May 9th. Deep QSB on 20M, 40M was a struggle. There was a 6M sprint and a small 2M pile up. Two summit to summit contacts with K6ARK on W6/CT-050, and another with K6PVZ on W6/SC-219.
(Update 05-09-2022 – a server migration, plugin and php update revealed the timestamps on this .gpx file are broken. I’ve added fake times so this page renders correctly)
This was a pretty easy hike, I wouldn’t do it in the middle of summer as there is little shade on the fire road going up. The top is used as a hang glider port; there is a picnic table and a bench to setup radios on which is nice. Summit to summit QSO with KR7RK in Arizona on 40M.
Up until this summit I may have been logging my QSOs wrong. After 00:00 UTC, the activation starts over and chasers can claim additional points with another QSO.
Mount Lukens is the highest point in the city of Los Angeles. I started the bike ride up at Grizzly Flats trailhead off Hwy 2. At the fork in the fire road, stay left. (Going right brings you to Hoyt Mountain). The fire road narrows, eventually turning into a single track. This leads up to the main road up to the summit.
(Update 05-09-2022 – a server migration, plugin and php update revealed the timestamps on this .gpx file are broken. I’ve added fake times so this page renders correctly)
UPDATE! First activation of 2021, 2nd activation of Lukens – Biked up Lukens the same way as I had done last year, via Grizzly Flats. This is a super fun ride. Kel, eBun, and Tim rode up with me for this quick activation. I foolishly didn’t bring my HT, so I couldn’t self spot. No cellphone service. There was also high wind, so I just worked 2M FM as I didn’t want to struggle with the HF antenna. RF is extremely high on the summit, which causes the radio to struggle.
Date:09/01/2021 | Summit:W6/CT-030 (Mount Lukens)
Time
Callsign
Band
Mode
Notes
22:53
WA6QXA
144MHz
FM
22:54
KN6CJK
144MHz
FM
22:55
KB6YBV
144MHz
FM
22:58
KN6GPF
144MHz
FM
22:59
KN6ZEA
144MHz
FM
Roger
23:00
KI6SLA
144MHz
FM
23:01
WB2WIK
144MHz
FM
23:02
KN6KOR
144MHz
FM
23:03
K6GKA
144MHz
FM
23:04
KN6DMO
144MHz
FM
23:04
WA6WV
144MHz
FM
23:05
K6PVZ
144MHz
FM
Paul
23:05
N6MKW
144MHz
FM
23:06
KI6RF
144MHz
FM
23:08
KE6PLA
144MHz
FM
23:09
KM6UHU
144MHz
FM
23:10
KM6EHD
144MHz
FM
23:10
K6MAA
144MHz
FM
23:11
KM6PRD
144MHz
FM
23:12
W9SSN
144MHz
FM
23:12
N6DAI
144MHz
FM
23:13
KN6JRN
144MHz
FM
Edit – December 5th, 2022. There was a fire lookout tower on Lukens, the info below was taken from firetower.org without permission of any kind.
The original Mount Lukens structure was built in 1922 and burned in a wildfire in late 1933. The structure was replaced in some time after that with a California Region 5 Plan 4AR on a 10 foot open timber tower.
Reports suggest the lookout structure was dismantled and moved to Josephine Peak in 1935. San Rafael Lookout opened in 1934 and covered much of the same area. Photos of the Josephine Peak Lookout suggest a new structure was built there and the Mount Lukens structure was not used.
How to replace a screen on a Yaesu FT2D amateur radio. This piece of equipment is essential to my SOTA operations, so it was important to fix! Also, learn from my mistakes and find out how to keep you SD card intact. Cheers!
Deep snow made hiking up difficult. I took a different way down which was much easier. I now know what show shoes are for. Tracks below is round trip; I got a tip on what could be a better way up. Made my first SOTA contact on 6M. Met SOTA Hal in person at the end of my activation.
I hiked up to Strawberry Peak on a Saturday with some friends. Turns out that this is a very popular hike among Los Angeles denizens. I would do this again, on a weekday as the summit was crowded with noisy folks at one point. I made several contacts on 2M, including two summit to summit contacts. 20M seemed dead (spotted over APRS). I tried 40M, got nothing but later found out my spot didn’t make it out.
Download file: CT-018%20UP.GPX‘
Los Angeles is somewhere out therePicknick + SOTA Standard issue SOTA stationTypical viewHiking crew just below the summitHiking downSummit Log bolted to this rock, which was completely full.
I almost dismissed this summit as another SOTA activator I spoke with said this hike wasn’t worth it, but after going the trail up the trail myself, I would respectfully disagree. Most of the hike is under shady trees, making it ideal for a summer getaway from the city. The summit offers several nice sitting rocks and great views. The trail is difficult to follow at times, so downloading the tracks below for your GPS may be helpful. 73!
(Update 05-09-2022 – a server migration, plugin and php update revealed the timestamps on this .gpx file are broken. I’ve added fake times so this page renders correctly)
Most of this hike is shaded with oak.Slab from an old communication site. You pass by a modern site leading up to this pointView from the trailSummit log tucked into some rocksI see a few SOTA folks signed the logView of TV Village from the summit.
This is probably the easiest SOTA activation I’ve done to date. Next time I activate this peak I may bring heavier equipment! There is a road all the way to a Nike missile site (LA-94), then a short walk up to the benchmark, which reads Camp 9. Be aware that you need to drive through the fire camp, which consists of buildings on both sides of the road leading to the top. When I activated this summit, there were several fire fighters training in the road, but nobody seemed to mind that I was there. I setup my station near the benchmark and made several contacts on 2M and 20M. 40M was very quiet. Thanks to all the chasers!
