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Although I’ve operated a number of VHF contests from the summit of Mount Herman, I had not yet activated it as a Summits On The Air (SOTA) peak. Mount Herman is a 9063 foot mountain just to the west of Monument, Colorado, pretty much in ”my back yard.” Steve WG0AT did the first SOTA activation of Mount Herman, back in May 2010, chronicled here in one of his famous videos.  There is a sometimes rough Forest Service Road 320 that leads to the trailhead, then it’s a little more than a one mile hike to the top with 1000 feet of elevation gain. I call it a tourist hike, since it has just enough challenge to make it feel like a climb and there’s a great view at the top. At least on most days.

I was not expecting much of a view today since low rain clouds were dominating the sky. I was just hoping I would not get completely drenched by rain. The weather was definitely marginal but from my house I saw the clouds lift a bit, so I thought it was worth a try. The ARRL September VHF Contest is also this weekend, so it was a great combo opportunity: SOTA + VHF Contest.

I hopped in the Jeep and quickly made the drive to the trailhead. Then I scooted on up the trail, making it to the summit in about 30 minutes. Just as I reached the summit, the rain really kicked in. I set my gear down under a tree, got out my HT, attached the 1/2-wave antenna and started calling on 147.42 MHz. I wanted to bag my four SOTA qualifying contacts in case the weather turned worse. I quickly worked Frank K0JQZ and Steve WG0AT. Then George AB0YM, operating as a rover in the VHF contest called me from grid DM78, so I worked him as well.

I had my trusty Arrow Yagi antenna with me but I didn’t want to bother with assembling it in the rain. I got out the FT-817, put a vertical antenna on it and called on 144.200 USB. I found stations working the VHF contest and completed QSOs with them: WB0RRU and K3ILC.

The rain intensified so I abandoned the summit and headed back down. All in all, it was not a great hike but I was successful in activating Mount Herman.

73, Bob K0NR

Bob Witte, KØNR, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Colorado, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

This afternoon Judy and I rode our bikes a couple of miles to Old Hill Village. I worked Greece, Poland, Venezuela, Ukraine and Steve WG0AT in Colorado.

It was a cool afternoon, but warm enough in the sun. I set up alongside a field with the KX3 and a 33 foot wire. I won’t detail each QSO; here’s the log:

15 Sep-13 1956 18.085 YV5YMA CW 599 599 Venezuela
15 Sep-13 2000 18.078 SV2CQB CW 569 599 Greece
15 Sep-13 2007 18.076 UY2UQ CW 599 599 Ukraine
15 Sep-13 2009 14.004 SV2CQB CW 599 599 Greece
15 Sep-13 2012 14.060 WG0AT CW 559 559 CO
15 Sep-13 2022 14.024 SP2EFU CW 599 599 Poland

I actually worked SV2CQB twice… once on 17M and again on 20 meters. He was strong both times. The real surprise was working Steve WG0AT. I had just looked up his QTH this morning to see if he was in the flood zone. I don’t think he is. He sent, “CAN’T STAY X JUST WANTED TO SAY HI.” I told him I was operating /P in the field. Judy got a quick snapshot of me right after I worked Steve.

The clouds seemed to take over the sky at about the time I decided to pack up and head back. As always, it’s great to get out and operate a little.

Jim Cluett, W1PID, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Hampshire, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

I believe that all radio amateurs should buy a new radio once every few years. New toy renews interest and enriches learning process.
— Nigel Booth (@m0cvo) September 14, 2013

Last night I saw a tweet from Nigel M0CVO saying that he thought that every ham should buy (or build) a new rig every few years. When questioned, he said that he thought that it provided a fresh injection of enthusiasm and perhaps ‘freshened’ up interest in the hobby.

In an ideal world, I’m sure we’d all like to have the latest rig every year or so, but for all but the lucky few, that’s simply not realistic. However, I can see what Nigel means and I think there is something in what he says.

Happily though, it doesn’t take a new rig to keep it fresh! I found that it might be as simple as a new piece of software (possibly free!), a new aerial, trying a mode you’ve not experimented with before. The hobby is so broad, there are always new things to look at.

