[Elecraft] Polar Bear Outing

[Ron Polityka]

Hello,

 The time is 03:45 UTC and I just finished taking a shower. Wow did we have 
a Great time up on the Appalachian Trail at Pulpit Rock near Hamburg, PA.

 Half way up the 2 mile hike I was going over things in my head and I 
remembered that I had no coax. Fortunately I caught Ed, WA3WSJ at home from 
my cell phone. I had to stand on an icy rock to get a connection. I told him 
to bring some extra coax for me.

 On my way up the mountain I was thinking of what I could do. So I placed my 
brain in the"Mc Giver Mode." I had the 15 meter element and a small side 
cutters. I cut the end off of the 15m element and folded over the wire and 
placed it in the back of the K2 jack. Then I took the radials, which had a 
crimp connector on the end and placed some electrical tape on one side to 
force the metal against the grounding post on the K2. My first contact was 
with a station in Texas and he gave me a 579. Wow, "Mc Giver" strikes again. 
:-)

 Shortly after I finished the QSO, NK8Q and K3YTR showed up in their 
vehicles with the coax from Ed, WA3WSJ. I went to 20 meters and then 30 
meters. I made a total of 10 QSO's from the AT.

 Shortly before Ed, WA3WSJ, showed up I heard coyotes howling. Then I heard 
Ed howling back at them. Fortunately the coyotes were on the next ridge 
over. When Ed, WA3WSJ, showed up at Pulpit Rock he said did you hear that? I 
said yes and I also heard you giving them a reply. The coyotes started 
howling again and I started howling back. I worked them up into a frenzy and 
they were replying to my howls. Wonder if I can count them as a QSO from the 
AT??    :-)  After my last howl they must have went east over the ridge 
because we did not hear from them again.

I will have pictures and logs up on the web in the next day or so.

The temperature was hanging around 28 to 30'F with a slight breeze. The moon 
was out full with flurries coming down at the same time. It was one Great 
time!!!!!!!!

72 and Thanks,
Ron Polityka
WB3AAL
www.wb3aal.com
www.n3epa.org/