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My First SOTA Activation

Created by Steve Hersey, K7OFG on 2020-12-26
My First SOTA Activation



Something I have been thinking about ever since I had first heard of it was doing a Summits On The Air activation. It especially got compelling to me after sitting through a seminar at Quartzfest 2020, given by Javi Beltran, K6TNT. His enthusiasm for this aspect of ham radio and my want to find other avenues to pursue led me to explore SOTA more.

I wrote about, and Eham.net published, my first true portable operation. It was fun working up a portable rig that I could transport and use away from any vehicle or structure. So, when I sat through Javi's seminar and saw the gear he used that could be carried in a pack it got me to thinking about working toward that end.

I am not a contester and don't participate in any on air contests but seeing what SOTA is and how it works and along with my enjoyment of hiking I knew this was for me. The portable rig I had put together for my time on the beach would never work for a SOTA activation, so I had to come up with some proper equipment. That was my biggest stumbling block in my quest to stand on a peak and talk with fellow hams.

I spent many hours watching Youtube videos and looking at the gear used by activators. I was like a kid at Christmas as I perused the websites and ads, wishing there really was a Santa Clause. I also had to decide if I was going to go QRP or use a 100 watt radio. One can always turn the power down if they feel QRP is the way to go or to conserve battery power but then there is the weight factor to consider. And speaking of weight that was the other question that needed to be answered, what size and kind of battery? A lithium Ion battery was the only answer to the kind but what size? The antenna was fairly easy as a wire was the only answer for me. But then there are different wire antennas. Some require a tuner and some don't. Some compact radios come with an internal tuner and some don't. Also, how would I support the antenna? Rely on there being a tree at the summit to string the wire from or would some sort of mast be needed and carried? All these questions had to be answered along with the big one, where would the money come from?

Time went on and my enthusiasm grew with every video I watched on Youtube. Then one of my radio friends from my daily net I am involved in who also sat through the same seminar at Quartzfest 2020, started talking about wanting to get involved with SOTA . That was it, we were going to do a summit.

Santa Clause came to town in the form of a stimulus check.. Well, if the government was going to give out money I guess I wouldn't complain and I now had the means to get the gear I needed. But now I had to decide what radio I really wanted. QRP or 100 watts? Yeah, all those stories of guys talking to Europe on 5 watts was intriguing but that was usually with CW. I'd been practicing and was getting more proficient but did I want to limit my summit activation's to CW? Also, did I want this new radio to be a single use radio. Left in a pack until the next hike?

This past summer my wife and I took a trip up to Southern Colorado in our small RV. My IC-7200 came along as usual and I tried something I had never done before and that was broadcasting underway mobile. The radio being to large to sit on the dash or in any other accessible area it had to sit in it's normal place above the closet and microwave. Luckily this is positioned just behind the drivers seat so I was able to drape the microphone over my right shoulder and have an earbud earphone in my left ear. No problem unless you needed to hit a filter or turn the AF control. Once on and tuned that was it.

It worked and I was able to join into my regular morning net as we traveled toward our desired destination. In the past I would always have to stop and take the time to join in. Now, the miles clicked by and my wife was happy. Happy wife, happy life. As the saying goes.

This got me to thinking about the radio I was considering for SOTA . A QRP rig really wouldn't be adequate for an underway mobile rig that could take the place of my Icom. So, that consideration played into my thinking of a radio that could be used for more than one purpose. As time passed and more videos were watched I started to see more and more portable operators using the Yaesu FT-891. !00 watts, small, with all the features of a base rig and only weighing 5 pounds. Hmm, sounded good to me. The only negative being it didn't have an internal tuner. Resonant antenna would have to be the answer. With money in hand I went on line to my normal go to ham radio gear supplier, Giga Parts. Out of stock, will have to be put on back order.. Went to my next go to supplier, DXengineering. Out of stock, will be on back order. The Covid had struck the Yaesu manufacturing chain. Or was it just this radio was that popular? I decided I would just have to wait. And I'm glad I did because the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo came along and I was able to get a discounted price on the radio I wanted from the Giga Parts booth and if I had to wait anyway, I might as well get a discounted price plus an option thrown in.

With the radio problem solved, next was the battery. Bioenno LifePO4 20ah was on my list but when I went to order, that too was out of stock. I did some more research and saw that the 15ah would do fine for my application and needs. Plus, it was lighter and less expensive.

