This was a nice, relatively easy hike up; I didn’t know there was a communications site at the top, so I was a bit surprised. While setting up my 817 Kel and I watched para-gliders fly back and fourth gaining altitude until they were out of sight. There was a cold wind blowing at the summit, so the para-gliders must have been extra cold with their extra altitude. Worked the high bands, heard my 2M radio squawk which turned out to be another SOTA station up in Los Angeles. We hiked down the same way and got on the freeway North to try and beat some commuter traffic back to L.A.

https://sotl.as/summits/W6/SC-338

Download file: W6_SC_338_Black_Mountain.gpx

Date:18/11/2023 |  Summit:W6/SC-338 (Black Mountain)

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
21:07	W9SSN	24MHz	CW	S599 R599
21:08	W0MNA	24MHz	CW	S599 R599
21:09	W0ERI	24MHz	CW	S599 R599
21:09	K0LAF	24MHz	CW	S58N R55N
21:13	WW7D	24MHz	CW	S33N R33N S2S W7W/SK-172
21:15	WU7H	24MHz	CW	S44N R53N S2S W7W/SK-172
21:23	W6LOR	144MHz	FM	S55N R55N S2S W6/CT-242
21:23	K6STR	144MHz	FM	S51N R55N S2S W6/CT-242
21:30	7N1FRE	18MHz	CW	S31N R31N
21:30	K6CPR	18MHz	CW	S599 R53N CO
21:32	N4LAG	18MHz	CW	S55N R54N
21:43	WG0AT	18MHz	CW	S55N R57N

This summit is right off I5 by the San Clemente Denny’s, the one with the neon sign. Access is easy – park in the cul-de-sac at the end of Del Dios and walk up the obvious path, then turn right. If you pass an old AT&T long lines tower you went the wrong way. Most of this is paved. The true summit is just off the paved path. At the top I setup my Yaesu 817 and worked high bands. Japan was booming in with good signal reports both ways. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I crossed the UTC time threshold, so this ended up being two activations on separate days. As the sun set, I packed up and headed back to the car.

https://sotl.a10Ms/summits/W6/SC-460

Download file: W6_SC_460_906.gpx

Date:18/11/2023 |  Summit:W6/SC-460 (906) 

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
23:40	JP3DGT/3	28MHz	CW	S41N R41N S2S JA/HG-250
23:44	LW2DO	28MHz	CW	S57N R55N
23:49	JF1OVA	28MHz	CW	S55N R44N
23:50	7N1FRE	28MHz	CW	S57N R52N
23:58	JH7IOT	21MHz	CW	S57N R51N

Date:19/11/2023 |  Summit:W6/SC-460 (906) 

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
00:03	JG0AWE	21MHz	CW	S33N R55N
00:06	WU7H	21MHz	CW	S33N R33N S2S W7W/RS-088
00:07	ZL1TM	21MHz	CW	S55N R52N
00:08	JA1VVH	21MHz	CW	S55N R52N
00:15	K5XS	18MHz	CW	S599 R52N