rdioactiv

This was definitely a fun summit. There were multiple times on the way up and down where the Subaru had two wheels off the ground. I could have gone further up in the car, but I saw a parking spot and took it, hiking the road for a bit before hitting the trail to the summit.

The trail starts out with a couple semi-steep sections, but mellows out soon enough. I really enjoyed this hike with plenty of shade the whole way up. I ran into Mark KD7DTS, Tim K6TW, Tom KE6SRO and Carol KE6SRN on my way up. At the top I setup for HF and had some good results on VHF as well. Wrapped it up and called it a day after making one last summit-to-summit contact with Ron K6CPR over on Frazier.

It was a great time getting to meet all the ops that attended the SoCal SOTAfest campout at Mount Pinos Campground.

KN6RDC on W6/SC-005 (Escapula Peak), 03 Aug 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
20:19	KD7DTS	2m	FM
20:21	KN6GOH	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-001
20:22	KN6GOG	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-001
20:23	KN6TPI	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-001
20:23	N6JFD	2m	FM
20:24	K6TW	2m	FM
20:24	KE6SRN	2m	FM
20:25	KI6SLA	2m	FM
20:30	KN6EZE	40m	CW	S2S W6/SC-001
20:39	AA6XA	40m	CW	S2S W6/WH-003
20:40	W6DT	40m	CW
20:41	K6KMH	40m	CW
20:42	AC6M	40m	CW
20:43	NT6E	40m	CW
20:44	KN6DMO	40m	CW
20:51	WW7D	20m	CW	S2S W7W/CW-083
20:52	W0JSL	20m	CW
20:54	W5ODS	20m	CW
21:02	N6XZN	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-002
21:15	K6CPR	2m	FM	S2S W6/CC-003

After San Emigdio, I diverted from the group going over to Escapula and headed over to activate Cerro Noroeste first. Cerro Noroeste is a drive up and you don’t need any high clearance to get there. The view was nice, but I didn’t snap any photos at the top as VHF was blowing up with all the summit to summits.

KN6RDC on W6/SC-001 (Cerro Noroeste), 03 Aug 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
17:58	W6LOR	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-004
17:58	K6STR	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-004
18:02	WA6LE	2m	FM	S2S W6/CC-002
18:04	N6WT	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-002
18:05	N6AN	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-002
18:06	KG6MZS	2m	FM	S2S W6/CT-015
18:06	K6CPR	2m	FM	S2S W6/CC-003
18:08	KI6SLA	2m	FM
18:21	WB6POT	40m	CW
18:22	KN6DMO	40m	CW
18:24	NT6E	40m	CW
18:25	NK6A	40m	CW
18:32	K9PM	20m	CW	S2S W7A/AP-015
18:33	W6TDX	20m	CW
18:34	AD0WB	20m	CW
18:36	KF9D	20m	CW
18:42	KD7DTS	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-005
18:42	K6TW	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-005
18:43	KE6SRN	2m	FM

It was the first summit of the day for the SoCal SOTAfest campout. San Emigdio was a great drive-up in the Subaru. Just a few minutes hike from the car and I was calling CQ. Plenty of shade on the summit but watch out for dead trees, there were a few that looked like they were about to fall at any moment. 

Racked up some contacts on the MTR-3B and FT1DR and was greeted by a few other ops who had joined from the campout. 

(Left to right) Mark KD7DTS, Christian KN6RDC, Kent N6WT, David N6AN, Tom KE6SRO, Carol KE6SRN.

KN6RDC on W6/SC-002 (San Emigdio Mountain), 03 Aug 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
16:19	N6JZT	2m	FM	S2S W6/CC-002
16:20	KD7DTS	2m	FM
16:20	KE6SRN	2m	FM
16:21	KG6MZS	2m	FM	S2S W6/CT-015
16:22	KI6SLA	2m	FM
16:32	K3GX	40m	CW
16:34	AI6XG	40m	CW
16:35	NT6E	40m	CW
16:39	K6EL	40m	CW	S2S W6/NC-298
16:41	KN6BAZ	40m	CW
16:44	WW7D	30m	CW	S2S W7W/CW-083
16:50	NE7ET	30m	CW
16:55	N6JZT	20m	CW
17:00	AA7OY	20m	CW	S2S W7A/AP-032
17:02	K6TW	2m	FM

On my way up to the SoCal SOTAfest campout in Frazier Park, I figured I’d head up to activate Mount Pinos before settling down in camp for the night. Upon arriving at the trailhead I ran into Ben AG6N and Kelly. We were both headed to the same place and they were gracious enough to let me tag along for the short hike up. 

