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On December 1, most SOTA summits in Colorado gain an additional 3 points due to the Seasonal (Winter) Bonus. Joyce/K0JJW and I were looking for a summit not too far away that was still accessible for us to activate. This time of year, many US Forest Service roads are gated shut. Other roads remain open but are not maintained, which means they become impassable as the snow accumulates.

Recently, Ray/KD8EQA reminded me of W0C/SP-096, an unnamed summit unofficially known as Bow Tie Mountain. Ray writes:

Once upon a time… many years ago… in a land of many mountains and many activators named Steve… two of the Steves, K7PX and WG0AT, became good friends and would often hike and activate together.  … in the spirit of being silly and having fun… that one or both Steves could be seen wearing a tie during their activations.  Soon, the unofficial challenge was underway to see who could show up with the coolest, “make a statement” tie.  And this quickly led to the ultimate tie statement… a bow tie!  So, guess which summit is credited with being the one where the most memorable, outlandish, bow tie antics took place… the one the Steves refer to as Bow Tie Mountain?  Yup, it’s peak 10214, SOTA reference W0C/SP-096.

The complete Bow Tie Mountain story is here, along with an invitation to come play along. Other SOTA folks have activated SP-096 during the winter months, so it seemed likely to be accessible in early December. There was a couple of inches of new snow on the ground, but it was easy-peasy to drive the Jeep there.

To get to SP-096, head south out of Hartsel on Highway 9. Then turn east/northeast on CR 116. You will drive right past Threemile Mountain (SP-107), a popular summit with year-round access. These two summits can be done together in the same day but opted just to do SP-096.

The parking spot for the trailhead is 38.86462, -10556085. There is an old 4WD road, now closed, that leads up to the saddle just west of the summit. It is an easy hike on the road, then off-trail to the summit. My GPS app clocked it as 0.5 miles one-way and 500 feet vertical. This is about as easy as it gets for a SOTA hike.

Weather

The weather forecast for Dec 1 called for 27 degrees F at the summit, which turned out to be about right. I expected there would be enough wind to drive us off the summit quickly. “Hey, let’s get our four contacts and get the heck out of here.” Instead, the wind was mostly calm, the sun was out, and it was very pleasant.

With the incredible blue sky, the views were stunning in all directions. The fresh snow was just enough to add texture and definition to the various mountains and surrounding slopes.

The 2m band was pretty quiet, but we did manage to work five stations on 2m FM. The best DX for the day was Matt/KF0RIG in Colorado Springs, about 45 miles away. This is not a very long distance for 2m FM, except that Pikes Peak is blocking the way. Matt had a Yagi at his house pointed at Pikes, and we did the same on our end. Somehow the signal got through, perhaps via knife-edge diffraction. I was impressed that we completed the contact.

Try It

This summit seems to be underappreciated, with only 29 activations. About one-third of these were done by one of the Steves (K7PX or WG0AT). This seems to happen with smaller, unnamed summits. But now it’s got a name and the Bow Tie tradition, so you are invited to give it a try.

73 Bob K0NR

The post Winter Activation Of Bow Tie Mountain appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

Here’s an update on the most activated SOTA summits in Colorado. See my previous report here. Mount Herman (W0C/FR-063) still leads the pack by a wide margin, with many activations by Steve/WG0AT.

Genesee Mountain has passed up Pikes Peak to take second place in the running. Genessee is in a park just outside of greater Denver and is easy to access. I notice many out-of-town SOTA enthusiasts going up there to get on the air and make some contacts. Pikes Peak is a 14er but has a road to the top, and most of those activations are probably aided by a vehicle. Chief Mountain is in fourth place. Mount Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans) is also a 14er with a road to the top. However, it dropped off the list, due to the reduced access caused by recent road construction in the area.

Thorodin Mountain comes in at number five and seems to be gaining in popularity, with Carey/KX0R as a frequent activator.

The summit formerly known as Squaw Mountain, now Mestaa’ehehe Mountain (W0C/PR-082), comes in at sixth place. There is a gated road to the top, so most activators hike that road.

Most of these summits are in the Front Range section of W0C, close to the major cities, which aids their popularity. The other two are listed in the Sawatch and Park Ranges, but they are also not far from the large urban areas.

