SOTA Casa Grande Mountain W7A//PN-125

January 2019 Arizona SOTA S2S Desert event

Had the 9element 2m beam as well as the MFJ Big Ears up again on this Peak. Easy trip into Tucson or Phoenix from this area. Beam pointed to Yuma with no luck.

KI7OFL, KI7OFN, KI7LLD activated this peak. As always, a lot of fun and solid exercise.

SOTA AZ S2S Sept. Event 09.28.2019 Green Mountain W7A/PE-002

SOTA "Summits on the Air"

Second annual Arizona S2S September madness event 09.28.2019

KI7OFN and myself (KI7OFL) hiked up Green Mountain W7A/PE-002 located on the opposite side of the road just east of Rose Canyon in the Catalina mountains. Took everything but the kitchen sink on this one, thought about that fresh brewed coffee waiting on the peak the entire time.

Large number of AZ SOTA Members on Peaks throughout Arizona for a morning focus on S2S. This hike took 1hr longer than last year, 3hrs total as our heavy packs and hurt knee's took a toll.

I set up a 9elem 2m beam as well as the MFJ Big Ears (Had a 3 element 6 meter beam packed if needed), KI7OFN was running a 6m and 2m roll up at about 30'. 2m was fair, the MFJ Big Ears did a solid job tuning in both 20 and 40 meters for a number of in and out of state contacts.

SOTA W7A/PN-077 Picacho Peak 3.25.2018

Picacho Peak

I remember seeing this peak for the first time in the early 1970's as our family moved to Arizona.

Every year I would look at it and wonder if you could get to the top.

Fast forward to 2018, Picacho Peak is SOTA W7A/PN-077

This is a historic location as well as a prominent mountain sitting between Tucson and Phoenix Arizona just south of Casa Grande on I-10.

A dangerous mountain with a number of deaths related to the Arizona heat. This climb took everything I had to complete, make sure you are in shape prior to taking this peak on. I went through 100% of my water by the time I returned to my truck and it was only March. Luckily the Dairy Queen sits just across the freeway, a great place to cool down and a nice view of the peak.

Radio was the 857d coupled to the ELK antenna for 2m 70cm and a roll up 6m dangling off the edge of the peak. 6m contact way south with Mark W7GMO, 2m was a easy trip into the greater Phoenix area.

Mount Bigelow SOTA W7A/AW-003 2.18.2018

Solo trip up the Catalina Mountains to activate Mount Bigelow W7A/AW-003 for SOTA. The road in is closed for winter this time of year, so the hike starts at the parking lot down below the peak to the south.

Very cold this morning with temps in the 20's and I arrived just before day break so the temp was falling for about the first hour or so. I actually started the hike in the dark as I wanted to be on the peak for the Sunday Sidewinders on Two net 144.250usb at 8:30am.

This is a steep trail hike which I overpacked for, constantly learning.... Great view of Tucson south of the mountain. Second pic is a burned stump from the fire that ran through this mountain 15 years or so ago, in the low light I first thought I was going to encounter my first bear.

144.200usb worked great on this peak as I easily made the trip into Phoenix and Silver City NM. Radio was the 857d coupled to a ELK dual band antenna. Used the HT D74a to make small talk with KI7LLD and KI7OFN on their home stations.

Again, the views were amazing. Wish I had brought a camp stove for a fresh cup of coffee.

Elephant Head W7A/CO-115 - First SOTA attempt - Failed 11.2017

New Ham radio license in hand and reading up on this activity called SOTA or Summits on the Air where you combine the outdoors (Mountain Tops) with Ham Radio, sounds like fun and how hard could it be?

Learned a lot about preparation, the radio and antennas during this first attempt at SOTA.

To start, don't always trust the internet as we took the wrong trail up. After hours of hiking found ourselves way short of the peak with no access. The area was very rugged and potentially dangerous (as much of Arizona is) also a beautiful location with views I had never seen before. Nice quality time with family, just not great radio today.

My son KI7LLD made a nice 2m trip into the Phoenix area with a roll up antenna, as well as a S2S contact in Tucson. I struggled with the new radio and fancy antenna. We will be back once it cools down to attempt this peak again.

W7A/CO-123 SOTA "Behind The House Hill" 12.26.2017

Our second SOTA outing following a failed attempt at Elephant Head South of Sahuarita.

This was an easy drive up at the Dragoons sitting between Benson Arizona and Wilcox Arizona just off the I-10 Freeway. This peak is an array of antennas with no view North, really limited to catching everything south of the I-10 Freeway. Great view.....

As a Technician I was really frustrated on this peak as well, only pulled in the minimum 4 contacts, two of which were on 6-meter to include a trip over the mountain into Green Valley.

KI7LLD and KI7OFN both activated the peak with contacts on 2m that included traffic on the freeway. Had the Yaesu 857d with a simple roll up 6 and 2m antenna.

Weather was extremely nice as we just celebrated Christmas, gota love Arizona. 

QSL Card

Worked with a freelance artist in Brazil to create my unique QSL card.

You can see Southern Arizona in this card: Our desert, the Saguaro cactus, Tucson's "A" Mountain, our Iconic and Historic Picacho Peak, the reference to my son KI7LLD as well as my brother KI7OFN.