SOTA Activation Report: W4C/WM-018, Wine Spring Bald

Trip of 2013.07.28

• Succeeded: Yes
• First-activation: No
• Propagation forecast on departure:
• Propagation forecast on return:

See my trip planning guide at: SOTA Guide: W4C/WM-018, Wine Spring Bald

Commentary:

Wine Spring Bald is a drive-up summit. There’s a convenient spot to park about 100’ lower than the summit. It’s an easy 10 points. That’s about all it has going for it.

The summit is an antenna farm, with towers and guy wires all over the place. There was lots of RFI on 20m and VHF. 40m was surprisingly quiet. The ground is a gravel parking lot, which resists staking. There’s a clearing beyond the towers, but it is outside the activation zone.

With ominously dark clouds moving in, I strapped my mast to a post with a don’t-drive-here sign and rushed through my activation. It was earlier than my alerted time, but I didn’t want to hang around and get chased off by a thunderstorm.

Thank you chasers!