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I've only done a handful of SOTA activations but I've been sporadically participating in SOTA for almost two years. I use a KX2, with a KXPA100 at home and for many POTA activations. In the field I have a couple bottom-loaded verticals to choose from as well as several homebuilt wire antennas. At home I have a G5RV configured as an inverted V with the center about 50 feet off the ground.
It's been fun to see what 10 W can get you with a little elevation. I'm excited to keep exploring with my KX2.
I'm a reforming software engineer, trying to return to the infrastructure and network engineering world. Been tinkering with electronics/arduino/RasberryPi on and off for a while.
Started watching Ham Radio Crash Course and got hooked on the idea of SOTA/POTA. Been reading/watching lots of youtube on the subject.
I enjoy packing my gear into the high country, making contacts from summits, hunting, and activating parks throughout the SOTA & POTA networks.
My family and I live between two beautiful properties, one in San Juan County and the other in Whatcom County. We keep a small farm, and we're made up of a family of five "humans being" with creation and the inhabitants of this land. Our homestead is comprised of roughly 10 acres of wooded grassland. The property is situated on a three percent slope with total southern exposure. You can learn more about us at www.GentlmenFarming.com and Instagram.
In my free time, I enjoy exploring light as it gets captured through the lens of my camera. I am interested in investigating ideas through photography and designing for our challenges in the ophthalmic industry. You can learn more about my work at www.JohnTrefethen.com | you can also connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Equipment -- IC-705, KX2, KH1, IC-7300, IC-5100, ID-52. (all barefoot) | HF Antennas -- Hexbeam 20M and up & EFHF 130' length, Sloper configuration | VHF/UHF Antennas -- Cubical Quad and Vertical 9' Commet.
I love getting into the very high cascades and taking challenging overnight treks into the wilderness.
I like to activate. I have one attempted activation (got three contacts), and one successful activation (W7O/CE-303). I recently attended the 3rd annual Central Oregon S2S party, put on by W7MTB. At the bonfire there I committed to making six more activations before the next S2S party in the fall.
Licensed in about 1977. Passed Extra exam in 1988 with 21 WPM CW. Main interest QRP CW. Best; Japan on 15M CW with 1/2 watt. Hobbies amateur radio, astronomy (Celestron 9.25" SCT and Celestron NexStar5SE), hiking, camping. Home Station; Kenwood TS590SG, MFJ-949 Tuner, 160m dipole, 80M OCFD, 30M OCFD, Kenwood TMV71 with Diamond 510 vertical. SOTA / Portable; Yaesu FT817ND, Hendricks PFR3B Kit (I built it in 2017) MFJ16010 Tuner, LDG Z817 Tuner, 58 foot wire. SKCC # 7735
I use the same radio on the desk that I use portable - and ICOM 705. I also have a Hendricks PFR3B that I built a number of years ago. Im QRP only on HF. Antenna at home is a Chameleon Emcom 2 set up as a dipole. For portable I use either a chameleon MPAS Lite, or a 58 foot piece of #26 polystealth wire with a LDG 9:1 unun. All of the antennas are good for 160 - 6 meters. For antenna tuners - the PFR has a built in BLT and with the 705 I use either the AH705 auto tuner or a MFJ 9219 manual QRP tuner. I also have a Yaesu FT60 handheld and a Kenwood TMV71A that I use on the desk. For portable power I use the Bioenno batteries and a solar charging system for prolonged portable use. Favorite mode on HF is CW.
Retired physician and large medical group and hospital administrator. Born and raised in Bend, Oregon graduating in 1972 long before Bend became overrun and the quality of life ruined there. 4th generation Oregonian on both sides. Tested for all three licenses in the summer of 2018 but didn't do anything in ham radio until April 2024. Active in K-BAR-A and Klamath County ARES.
None so far. Will primarily be a hunter.
I'm a software engineer, democratic socialist, living kidney donor, bicycle rider, backpacker, pilgrim, and now a ham radio operator. I received my callsign on 25 October 2022.
I am a new ham and I have activated a small handful of times in Oregon and Southern Washington. My default radio is the Explorer QRZ-1 I received in QRZ's free new ham package. Everything is exciting right now because i'm newer and still getting used to doing anything over radio.
I have been licensed since 1994 and climbing mountains since 1997. Other hobbies include camping, kayaking, and canyoneering. My wife and daughter both have their license and mostly enjoy accompanying me on my adventures.
My portable equipment includes HF and VHF/UHF radios and antennas- IC-V86, KX2, FT-891, and IC-705. I prefer to find remote peaks that require some fun driving and/or bush whacking. My wife (KE7HUP) usually joins me on my adventures and will provide an extra contact for those in need.
I started re-learning Morse code in November ‘23. Mostly using CW as a chaser, but I plan to try some all CW SOTA activations soon.
My first taste of mountaineering and radio was a VHF contests from Mt Hood and South Sister, but that was before SOTA was started.
Originally from the Midwest, now living in the Northern Rockies. I have found ham radio and the people involved with it to be very helpful and encouraging, this helped solidify my love for the hobby right away. I have found a niche in SOTA, it combines two things I am passionate about, summiting peaks in the gorgeous area I reside, and ham radio. I LIVE A SHORT DRIVE FROM GLACIER NATIONAL PARK!! SEND ME AN EMAIL AND LETS SOTA TOGETHER!!!
I enjoy summing mtns in my home state of Montana, but am ready to branch out and start finding areas that i can SOTA when the snow gets too deep here. I have a Xiegu 6100, paired with a 66' long wire and 49:1 balun. My favorite and most challenging summit to date is Mt. Siyeh inside Glacier National Park, a grind of a hike to the summit. I also saw 10 Grizzly bears on this hike!!
PCT and CDT backpacker. Mostly a POTA guy now, but hope to get a few SOTA activations.
No activations yet, but enjoy chasing sota activations.
Retired embedded SW engineer; back in school studying Psychology.
I use to chase when I had a quiet QTH in Eugene. I am now mostly activate peaks that are within a couple of hours drive of Portland.
Rig: KX3 w/4300 mAh LiFePo battery
Antennas: 44' doublet with 28' kite pole for HF, ELK log periodic for VHF.
** Seems like my prior pnwsota account is no longer accessible and have to create a new one. I still have access to the main SOTA websites.
I am just starting to activate POTA and SOTA locations. I enjoy working in locations with no noise floor.
I have chased a few activations but I plan on activating summits this year.
Being in the mountains is just about my favorite way to spend time.
When I am not carrying a radio into the woods to do SOTA or support a wilderness ultra, I like to build RF gear of all sorts. I pick SOTA summits for the challenge or hike rather than the points and when I am out I really enjoy chasing other SOTA ops for S2S points.
My primary rigs are the KX2 and FT2D. I generally use endfed antennas for HF and a half-wave whip or beam for VHF/UHF. I mostly work CW on HF and FM voice on 2M.
In 2021, I put together the first Pacific Northwest Not-Quite-Fourteener to coincide with the Ham14er and Socal SOTAFest. It turned out pretty well, with more than a dozen W7W and W7O ops getting out and making a bunch of S2S contacts.
Ham since 1990. Electrical Engineer. Bass player. Pilot. Very amateur astrophotographer. Love HF.
Mostly SOTA these days.
Mostly hike with an IC-705 and tuned wire antenna with a fiberglass mast.