contact, I sent them looking for Ron on 17m.  Next I was called by
K6DGW, our good friend Fred in Auburn CA.  Fred is one tough old Viet Nam Vet.
He was Air Force, but he should have been Army Special Forces for all he did.
He adopted my son through 3 tours in Iraq, and the whole family became close
friends.  Next was N9YZA, Peter in Naperville IL, near Chicago again.  At each
contact I had been handing the mic to Jerry so he could get enough contacts to
earn activator points too.

When we finished with Peter a very strong signal hammered my little radio.  I
was so startled I didn't catch the voice, but I scribbled the phonetics down on
the paper.  Kilo Delta Six Charlie Uniform Bravo...., then I looked at it.  Oh -
hi Sean, KD6CUB in El Paso - I think I see your house from up here.  When I
finished up with Sean, I got another surprise.  Jeff, K5VU in Raymond MS.  Jeff
was on the very first W-5 SOTA activation crew with me on North Franklin
Mountain, W5/FR-001.  Even though Jeff lives in MS, he is the SOTA Arkansas
Regional Manager.  We hope an Arkansas station will remove Jeff of that duty
some day.  VA6FUN - Michael in Alberta Canada, KI6EAB - John in CA, ND0C - Randy
in MN, K7KWO - Jerry in WA and KF1HBJ, Robert in LA finished up 20m.

Ron was still on 17m, so I decided to check 10m.  It wasn't open, but I did get
3 local stations in a net.  They were W5ES, the El Paso Amateur Radio Club,
KB5BDY - Larry at the club station and KD5FKY - Artis.  With 10m being dead,
there was little hope of 6m being open.  But when it is, it is glorious.  So I
couldn't help myself, I checked 6m.  And disaster struck again.  One of the
little things that will bite you with an FT-817 is that it has two antenna
ports.  MAKE CERTAIN you know which antenna port is on.  <grin>.  I couldn't get
my tuner to tune 6m.  Ron first loaned me his tuner battery, then his tuner.
Then I woke up, set the 6m output to the rear connector, and fixed it.  Back in
action, 6m was indeed dead.  Ron had gotten tired of 17m, and when I left 20m he
jumped up there.  So I tried 17m.

On 17m I first contacted W2GSB.  This was a special event station talking to a
special event station contact.  We had a SOTA station talking to a Lighthouse on
the Air station, Bill was at the Long Island Lighthouse, USA-286.  In short
order were VE3AXW - Tony in Ontario, Canada, K4MIJ - Ralph in TN, N8DAD - Barry
in MI, and last was WA3YNX - Herb in PA.  About the time I finished with Herb
and started calling for more stations, part of my antenna came loose and fell.
Ron took that as a sign that it was time to pack for the trip down.  It was
getting pretty hot.  So at about 1730 UTC, after 2-1/2 hours of operating, we
started packing.  We hit the trail at 1800 UTC, and arrived at the vehicles at
about 1930 UTC.  

Sorry - no slide show - no video - and only 3 old goats.  We had a great time -
but the story doesn't end here.  At 0100 UTC on the 23rd, (1900 local time) Ron,
Jerry and I along with our families met for dinner.  Sean - KD6CUB and his
family also joined us.  After a day hiking and playing radio with good friends,
and a great meal, we decided a visit to the local Starbucks was a must.  It was
then I learned that Jerry has been on the internet shopping for an FT-817 before
coming to dinner.  Looks like another W5-SOTA station coming soon.

I just can't imagine a better day.  I hope you-all enjoy the story.  Thanks to
all the stations who contacted us.


Mike - KD9KC.
El Paso, Tx. 
DM61rt

W5-SOTA - association manager.



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