On November 3rd, 2018, I activated my first Summits on the Air (SOTA) summit unintentionally. I hiked a Yaesu HT up to the top of Mt. San Jacinto and via a radio contact I discovered the world of SOTA. On the day I wrote this (April 26, 2021), I had activated 162 SOTA summits, made 2212 confirmed contacts (QSOs) including many foreign (DX) entities, hiked several hundred miles, and gained 1001 points to complete the SOTA Goat award. I love SOTA/QRP expeditions - especially expeditions to summits that have never been activated before. This has combined two things I enjoy: technical challenge and physical activity. For low power (QRP) I run a MTR5b and a SOTA Beams dipole or random wire with excellent success. For high power (QRO) I run a Yaesu FT-891. I have recently started experimenting with home build QRPp radios like the Pixie.
After graduating high school, I joined the Marine Corps and deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. In each overseas theater, reliable communication was imperative. Although my specialty wasn’t communications, I routinely assisted with erecting the OE-254 field antenna system, which allowed for communication between 30 and 88 MHz. I also took it upon myself to take the Marine Corps distance learning course "Antenna Construction and Propagation of Radio Waves." In short, my time in the Marine Corps was spent hiking in remote regions with gear and communicating with others via field radios and antenna systems.
After I was discharged from the Corps, I continued to enjoy the outdoors as an avid hiker, backpacker, mountain biker, and rock climber; however, I frequently discovered I lacked reliable communication. Through a conversation with my friend Jason, KJ6AJP, I discovered Ham Radio and became a licensed technician in March 2018. Although I upgraded to General Class that summer, I was disappointed that I couldn’t fully enjoy the High Frequency (HF) bands given I lived in a condo regulated by a Homeowners Association, which didn’t allow for the installation of an HF antenna.
After I was discharged from the Corps, I continued to enjoy the outdoors as an avid hiker, backpacker, mountain biker, and rock climber; however, I frequently discovered I lacked reliable communication. Through a conversation with my friend Jason, KJ6AJP, I discovered Ham Radio and became a licensed technician in March 2018. Although I upgraded to General Class that summer, I was disappointed that I couldn’t fully enjoy the High Frequency (HF) bands given I lived in a condo regulated by a Homeowners Association, which didn’t allow for the installation of an HF antenna.
Through an internet search, I stumbled upon “Summits on the Air,” which is an “award scheme for radio amateurs that encourages portable operation in mountainous areas” (sota.org.uk). After researching local summits on sotamaps.org, my first intentional activation was Niguel Hill (W6/SC-371), a local 1 point “drive-up,” which required about 25 yards of walking from a parked car. My first setup was a Yaesu FT817, a 10 amp hour battery, and a Magnetic Loop antenna, an antenna tuner, an antenna analyzer, headphones, and a length of coax cable. Through trial and error, I discovered this was way too much unnecessary equipment; however, using this setup and only 5 watts, I made several contacts in Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Washington State.
I was so impressed with the number and type of contacts I made using 5 watts that, one week later, I decided to activate Mt. Baldy (W6/CT-003), which sits at 10,064’ and requires an 11-mile hike and a 4000’ elevation gain. I carried the same equipment I brought to Niguel Hill to the summit of Mt. Baldy; however, I didn’t make any HF contacts. My pack was excessively heavy with unnecessary gear, and I had issues with the magnetic loop antenna. Fortunately, I used my Yaesu VX-6 and trusted Ed Fong DBJ-2 roll-up to activate the summit using the 2-meter calling frequency 146.520. One contact was a summit to summit with Scott Lindquist, N0OI, on Keller Peak (W6/CT-013).
Scott (N0OI) got me set up with my home station, an ICOM 7300. It is an awesome rig and I'm loving having HF in my house. I use a Begali Pearl key for my CW operations. Mobile I run a Yaesu FT 857D, and mostly use it for 2m simplex; however, if I am stationary at a campsite or other fixed portable I will use a field-expedient dipole.
Although I am new to Morse Code (CW), it is my favorite mode to work. I recently completed CWOps Level 1 (Taught by Ryan - NN7M) and CWOps Intermediate (Taught by Rob - K6RB). I plan on completing their Advanced level course at some point in the future. I am currently proficient in CW to 25 WPM, but am working on better head copy.
Scott (N0OI) got me set up with my home station, an ICOM 7300. It is an awesome rig and I'm loving having HF in my house. I use a Begali Pearl key for my CW operations. Mobile I run a Yaesu FT 857D, and mostly use it for 2m simplex; however, if I am stationary at a campsite or other fixed portable I will use a field-expedient dipole.
Although I am new to Morse Code (CW), it is my favorite mode to work. I recently completed CWOps Level 1 (Taught by Ryan - NN7M) and CWOps Intermediate (Taught by Rob - K6RB). I plan on completing their Advanced level course at some point in the future. I am currently proficient in CW to 25 WPM, but am working on better head copy.
|
Completed Goals:
|
Goals in Progress:
|
|
I collect hard copy QSL cards. If you contact me and send me one, I'll return one, no SASE needed. Everything is uploaded into Logbook of the World (LoTW). For SOTA operations, I change the grid and county in TQSL to match my actual QTH.
Thanks for looking me up! David Wise KM3A |
|
SKCC: 21163C
|
Member: 2001372184
|
CWOps Member: 2611
|
KM3A - SOTA GOAT 04/13/2021 on W6/SD-021
|
KM3A - Shack Sloth 7/16/2020
|
QSO and Summit Log:
|
|
|
