Trips on the AT in PA

2007

I am in the process of adding pictures to the web site. I am starting with my latest trip.

31 December 2007 I went out again to a pond on the Appalachian Trail. The weather on the 30th of December was warm and rain. Over night it turned cold and the snow started to lay up on the AT. The fresh coating of snow was 2" with water running under it on the trail. So the hike was a tricky one at that.

Snowy Trail  Snowy Pond #1  Snowy Pond #2  Snowy Pond #3

Snowy Pond #4  Snowy Woods

WB3AAL Polar Bear #1

I got on the air at 16:00 UTC and started calling CQ on 40m. I had 2 QSO's then the pile up started. I had some where around 20 to 30 stations calling me at one time. It seemed like I was some kind of rare DX on 40m. I posted that I would be on 40m until 17:00 UTC but I did not get off of the band until 17:20 UTC.

Then I went to 20m. I did work a couple of stations but not like I did on 40m.

My Log

My rig was an Elecraft K1 running 5 watts into a BWV vertical. I was using a Li-Poly battery that I had in a dark lunch bag that kept the battery warm from the heat of the sun. That was under the table.

By the time I worked NE5DL on 20m I was past my off the air time, it was 18:11 UTC and I had to be someplace by 18:45 UTC. Then I noticed that I made 16 QSO's and I needed one more for a total of 880 QSO's from the AT. I called CQ for a couple of minutes and did not get any response. So I went back to 40m and worked Steve de N3YWQ.

I now have 880 QSO's from the Appalachian Trail since March 2000. I might go out this weekend to work the guys at Camp-Run-A-MOC, check out www.polarbearqrp.org for the story. So if I can I should have my 900th QSO by this weekend or during the next PBMME with the Polar Bears.

If you worked me on 31 December 2007, you will receive a nice certificate and a color QSL card for our QSO. I am one of the four founding Polar Bears and we are giving out certificate to those who work any of the four over the holidays. To receive the color QSL and certificate just send me your QSL to my www.qrz.com address. If you would like to send $2 along that would help with the printing and mailing of the QSL and certificate. Note: The certificate will not be folded.

72 and thanks for the fun day.

Happy New Year to All!!

Ron de WB3AAL Polar Bear #1

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22 December 2007 I went out to a pond on the Appalachian Trail.

Pond #1  Pond #2  Pond #3  Pond #4

WB3AAL calling CQ on 20m

I had a very enjoyable hike and outing on the Appalachian Trail. Just getting ready for the FYBO 2008 Sprint.

The trees were covered in heavy ice and there was a fresh 1/4 of snow on the ground.

I finally arrived at my operating location around 13:45 UTC. I got everything setup out in the open due to falling branches and trees with heavy ice. The weather was cloudy and around 32'F with the wind blowing from
5 to 15 MPH.

I got on 40m and started calling CQ around 14:15 UTC. I worked a couple of stations before I went to 30m and then 20m. I did stop and call CQ on 15m at 17:00 UTC but there was no reply and no signals what so ever on the band.

This is my log:

K8CV in MI on 40m
WB8RTJ in OH on 40m
N8VIP in MI on 40m

NG9D in IL on 30m

N0TU in CO on 20m
NU4B in TN on 20m
MI0BPB in Northern Ireland on 20m  New Country!!

My total count is now 863 QSO's with 47 States and 24 countries from the Appalachian Trail.

I make special QSL cards for all QSO's from the AT.

72 Ron de WB3AAL