2. Ham Radio

Mt. Pluto (W6/NS-138) SOTA Activation 12/11/2012

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Mt. Pluto (leftmost summit) as seen from my backyard. Mt. Pluto is the highest peak at the Northstar ski resort (8617 feet) and is 7 air miles from my house. This photo was taken in May 2011 when there was much more snow on the ground than now.
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Mt. Pluto (leftmost summit) as seen from my backyard. Mt. Pluto is the highest peak at the Northstar ski resort (8617 feet) and is 7 air miles from my house. This photo was taken in May 2011 when there was much more snow on the ground than now.

  • Mt. Pluto (leftmost summit) as seen from my backyard. Mt. Pluto is the highest peak at the Northstar ski resort (8617 feet) and is 7 air miles from my house. This photo was taken in May 2011 when there was much more snow on the ground than now.
  • To get to the top of Mt. Pluto in winter, you'll need to buy a Northstar lift ticket ($98, but I have a season pass so the day was "free" for me). Take the gondola up from Northstar Village to the main lodge at mid mountain, then ride the Arrow lift followed by the Comstock Express lift. This photo was taken on the Comstock Express lift last season. When I got to the top this morning, I took a quick speed run down Axe Handle (the run in the foreground) to get the blood flowing.
  • After riding the lift back up, skiing 100-ish vertical feet down off the side and hiking back up to the top, it didn't take me long at all to get the KX3 and Alexloop ready to go at a conveniently empty picnic table. The AlexLoop is being supported by a Buddipole Shockcord Mast (strandard short version) with about half of its sections in place and the remainder bundled together down at the bottom. I screw a 1/2" pipe thread --> PVC adapter onto the top of the mast, insert a 1/2" PVC section that is about 6" long into the adapter, and the AlexLoop's bottom tube drops down onto it. I added a few tape wraps around the PVC pipe to create a smooth but tight fit with the AlexLoop tube, and the loop will remain in whatever direction I orient it (even in a nice breeze). See photos later in this album for more details on how it goes together.
  • My operating position and the top of the Comstock Express lift in the background. The Buddipole Shockcord Mast's bundle of unused sections at the bottom is sitting on the snow and held in place by one of my skis, and I ran the mast through a loop in my pack to "secure" it to the table.
  • Another shot of my operating position. Ski Patrol hangs out in the building near the left edge of my photo. Several skiers stopped by to ask me what I was up to, but ski patrol left me alone.
  • One more shot of my operating position, looking toward the front of the mountain and toward my house.
  • Rockin' and a rollin'. If I wanted to change bands, it was easy to reach up and tune the AlexLoop with my left hand. This was the first time I've ever used an AlexLoop in transmit mode and I found it to be quick and easy to tune: turn on the KX3's preamp, tune for maximum noise, then go into tune (transmit) mode and tweak a bit for minimum VSWR. The tuning is touchy on 40m and 10m, but less so on the other bands.
  • SOTAWatch spots.
  • The KX3 and a full logbook page. Not bad, and I still get to do more fun stuff as soon as I break down (ski!).
  • My view while operating, looking north across the flat summit toward the West Ridge ski run.
  • After I was done operating and ready to go shred a few more runs, one of Northstar's Epic Mix photographers took this shot of me with my new winter SOTA pack on the top of Mt. Pluto. The camera is looking north-northeast. Verdi Peak (W6/NS-146) is the snow-covered peak in the background.
  • Another one of the shots by the Epic Mix photographer. There is no charge for the photos. They scan your season pass or lift ticket when they take one, and the photos get uploaded to your account and are usually available by the time you get home. Unfortunately none of the photographers were near my operating position and I had to take my own shots there. The mountain without snow on the skyline right behind me is Peavine Peak (W7N/WC-011) over in Nevada.
  • Logbook page 1.
  • Logbook page 2. I hadn't planned to work 40m at all because the AlexLoop is so inefficient on that band (due to its small size) that I didn't think anyone would hear me. Elliott K6ILM posted a spot requesting 40m so I gave it a whirl. I was wrong, people were apparently hearing me just fine!
  • Logbook page 3. Thanks to everyone who stopped by my frequency to give me a call!
  • The Buddipole Shockcord Mast (strandard short version) with its carrying bag, the bottom section of the Alexloop, and the PVC pieces that mate them together. All Buddipole masts are threaded with 1/2" pipe threads (male) at the top. The PVC item on the right is an adapter with 1/2" pipe threads (female) on one end and a 1/2" PVC female friction fitting on the other side. It should be available at your hardware store for about $1.00. This threads onto the Buddipole mast, and the section of 1/2" schedule 40 PVC pipe slides into the top of it. My PVC pipe is actually 5 1/2" long, but 6-8" would work too. The bottom of the Alexloop then slides down over it. I used a few wraps of 10 mil tape around the PVC pipe to create a snug fit with the Alexloop. The PVC pieces easily fit inside the Buddipole mast's carry bag.
  • Close up showing the 1/2" pipe threads on the top of the Buddipole Shock Cord mast and inside the PVC adapter.
  • The adapter threaded onto the mast with the PVC pipe section inserted into the adapter's other end.
  • The bottom section of the Alexloop slid down over the PVC pipe. The tape wraps at the bottom (right in this photo) have an extra turn or two so that the Alexloop "snugs" onto the tape rather than sliding further down the pipe.
  • I've since cemented the PVC section into the adapter so that things go together and come apart even faster. This also makes it less likely that I'd drop the white adapter in the white snow and lose it!
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