First in North America

In North America, Mount Herman is second only to Mount Davidson (W6/NC-423), which currently has 846 activations, many of them by Ellliot/K6EL. Davidson is a small 1-point summit in the middle of San Francisco, so it is easily accessible to a large population. This video by W6DFM provides a tour of that summit. Another notable summit is Vollmer Peak (W6/NC-298), an easy-to-access peak with 551 activations.

So that’s your update on SOTA activations in Colorado.

73 Bob K0NR

Most Active SOTA Summits in Colorado

The post Most Active SOTA Summits in Colorado -Nov 2025 appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

When I get asked why I only use VHF/UHF frequencies for my Summits On The Air (SOTA) activations, I usually reply with:

Height Above Average Terrain

More specifically, I mean that using VHF for SOTA is fun because Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT) has a dramatic effect on the propagation of my radio signal.

HAAT has a specific definition, found in the FCC regulations. HAAT basically describes the height of a transmitter relative to the surrounding terrain in all directions at distances of 3 to 16 km. This HAAT calculator tool provides the HAAT of a site based on its latitude and longitude. Note that the FCC definition of HAAT compares against the terrain relatively close to the transmitter, 16 km (10 miles). For SOTA purposes, we are more concerned with distances further away.

In a recent presentation on mountaintop VHF operating (Hamcon Colorado), I provided these two contrasting examples to drive home the importance of HAAT.

Punkin Center

Punkin Center is a small town located on the eastern plains of Colorado. The elevation is 5364 feet, and its HAAT is roughly zero feet. That is, the terrain is flat. Punkin Center is a fine place to be, but it is not a very good VHF location. The radio range using a 5-watt VHF handheld radio is about 4 miles.

Pikes Peak

Compare this to America’s Mountain, Pikes Peak, which has an elevation of 14,115 feet and a HAAT of 4,445 feet. That is, it rises more than 4,000 feet above the surrounding terrain. (The height advantage is even more pronounced when looking further east towards Kansas, where the highest elevation is ~4,000 feet.) Based on my experience operating from there, the VHF handheld range is over 100 miles.

The improved HAAT of Pikes Peak provides a VHF radio range that is 25 times better than Punkin Center. Again, nothing wrong with Punkin Center, but if I want to make VHF contacts, I’ll choose Pikes Peak.

Let’s compare this to using the High Frequency (HF) bands. The normal propagation mode on HF is skywave propagation via the F layer, which supports radio propagation across North America and around the world (depending on frequency, time of day, solar conditions, blah blah blah). The radio signal refracts off the ionosphere and can go very long distances. From Pikes Peak, I can work the world. From Punkin Center, I can work the world. Not much difference, except the views from Pikes are generally better, and the oxygen is less plentiful.

So when I hike up a mountain, I am excited to get out the VHF gear and see what contacts I can make due to the improved HAAT. I don’t get as excited about working HF, because I can do that from home…or Punkin Center, or other places, with similar results.

Other SOTA activators see it differently, and that is just fine. (VHF contacts represent only ~20% of all SOTA contacts.) There are many ways to enjoy SOTA and ham radio. Just make sure you have fun messing around with radios.

73 Bob K0NR

The post Height Above Average Terrain appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

When I get asked why I only use VHF/UHF frequencies for my Summits On The Air (SOTA) activations, I usually reply with:

Height Above Average Terrain

More specifically, I mean that using VHF for SOTA is fun because Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT) has a dramatic effect on the propagation of my radio signal.

HAAT has a specific definition, found in the FCC regulations. HAAT basically describes the height of a transmitter relative to the surrounding terrain in all directions at distances of 3 to 16 km. This HAAT calculator tool provides the HAAT of a site based on its latitude and longitude. Note that the FCC definition of HAAT compares against the terrain relatively close to the transmitter, 16 km (10 miles). For SOTA purposes, we are more concerned with distances further away.

In a recent presentation on mountaintop VHF operating (Hamcon Colorado), I provided these two contrasting examples to drive home the importance of HAAT.

Punkin Center

Punkin Center is a small town located on the eastern plains of Colorado. The elevation is 5364 feet, and its HAAT is roughly zero feet. That is, the terrain is flat. Punkin Center is a fine place to be, but it is not a very good VHF location. The radio range using a 5-watt VHF handheld radio is about 4 miles.