The hike was very mellow with some patches of left over hail as we neared the summit. I setup the MTR and tried 40 before moving over to 20 for a few contacts. I was having some issues (user error I’m sure) sending out spots via APRS so I decided to wrap it up and make a few last calls on 2 meters before heading down. Ben shared some of his APRS wisdom with me and I’m now a bit more familiar with what actually happens when sending and receiving APRS signals.

KN6RDC on W6/CC-002 (Mount Pinos), 03 Aug 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
00:20	WW7D	20m	CW
00:22	AK5SD	20m	CW
00:23	W4GO	20m	CW
00:58	KO6AFE	2m	FM
00:58	KI6SLA	2m	FM
01:04	W6LOR	2m	FM
01:04	K6STR	2m	FM
01:06	KD7DTS	2m	FM	S2S W6/SC-161

I had some work out in Elsinore and this summit just so happened to be on my way. I carved out an hour to get it in the log and was able to make it happen in short order. The drive up isn’t bad at all. I parked just past the double-tracks and was greeted by a friendly local who warned me about Rattlesnakes in the area. The hike up didn’t take too long at all. I found a few electrical boxes that were left open near the summit. I’m not sure what they were but they did have some short antennas attached to them. There were two benchmarks that I noted at the top, that’s the first time I’ve seen something like that. Maybe someone who is more versed in geology can enlighten me as to the need for two.

I setup for HF with the MTR-3B and started calling CQ, conditions were very rough with a near blackout happening on the bands just as I hit this summit. Most of my contacts were with operators on other summits. With a handful of contacts in the log, I headed back down to the car, avoiding any rattlers along the way.

KN6RDC on W6/CT-203 (2432), 01 Jun 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
18:50	W6TED	40m	CW
18:52	W6Q	40m	CW	S2S W6/CT-214
18:53	WO6JO	40m	CW	S2S W6/CT-173
18:55	K6STR	40m	CW	S2S W6/CT-214
19:01	W7DLZ	20m	CW	S2S W6/NS-220
19:06	K9PM	20m	CW	S2S W7A/AE-009
19:12	N7DA	2m	FM	S2S W6/CC-014

The first section of this trail is mostly covered and follows a stream, crossing it a handful of times. Soon it opens to a desert landscape with little shade along the route. The trail is mostly decomposed granite but has a few steep, sandy sections that have been rutted out by runoff. It’s a pleasant hike with a very gradual gain all the way to the top.
Once on summit, I set up for 2M and made a few quick contacts before moving to HF for a bit. Conditions were still a bit off, so after a few on 40M, 30M, and 20M, I packed up and called it a day.

KN6RDC on W6/CT-268 (Elsinore Mountains (HP)), 23 May 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
21:12	KK6JM	2m	FM
21:12	WA6WV	2m	FM
21:22	W6LOR	40m	CW	S2S W6/CT-226
21:22	K6YK	40m	CW
21:25	K6HPX	30m	CW
21:26	AE7I	30m	CW
21:30	N4MJ	20m	CW
21:30	WU7H	20m	CW

I activated this peak back in Nov 2022, but I was in the area for Trabuco Peak so I figured I’d do it again. It’s a nice hike and the temps were cool with the sun just starting to peak through the clouds. Band conditions were weird with some strange warbling across all the HF bands. I’m still not sure what it was exactly, but at least I had 2M with a few local folks already aware of my planned summits for the day.

KN6RDC on W6/CT-138 (Los Pinos Peak), 23 May 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
18:19	WU7H	20m	SSB
18:22	K6NOV	2m	FM
18:23	KN6ZFC	2m	FM
18:25	KK6TXI	2m	FM
18:26	K6FTU	2m	FM
18:27	WA6WV	2m	FM
18:36	WW7D	20m	CW
18:39	N4AAJ	20m	CW
18:39	K6KMH	20m	CW

This is nearly a drive-up summit in a vehicle with decent enough clearance. The Subaru Forester held up just fine on the North Main Divide leading up to Trabuco Peak. 90% of the road is tame with only a small section being rutted out as I got close to the peak. There is a parking area just at the base of the hike up. If the clouds weren’t so thick, I could probably see the summit from the parking spot.

