N2BSC, WA3WSJ & WB3AAL May 19 & 20, 2001
AT Trip. (1st Leg)
Over the
winter you might have seen the January 2001 QRP ARCI
QRP Quarterly. The title was "EXTREME
Amateur Radio". That was Ron, WB3AAL, in the top two pictures. So the following EPA QRP Members started to talk about
hiking the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. So
Len/N2BSC, Ed/WA3WSJ
and Ron/WB3AAL started to
plan their first leg of many across 220 miles in
the beautiful country of Rocksylvania.
On May 19 & 20, 2001 we went on our first section hike on the Appalachian
Trail in PA.
We started up and out of the Delaware Water Gap, PA around 13:40 UTC. After a very hard climb up to the top
or what we thought was the top of the mountain we took a short break for a few
minutes. We meet a lady that takes care of a church hostel for the AT hikers in
the Delaware Water Gap area.
What a group View from parking lot AT Sign
Eureka Creek Sign Eureka Creek
Look Out Rock Look out Rock View
Looking up the trail on the Delaware Water Gap, that is Ed blazing the trail up the wet rocks. Len following behind Ed on the steep climb. Here is a shot I took while I was climbing up the rocky trail. Ron, WB3AAL
Great view from the top Is this the Ninja QRP Operator on the trip?
Hey don't push! Len & Ron taking in the view
Len checking out Vista Vista view Nelson Overlook Sign
Nelson Overlook view Nelson Overlook other view
Well we finally hiked the 5.8 miles to the Kirkridge Shelter.
I arrived at the shelter around 19:00 UTC.
We meet Tim and his dog Juno at the shelter. He is hiking his final leg of the AT. Tim hiked PA/MD to GA in 1999 and MA to NY/NJ in 2000 and he was finishing up with NY/NJ to MD.
AT Thru-Hiker Tim and his dog Juno Tim & Juno
After a well deserved break we started setting up camp. I was on
the air by 5 PM sending out CQ's. I started out on 10 meters
and I progressed up the bands sending about 5 separate
CQ's on each band. Well I finally arrived on 40 Meters and I still
did not make a QSO. I forgot it was dinner time on the East Coast.
Ed jumped on the lower end of 40 meters while I was on 7.040.
We were transmitting at the same time with no interference, wow.
Len was on 20 meters making some QSO's. Between resting our
exhausted bodies, Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers and Boy Scout Troop 15 out of
Ewingville, NJ, we were very busy.
WB3AAL's tent N2BSC's tent with Ed in the background
View from the shelter WB3AAL making a Q Ron's finger is stuck
WB3AAL's K2 station running 5 watts into a 66 foot doublet feed with 350 ohm ladder line. I was using the Poqet for logging and a PK-1 Paddlette Co. Key. Hey, how did that Wild Spirit get into the radio gear? Must be the Ninja QRP Operator's fuel.
Ed and Len retired to their tents between 9 & 9:30 PM. I was still making contacts on 40 Meters around 7.044.
Ed (L) and Len (R) enjoying a early Sunday morning on the AT.
Boy Scout Troop 15 from Ewingville, NJ
Troop 15 chow line on Sunday morning
Ron is all packed and making his last QSO with N2BSC on 40 meters.
Len, N2BSC, calling CQ on 20 meters
The next day we made a few QSO's in the morning but we still had a 9 mile hike through Very Very Rocky terrain. We started out hiking around 14:15 UTC and with a one hour lunch break we made it to our cars around 20:30 UTC.
Wolf Rock Len making his way up Wolf Rock
Ron made Wolf Rock with 60 lb pack Top of Wolf Rock
Wolf Rock view Tree canopy below Wolf Rock Wolf Rock canopy
Ed is resting at lunch time on Sunday Len during lunch
Ron cooking his lunch on Sunday
We had about 8.5 miles of this beautiful trail in Rocksylvania, PA
We had a very good learning experience hiking one of the toughest areas on the Appalachian Trail. Funny thing, we were so tired we did not really care about the radios right away. We needed to rest. We found out why Pennsylvania is a tough state to hike the AT.
Stay tuned
for our second leg from Wind Gap to Lehigh Gap which will be a 20.7 mile hike.
This could be a three day hike due to us having to carry so much water. So stay
tuned in June for this next hike.
Happy Trails :-)
