Working National Parks and SOTA from the Pemi River
September 2016

I rode my bicycle north along the Pemigewasset River in Sanbornton today.
Wow... what a day. I worked two NPOTA stations, one SOTA, and a Rt. 66
special event in California.



It was another glorious September day, so after lunch I packed up and headed down to the
Pemigewasset River in Sanbornton. I rode about a mile north and set up the KX3 between
two pine trees at the river's edge. I used a 66 foot dipole fed with twisted pair up about
30 feet and began on 20 meters.

As soon as I started, I heard W6B, the Rt. 66 special event station in Los Angeles, calling CQ.
We had a quick exchange and I was encouraged. I tuned up the band and a few minutes later
worked Mike, AD5A operating a SOTA station. He was on Barillas Peak in New Mexico. We
exchanged 559s. I was basking in the warm sun, and also in the remarkably good band conditions.
Here's the view from the side of the trail.



Tuning down a bit I heard Bob N4CD calling CQ NPOTA. He was at MN56, the Ocmulgee National
Monument in Georgia. We made the exchange and I had a quick QSO with W5RBG in Arkansas. Jim
gave me a 559 but the QSB got us and we signed. Next I worked Jim N0UR, another National Parks
station. He was at WR09, the Saint Croix Scenic Riverway in MN. He was booming in, and I was
thrilled to make a river-to-river QSO.

I switched to 40 meters to see what it was like. There was N2BE in NJ. You could tell that John was
running a vintage radio, by the sound of his strong signal. Indeed, he told me it was an old Hallicrafters
SR150 tube rig from the early 60s. We were both 599 and had a nice chat. At first he thought I was
riding my bicycle /m. But I told him I was sitting on the ground near the river. Here's a photo of
my gear.



After working John, I pulled down the antenna, packed up and rode south to where I had left my
car. I'm grateful for another beautiful day and a perfect radio outing.