2. Ham Radio

Dixie Mtn. (W6/CN-006) SOTA Activation 10/04/2013

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The SOTA Northern Sierra region logo. This logo is available on Northern Sierra T-shirts, sweatshirts, beer steins, mouse pads, etc. for SOTA participants who qualify for the Northern Sierra Award (offered by yours truly KU6J). The award rules are linked to from my page on QRZ.com. Although Dixie Mountain has a "CN" summit reference instead of a "NS" Northern Sierra reference, it still counts for the Northern Sierra award since it is geographically located within the Northern Sierra region.
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The SOTA Northern Sierra region logo. This logo is available on Northern Sierra T-shirts, sweatshirts, beer steins, mouse pads, etc. for SOTA participants who qualify for the Northern Sierra Award (offered by yours truly KU6J). The award rules are linked to from my page on QRZ.com. Although Dixie Mountain has a "CN" summit reference instead of a "NS" Northern Sierra reference, it still counts for the Northern Sierra award since it is geographically located within the Northern Sierra region.

SOTANorthernSierra

  • The SOTA Northern Sierra region logo. This logo is available on Northern Sierra T-shirts, sweatshirts, beer steins, mouse pads, etc. for SOTA participants who qualify for the Northern Sierra Award (offered by yours truly KU6J). The award rules are linked to from my page on QRZ.com. Although Dixie Mountain has a "CN" summit reference instead of a "NS" Northern Sierra reference, it still counts for the Northern Sierra award since it is geographically located within the Northern Sierra region.
  • Dixie Mountain is in Plumas National Forest, west of Frenchman Lake. To get there, take highway 70 to the town of Chilcoot and turn north onto the paved Frenchman Lake Road. When you reach the intersection near the dam, bear left. The pavement will end at the DIXIEVALLEY point (39.90857N, 120.21249W) and turn into a well maintained gravel road. At the C176P24N02Y point (39.95174N, 120.21087W), turn left onto a rough 2WD road that will likely require 4WD to get up the last few switchbacks near the peak, which are steeper and covered with loose rock.
  • I spotted this down at Frenchman Lake, where I unloaded my ATV. Before the government shutdown caused the Forest Service to run out of funds, this must have been one heck of a campground: DAY USE ONLY and NO CAMPFIRES!
  • The lookout on Dixie Mountain. I wasn't able to get up to it during <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-Activation-Dixie-Mountain">my last activation on New Years Eve Day 2011</a> (my second ever SOTA activation) because the snow made the foot trail up to it far too treacherous. This time it was easy, but with the wind howling on a cold morning, there really wasn't enough space or shelter in the lookout area. I again headed for the ridge that is to the left of where the camera is in this shot.
  • The mountaintop is made up of volcanic rock.
  • Here is the tower section that I found and erected during my first activation of the summit. The winds have since pushed it over a bit.
  • This time around I didn't operate up by the abandoned antenna tower. I needed more shelter from the howling wind, so I went down into the crater below it. The wind was coming from the other side of that pointy lava formation on the left, and that formation broke the wind so well that I was even able to take off my balaclava for the first time this day and leave it off during the entire activation! Unfortunately I forgot my SOTA cap at home.
  • I was down in the crater on the west side of the ridge, but my antenna was still up high on the ridge top. I used my 28' Jackite pole to support my 88' doublet.
  • I bungeed the mast to a gigantamous lava rock up on the top edge of the crater, and put another rock next to the bottom to keep it from kicking out in the wind.
  • Zoomed in a bit, I tied off the north end of the doublet antenna to the pipe set in rock that you see in the background.
  • I anchored the south end of the antenna by shoving my line winder into a crack in this lava formation on the other side of my crater.
  • I ran my doublet's twinlead through the wrist loop on one of my hiking poles, that I shoved into a crack in the lava. This kept the twinlead up off the ground.
  • Looking from my 2011 operating position past the tower towards my Jackite pole. This year's operating position can't be seen because it is down in the crater beyond the pole.
  • My antenna above the lava. The bend in the mast is due to the wind.
  • I'm happy as a clam sitting down in my wind sheltered and sun-baked operating position in the crater.
  • My view while operating. Not exactly scenic, but still interesting.
  • The west side of the crater has a gap leading to a nasty-steep crevice.
  • Frenchman Lake down below to the east-southest with Adams Peak poking up onto the skyline on the other side. For more information on Adams Peak, see <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-AdamsPeak-W6NS158-2013">my activation album from a few weeks earlier</a>.
  • Lava and juniper trees.
  • SOTAWatch spots.
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