It’s less than .25 mi to the top. The summit is covered in thick shrub, but there is a section with some open space just shy of the top, which is where I set up my operating position. I started on 20M and ended up getting Japan and a S2S with a Canadian station which was pretty neat. A few 2M local contacts and it was off to the next summit.

KN6RDC on W6/CT-031 (Trabuco Peak), 23 May 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
16:28	WW7D	20m	SSB
16:29	W0MNA	20m	SSB
16:30	WB7ULD	20m	SSB
16:34	W6LOR	20m	CW
16:35	KF9D	20m	CW
16:35	KT0A	20m	CW	S2S W0D/BB-008
16:37	VA7JCF	20m	CW
16:37	K6STR	20m	CW
16:39	VE7QH	20m	CW	S2S VE7/FV-596
16:41	JG0AWE	20m	CW
16:42	WB4SPB	20m	CW
16:43	W0MNA	20m	CW
16:43	W0ERI	20m	CW
16:48	K6NOV	2m	FM
16:48	KN6CQX	2m	FM
16:50	KN6TMT	2m	FM

The parking area for San Juan Hill was convenient, it looks to be an equestrian trail, though I didn’t see any horses while there. The trail starts off through a residential neighborhood, quickly cresting a ridge and dumping you into Chino Hills State Park. This route was very runnable, but I chose to take it slow since I had a few more summits on my list for the day. The trail was very busy with a few groups encountered in my time there.

I had a quick S2S with K6RIN at the top and quite a few more contacts on VHF. I was using a Yaesu FT1D with a band-pass filter and Signal Stick antenna. I was surprised how many 59 signal reports I received. With the recent solar activity that had even the general public buzzing, the HF bands were totally dead and I gave up trying after about 10 minutes of calling CQ.

KN6RDC on W6/CT-230 (San Juan Hill), 11 May 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
15:58	K6RIN	2m	FM	S2S W6/CT-274
15:59	NT6E	2m	FM
16:00	KG6MZS	2m	FM
16:01	KI6SLA	2m	FM
16:01	K6STR	2m	FM
16:02	WA6WV	2m	FM
16:03	W1IOK	2m	FM
16:03	KM6UHU	2m	FM
16:04	K6ZW	2m	FM
16:04	W6LOR	2m	FM

From the top of Strawberry, I decided to head over to Lawlor. Since my parents were also with me on the trail with me, we planned to meet up at the bottom of the fire break just below Lawlor. They did great on the trail, but I didn’t feel like risking injury bringing them up Lawlor with me. Heading down Strawberry was a fun, punchy descent, I only wish there were less people on the trail. Once at the saddle between Strawberry and Lawlor, the terrain changes and the trail is all but gone. Heading up the ridge to Lawlor, there are a few patches of large rock you need to skirt around or scramble over. Nearing the top, the trail is very overgrown with waist high buckthorn type foliage.

The summit block was covered in large black flies, so it was going to be a quick activation if I could make it happen. Again, no cell-service so I was hoping that my alert would trigger once I got on the air. Similar band conditions on this summit, 40M was decent with a few contacts being made on 10M as well. I’ve said it before, but I really need to learn how to spot via APRS. Before my next summit, I’m going to figure it out.

The route I took back down from Lawlor was terrible. If you choose to take the fire break back down to the trail, prepare for some falls and slides. It was very steep and loose and if I had to do it over, I would have gone back down the way I ascended.

KN6RDC on W6/CT-089 (Mount Lawlor), 04 May 2024

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
18:30	W6LOR	40m	CW	S2S W6/SC-285
18:31	K6STR	40m	CW	S2S W6/SC-285
18:35	NN7O	40m	CW
18:36	WB6POT	40m	CW
18:37	KD7DUG	40m	CW
18:39	W6TED	40m	CW	S2S W6/SC-368
18:40	NT6E	40m	CW
18:48	N6WT	10m	CW	S2S W6/SC-028
18:49	W4KRN	10m	CW
18:57	K6TW	2m	FM