I ended up going with the MFJ-1984MP EFHW antenna as a friend from my regular net used one whenever he was out parked in his RV and always had a good signal. After getting it and setting it up with the help of a tree while camped I found it to work rather well with no tuner needed on 20 and 40 meters. I tested it against a 40 meter dipole up about the same height and signal reports came back overwhelmingly good. My last problem was how to support the antenna if the summit I found myself on didn't have any trees. The 31' Jackite fiberglass push-up mast turned out to be priced right and a doable size. Heavier and a bit larger than a Sotapole but the price was right. Plus, I would also be using it when parked in my RV with no trees available. Again, a double purpose. So, now I had the radio, battery, antenna and antenna support. I was ready to go.

Now that it was all together the system needed a test. With everything packed in a day pack and shoulder bag, and carrying the Jackite pole in hand I went to my local park early one morning and set up for a test while doing my regular morning net. I did some rag chewing during the early-bird session for about a half hour then on into the regular net for about an hour. I held it at the 100 watts just to see how the battery would hold up. It held up fine and signal reports from everyone were good throughout. I was good to go. Now all I needed was a peak to activate.

With my friend, Larry, K1OTR, as excited about trying an activation as me we decided to take his Polaris RZR XP off road vehicle to get close to a peak not far from his home in Show Low, AZ. The SOTA website listed the peak as an 8 pointer (Points depicting how hard the climb might be). I had been thinking more in the realm of a 1or at the most a 4 pointer. But with his enthusiasm and it being his vehicle we would be using, I thought, 'what the heck, we might as well go for it'. We had the ability to call in life flight, if it came to that.

So, on Saturday morning November 21st I left Payson, heading for Show Low, which is about a 90 mile drive up and onto the Mogollon Rim.. I arrived shortly before 10am and we packed up the Razor with our gear and headed off to Ortega Mountain. With Larry's iPhone's map pointing the way we traveled some very rutted tracks. Even having to engage the 4wheel drive at times. When we got to the base of the volcanic mount that is named Ortega Mountain, Larry turned off the track and headed us up. With the wheels spinning in the volcanic ruble and dodging the scrub Juniper pines we finally got as far as we were going to get in the Razor. Time to hoist our packs and start the climb.

 


Larry, K1OTR, climbing out of the Razor. With the Razor getting us close we had less than a half mile hike but that hike was steep. We made it, though, without having to call in Life Flight'.

 


View from the top while we caught our breath.

 

 

Having practiced in the park it didn't take me long to set up and get on the air. Not having spotted myself (Post on the Sota website your time and frequency for activation). it was a cold turkey CQ/Sota on a clear frequency for me. I was really lucky as, Franks, W5TCS/mobile, came back to me as he was motoring through Albuquerque, NM. That being my first ever Sota contact I was ecstatic. Now, I only needed three more to complete the activation. They actually came fairly quickly and I had completed my activation in less time than it took to set up. I believe it being just before the ARRL Sweepstakes contest was to begin played a big part in my finding contacts so quickly without spotting myself on the website. Next time, and there definitely will be a next time, it might not be so easy.

Larry got his activation along with a summit to summit (Like catching the big one on a fishing trip), thrown in.

We both had a great time and are looking forward to another go on another peak. I just hope he doesn't pick one with such a steep climb, next time.

Steve, k7ofg

 

WA6MOW2021-01-12
My First SOTA Activation
Makes me want to jump in my 4x4 and hit the dirt. Nicely written.
W3ICM2020-12-28
My First SOTA Activation
Excellent story....it kept my attention all the way through.
K6IGZ2020-12-27
My First SOTA Activation
Nice article, Steve! Enjoyed reading about the entire process. And, it got me to join eHam!
K7OFG2020-12-26
My First SOTA Activation
One thing I need to clarify is the points aren't assigned for the steepness of the climb but for the altitude of the mountain. I just believe they should be.
Steve.
K0UA2020-12-26
My First SOTA Activation
Nice story, and a great write up with Pix. 73 James K0UA
N9AMI2020-12-26
My First SOTA Activation
Nice story and sounds like you had some fun. I like that you just didn't drive on some paved road to the top of some really public summit. Good Job.