Pikes Peak

Compare this to America’s Mountain, Pikes Peak, which has an elevation of 14,115 feet and a HAAT of 4,445 feet. That is, it rises more than 4,000 feet above the surrounding terrain. (The height advantage is even more pronounced when looking further east towards Kansas, where the highest elevation is ~4,000 feet.) Based on my experience operating from there, the VHF handheld range is over 100 miles.

The improved HAAT of Pikes Peak provides a VHF radio range that is 25 times better than Punkin Center. Again, nothing wrong with Punkin Center, but if I want to make VHF contacts, I’ll choose Pikes Peak.

Let’s compare this to using the High Frequency (HF) bands. The normal propagation mode on HF is skywave propagation via the F layer, which supports radio propagation across North America and around the world (depending on frequency, time of day, solar conditions, blah blah blah). The radio signal refracts off the ionosphere and can go very long distances. From Pikes Peak, I can work the world. From Punkin Center, I can work the world. Not much difference, except the views from Pikes are generally better, and the oxygen is less plentiful.

So when I hike up a mountain, I am excited to get out the VHF gear and see what contacts I can make due to the improved HAAT. I don’t get as excited about working HF, because I can do that from home…or Punkin Center, or other places, with similar results.

Other SOTA activators see it differently, and that is just fine. (VHF contacts represent only ~20% of all SOTA contacts.) There are many ways to enjoy SOTA and ham radio. Just make sure you have fun messing around with radios.

73 Bob K0NR

The post Height Above Average Terrain appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

A few days ago, someone told me that a rumor is circulating that I don’t own any gear capable of operating on the high-frequency (HF) bands. I laughed out loud, wondering where this came from.

Actually, I know where this comes from: most of my postings here at k0nr.com are oriented towards VHF operating, often from the top of a summit. I fully admit that VHF/UHF has always been my favorite part of the amateur radio spectrum.

And I do operate on the HF bands.

Home Station

The photo above shows my ham shack set up at home. The primary transceiver is an ICOM IC-7610, which covers the HF bands and 6 meters. To the left is an ICOM IC-9700 that I use for 2m, 70cm, and 23cm. An ACOM 1000 linear amplifier sits at the far left. It is usually configured for 6m, just waiting for the band to open.

Here is a closer look at the two transceivers. Hey, look at that, the IC-7610 is listening to 20m CW. Yes, I even operate CW.

My antenna farm includes two towers but they are used for VHF/UHF antennas. For the HF bands, I use wire antennas. This article describes the end-fed wire antenna I have been using for the past 5 years. It covers 40m through 6m with one antenna.

Operating Results

I run hot and cold on chasing DX, but over time, I have made many DX contacts and worked quite a few countries. I favor the DX potential of the higher bands: 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, and 10m. Recently, I discovered that the 30m band can be a lot of fun, too. My current stats are: 205 DXCC Entities and 39 (out of 40) CQ Zones. Still looking to work Zone 34, Northeastern Africa. I’ve also been working on Worked All States (WAS) for each band, having completed 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, and 6m.

Going Portable with HF

Joyce/K0JJW and I often operate portable on the HF bands, almost always a Parks On The Air (POTA) activation. Our favorite radio for POTA is a Yaesu FT-991, which covers the HF bands along with VHF/UHF. Almost all of the POTA work is on HF but sometimes we do make a few VHF contacts.

We also have an ICOM IC-705, also covering all bands, and is especially useful for backpack portability. We favor VHF/UHF for SOTA but sometimes we will use the IC-705 to make some HF SOTA contacts.  We have a variety of wire antennas, all different types of end-fed designs. The IC-705 does not have a built-in antenna tuner, so we take along a small manual tuner.

Wrap Up

So there you have it, I do have some HF gear and I do use it!

Remember, the universal purpose of amateur radio is to have fun messing around with radios. Using whatever amateur band you choose.

73 Bob K0NR

The post Confirming K0NR Does Have HF Equipment appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

Here are three affordable accessories that can help round out your VHF/UHF handheld transceiver (HT) kit. These items can significantly improve the performance of your radio and make it more useful.

