UPDATE Jan 2022 - The hours for Bald Peak State Scenic Park have changed. The park will close at 4pm in the winter and somewhat later in other seasons. The park website does not show open hours. There is a sign (below) with the current hours. https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=77
K7ATN and I activated Bald Peak between Forest Grove and Newberg today for my first ever SOTA activation. Thanks to K7ATN for showing me the ropes, even if the sunshine he promised didn't materialize!
The peak is in the Bald Peak Scenic Viewpoint, an official Oregon State Park documented here: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_110.php. If you like, you can park a few hundred yards south at a repeater site on NE Bald Peak Rd. and walk up from there in order to actually arrive at the summit under human power. Travel time from downtown Portland is only 45 minutes making this an easy half day adventure.
Today's setup was an Elecraft KX3 with internal batteries and a Ventenna HFp vertical. All QSOs were on 20M CW. No one answered on 40M CW. RBNGate spotted me on 20M but not on 40M so maybe I was't getting out well on the lower band. Thanks to all chasers who made the day a success.
