Dan's GPS Paths
These are GPX files I have recorded while getting to various summits. You can download these and push them into your GPS and follow the path all the way to the summit!
Marys Peak, OR | May 2012
Summit
The ease of access and great operating position are some of Marys Peaks many advantages. This must be balanced, however, against the multitude of communications antennas already on the site. The 145.13 and 146.78 repeaters are on the summit in addition to a lot of USFS and other government installations. This can make the site RF noisy at times. That being said, there is a reason why the gear is up there. The site overlooks the entire valley and now that the antenna on the 145.13 repeater is repaired, it is capable of contacts with an HT all the way in Portland, at least 80 miles away.
Suggested First Summits
[toc] The following are summit suggestions for various popular areas in the Pacific Northwest. They have been contributed by operators who have activated and identified them as good for beginners or new activators. If you have any questions, contact the submitter for details about access, and trail or summit conditions.
Northwest Oregon, Portland Area
Contributed by: Dan, KK7DS and Etienne, K7ATN
SOTA Resources
Official SOTA Resources
- SOTA Website
- SOTA Database
- SOTAwatch spots, alerts, and summit information
- SOTA Maps (doesn't work well on mobile devices, see SOTLAS below)
Useful Tools
Wildcat Mountain
Summit
Today JD (K7JDF) and I headed out for an easy 1-point summit: Wildcat Mountain. This summit is on the eastern edge of the Tillamook State Forest and is very accessible from the Portland metro area and provides an excellent operating position at the top as well as a fantastic view. After turning left on Hayward Rd from US26, we went a few miles and parked at the gate blocking Wildcat Mountain Rd.
Mailing List
A mailing list is provided at pnwSOTA.org for SOTA operators in the Pacific Northwest. This is not intended to supplant any of the wider-scale mailing lists that are already established, but rather provides an additional forum for local SOTA discussion and coordination. The discussion on this list is archived for reference.
To sign up, enter your email address in the field below and click Subscribe:
Bunker Hill, WA | May 2012
Summit
Taylor (K7TAY) and I activated Bunker Hill this weekend in southern Washington. This relatively easy hike starts flat on the Pacific Crest Trail before heading up a spur to the summit. All of the elevation is gained in a relatively short period of time, but the trail is not technical and easy to follow. The actual summit is forested with very little in the way of views of the surrounding territory. However, just before the summit, an outcropping of rock provides a good vantage point. Once on top, I set up for 18 meters and started calling CQ with my FT-817.