1. A Halfwave Antenna for 2m

I’ve already written about the RH660 antenna, which is a huge improvement over a typical rubber duck antenna. Make sure you get the version with the proper connector for your HT.

A New 2m/70cm Telescoping Antenna

2. A Compact Magmount Antenna

Another handy antenna is a small magnetic-mount antenna for the 2m and 70cm bands. The primary usage of this antenna is on the roof of a vehicle, connected to your HT inside your vehicle. This puts the antenna on the roof, outside of the vehicle, working in concert with the effective ground plane of the metal roof. Note that for the magnet to hold, the roof needs to be made of a ferrous metal, not aluminum, fiberglass, fabric, etc.

This antenna can also function as a portable/temporary antenna by placing it on a steel object such as the top of a refrigerator, a cookie sheet, metal door frame, filing cabinet, metal folding chair, etc. The antenna is about 19 inches in length, so it packs well for travel. There are many models available, including this one on Amazon.

3. A Few RF Adapters

It seems that we often encounter incompatible RF connectors, so it is good to have a few adapters available to make the connection.

SMA Male/Female Adapters
These days, handheld transceivers have SMA antenna connectors, but some models provide a male connector, while other radios have a female connector. Having a few SMA adapters can deal with this issue.

SMA to BNC Adapters
BNC connectors often show on on various radios and cables, so it can be handy to adapt this popular connector to an SMA.

SMA to PL-259 Adapters
The PL-259 and its companion SO-239 are the most popular RF connectors for ham radio use, so you may encounter one of these. (I try not to call them UHF connectors: see About That UHF Connector.) They are not used on HTs, but you may find an antenna cable with one of these attached. Again, an adapter or two can help you make the connection to an SMA connector.

These are some handy devices to have along with your HT.
Any other suggestions?

73 Bob K0NR

P.S. If you are having trouble identifying the connector on your HT, take a look at this article: What’s That Connector On My HT?

The post Three Useful HT Accessories appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

I came across this new antenna, the TWAYRDIO RH 660S, mentioned in this Ham Radio Crash Course video. I have previously been recommending the TWAYRDIO TH770 antenna via this post. The RH 660S is a newer dual-band 2m/70cm telescoping antenna from the same company.

For Summits On The Air (SOTA), I generally take along such an antenna. The performance of any half-wave antenna on a handheld radio is always much better than the standard rubber duck. Although a 3-element Yagi antenna provides even better performance, it has to be pointed in the right direction. Sometimes, we will set up the RH 660 or TH 770 on a small vertical pole (actually a camera monopod with a homebrew BNC attachment). This allows us to monitor and work the band with an omnidirectional antenna without having to hold or point the Yagi. Much more convenient while sitting there eating lunch.

A key advantage to an omnidirectional antenna is that it is always pointed in the right direction.

The RH660 is available with the three standard connectors: BNC, SMA Male and SMA female. Make sure you pick the right one that matches your radio.

On our most recent SOTA activation, I did a quick comparison between the old TH 770 and the new RH 660 on 2 meters. The RH 660 seemed to perform ever so slightly better, but that was probably within the measurement error of the test. It certainly was not worse than the TH 770. I only did the comparison test on 2 meters, as that is the GO TO band for VHF SOTA. However, the antenna seemed to work OK on 70cm as well.

The packaging on the antenna indicates 3.0 dBi gain on 144 MHz and 5.0 dBi gain on 430 MHz. Do I believe those numbers? Not really, but they are probably close. (An ideal halfwave radiator has a gain of 2.2 dBi.) Note that the newer antenna does not have the magic tuning lump in the middle of the radiating element, which simplifies the mechanical design. This is the main advantage of the new antenna: no lump in the middle, resulting in a slimmer and sturdier design.

Summary

I am pleased with this new design, and I now recommend it as a good compact antenna for portable use. As with all telescoping 2m half-wave antennas, it is long and should be handled with care. Otherwise, you can poke someone’s eye out, break it in two, or snap the connector off your HT.

The RH660 antenna is available at Amazon for ~$17. At this price, why wouldn’t you have one in your backpack or Go Bag?

73 Bob K0NR

The post A New 2m/70cm Telescoping Antenna appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.