2020-09-12 Ortega Mtn

Today was a quick summit to Ortega Mtn, W7A/NA-008.  It’s off the highway between Show Low and Concho, AZ.  I’ve been saving this one for when it was a bit cooler in the area and was hard up for a quick summit, and also combine it with a trip to the Home Depot (about 75 miles from my summer villa).  After yesterday’s long hike around Mt. Baldy, I didn’t get up too early, then had breakfast and headed out. 
<Click images for larger>

The terrain here is volcanic with high desert chaparral.  In fact, the mountain looks like it might have been a cinder quarry.  The dirt road was pretty rocky so it was slow going for me but passible.  I got to within a mile of it and hiked up to the top.  It had a nice 360 view and I was able to setup under some cedar trees for some shade.  I made about 24 contacts that included ZL1BYZ in New Zealand, a couple of summit to summit contacts that included a SSB contact Maria Lee who was doing her first SOTA summit ever.  I was hoping to get some more summit to summit contacts but it was late in the day.  It was after 1pm local so wanting around much longer for summit to summit contacts was a gamble that wasn’t paying off so I packed up.

Once I packed up and headed out, I decided to scrub the Home Depot run and just go home and relax for the afternoon.  I sat out on the front deck and had dinner, listening to the elk bugle and reflecting on the awesome hikes so far.

 

Expedition Summary

SOTA summit: W7A/NA-008 (Ortega Mountain), AZ
Points: 8
Activation Date: 2020-Sep-12
Unique: Yes
Activation No: 201
Call sign used: N1CLC
Radios: KX2
Antennas: LNR Endfedz MTR
Band/Modes used: 20m, 40m, CW (morse) SSB (voice)
Cell Data: Verizon
Miles Hiked: 2 mi
Hiked Elevation Gain: 538

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Contacts:

Date:12/09/2020 | Summit:W7A/NA-008 (Ortega Mountain) | Call Used:N1CLC | Points: 8

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
19:44	K9VD	14MHz	CW
19:45	VE7HI	14MHz	CW
19:46	WC0Y	14MHz	CW
19:47	K0LAF	14MHz	CW
19:48	WW7D	14MHz	CW
19:49	WD8KDB	14MHz	CW
19:50	WU7H	14MHz	CW
19:51	VE7EA	14MHz	CW
19:52	KJ9X	14MHz	CW
19:54	N2NL	14MHz	CW
20:03	K6QCB	7MHz	CW
20:05	N0DET	7MHz	CW
20:06	N6WT	7MHz	CW
20:06	NG6R	7MHz	CW
20:08	WB6POT	7MHz	CW
20:08	W5ODS	7MHz	CW
20:11	AI6XG	7MHz	CW
20:12	K6LDQ	7MHz	CW
20:17	AG7TX	7MHz	CW	Summit-to-Summit
20:20	W6WY	7MHz	CW
20:20	WG9AT	7MHz	CW
20:35	VA6TFL/P	14MHz	SSB	Summit-to-Summit
20:53	ZL1BYZ	VLF	SSB	John in New Zealand

 

Loadout:

●      GoPro Hero8

●      Gregory Zulu 40 backpack

●      First aid kit.  Make sure it’s a good one... like ability to patch up an impalement wound. 

●      Elecraft KX2 10 watt HF Radio

●      The K6ARK Spider Thread Antenna

●   30’ of coax feed line (not needed

●      Slim Jim dual band antenna for my HT.

●      3 L of water (8 lb)

●      iPhone with All Trails, MotionX GPS and sota goat

●      Trekking poles (not today)

●     LNR End Fed multi-band antenna

●   SOTAbeams Tactical 7000hds Compact Heavy-Duty Telescopic Mast TAC7000HDS

●    MFJ MFJ-1714 144 MHz 1/2 Wavelength Antenna for my HT

●   AnyTone AT-868UV DMR radio for testing.

●   Custom wine bottle cork paddles for CW (crafted by K6ARK)

●   American Morse Ultra Porta Paddle for CW

●   Delorme Inreach satellite tracker and communicator.

●      Jetboil MicroMo cooking system (left at the car this trip)

●      Yaesu FT-2DR HT (backup left in the car)

●     Packtenna. (did not take)

●     CHA MPAS with spike and additional MIL mast (and version 2 of the top section) (left in car)

●      Yaesu FT-891D HF Radio at 100 watts  (left this in the car :) )

●    Extra LiFePO Battery (not needed)

●     Helinox Chair Zero Ultralight Compact Camping Chair.

 

73,

N1CLC

Christian Claborne

(aka chris claborne)