More pictures...

Posting from campsites using smart phones is a challenge. It helps to be 3 miles from a cell tower with 12 mbs down and 13 mbs up. And smartphones take great snapshots. These were taken by Dave, W6VYC. It's been warm and sunny with highs in low 70s. Williams Hill campground is about 2300 feet. It lies to the west of the Salinas Valley.

posted from Bloggeroid

Antenna secrets & experiments

1. Find a garage sale where there's a $5,000 military crank-up mast and 40-foot push-up fiberglass mast and pay $150 for both.

2. Take a 4' X 50' roll of chicken wire and use it as a counterpoise. Voila, the vertical and inverted L antennas work like magic. Next time will use two rolls in a cross configuration.

A beam antenna helps with QRP ops.

A Mosley TA-32 Jr beam at 35 feet enabled contacts with every continent except Antarctica. The rotor failed the first day and rain got into the tuning traps but workarounds kept us on the air.

DX and other highlights

W6VYC worked South Korea, Thailand, Patagonia (island off), Bora Bora and many more with 10 watts ssb (KX3). Got to test new 160 meter inverted L using chicken wire counterpoise. Worked into Nevada, Utah and southeast Arizona on ssb and into the San Joaquin Valley on AM--not QRP!  WX was perfect for the third day.

QRPedition to Williams Hill (BLM)

Arrived on 2/18, set up 2 el beam for 20, 15, and 10 meters on 35-foot crank up mast. Also using 40-foot vertical and 40 meter inverted V. Great wx, sunny and warm, high 60 F.