Combining amateur radio with the outdoors makes the hobby all the more fun for me.  To this end I have been worked solo Field Days on remote California mountains, Summits on the Air (SOTA) in twelve different states, HF QRP from campsites, and VHF contests from hilltops.  So when the NPOTA program was announced, I knew I would partake.  In addition, I had worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent so I had another reason for old times sake to go into a national park. 

I wanted to start NPOTA on opening day January 1st  so I planned a trip to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (RC17) above Malibu, California.  The location I chose is also a SOTA known as Pt. 1838 (W6/SC-311) an obscure summit at 1838’.  After loading my KX3, battery, end fed dipole, coax, CW paddle, and a Kenwood D72A HT in a side pocket transmitting APRS beacons in my pack, I started from the trailhead after taking a “selfie” from a reflection from my Jeep with my XYL’s callsign license plate.  The hike was .8 miles with a 400’ elevation gain.  Because this was New Year’s Day, I did not want to pick a location where there would be many hikers.  Nevertheless, hikers did come by to include one with an Australian cattle dog, which was an exact copy of my cattle dog Daisy, that got tangled up in my coax! 

Running 10 watts, I made 60 contacts on 10, 20, and 40 meter CW and SSB to include N6JZT on a SOTA in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California and KG5EIU on a SOTA in Arkansas.  I also worked five other NPOTA activators: KQ1S on MN73 in AZ; WA7ZZE on MN58 in AZ; WK5T on MN40 in NM; W7AI on NP49 in AZ; and WB7QDQ on MN73 in AZ.  With a great view of the Pacific Ocean, I could see in the distance another NPOTA: Channel Islands National Park (NP11) which will have to be for another day when I get a boat. 

CUL on another NPOTA/SOTA de Scott.