I found when I didn’t read an amateur radio magazine regularly, my interest was diminished – simply because I wasn’t reading articles about what other people were doing and thinking, ‘Hey, I could do that – that sounds interesting’.

So whilst I couldn’t agree that you need an expensive new rig every year or so, keeping trying new things and experimenting – that, after all, is the whole point!

Tim Kirby, G4VXE, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Oxfordshire, England. Contact him at [email protected].

Goodbye crazy driving

The new temp antenna

I have been very busy these past few weeks and my lack of blog posts can testify to that. Julie and I have been bouncing around some very big ideas. We have some very exciting plans ahead of us that will both help our over all well being. It also will bring about some huge changes with my hobby but I am very happy to say that it's a challenge I can meet. Both Julie and I have over an hour drive each way to work. We get up very early, get home late and to be early each evening. Then there is the winter months with the snow and crazy driving. We have decided to put our home up for sale here in the country and move to Toronto. We will be living in a condo as our kids have moved out and are doing just fine. This means downsizing both with our home belongings and my ham radio. We want to get a place that is in Toronto and over looks Lake Ontario. Both Julie and I are very excited about this and with this move I will be 10 min's from work and Julie 15 min's. We will have a fantastic board walk just steps from out condo. It thrills us that all the advantages of the city will be not an hour away but minutes.
So how does this affect radio for me.....well my Attic DX EE has been sold and already is taken down! Not to worry I still have my Alexloop that I can set up in my radio room until we sell and move. I have some gear for sale and it is slow but sure selling. I have sold the Sub receiver in my Elecraft K3 as I will be very limited with antennas in the new place. I don't have any room for an antenna for a sub receiver.  So I have been going over antenna options in a condo. There are far and few BUT one main advantage I will have that I don't have now is height! In the condo we are looking at the 11th floor and
up. I am thinking of using at first my Alexloop and then going to the MFJ loop antenna. This will be a new adventure in my QRP ham radio challenge.

Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

Having seen some interesting tweets from Colin G6AVK about some good activity on 472khz WSPR over the last couple of days, I thought I would leave my receiver running overnight.

The results are not bad, although I’ve done better. I don’t think I’ve heard G3WCB before, so nice to hear a new station and always good to hear the Dutch stations.

Tim Kirby, G4VXE, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Oxfordshire, England. Contact him at [email protected].

We are rapidly approaching the first anniversary of the strange disappearance of the Lost Island DX Society (LIDS) as first reported on this blog. The LIDS were last heard from via the  Fi-Ni Report on September 18, 2012, reporting on the Talk Like A Pirate Contest.

Most people have given up the search for the LIDS, given the extended period of time they have been missing. One consistent rumor circulating in the DX community is that the LIDS were trying to join the Amsterdam Island DXpedition (FT5ZM) for a January 2014 activation of that island. Unfortunately, the LIDS did not realize that the island is in the middle of the Indian Ocean and not in Amsterdam. As the story goes, they had already bought nonrefundable airline tickets to Europe before they found this out. It seems that they may try to recover with a Summits On The Air (SOTA) activation, if they can find a hill high enough within walking distance of their Amsterdam hotel.

Fearing that the LIDS are simply lost somewhere in Europe, a group of hams is petitioning the White House to launch a surveillance drone to find them. As one ham said, “They’ve got them dang drones flying around spying on everyone, they might as well do some good.”

I agree completely. If nothing else, Do It For The Children.

73, Bob K0NR

Bob Witte, KØNR, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Colorado, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

AmateurLogic.TV Episode 58 is now available for download.

George, Tommy and Wayne’s adventure at the Huntsville Hamfest. We had a great time visiting with old and new friends and seeing new products. Peter has some footage from the 2013 DATV QSO Party. An update on our 8th Anniversary Contest and more.

1:08:39 of Amateur Radio Entertainment
Download

View in web browser: YouTube

George Thomas, W5JDX, is co-host of AmateurLogic.TV, an original amateur radio video program hosted by George Thomas (W5JDX), Tommy Martin (N5ZNO), Peter Berrett (VK3PB), and Emile Diodene (KE5QKR). Contact him at [email protected].