Quick Trip to Knox Mountain
April 2012
I made a late afternoon run to Knox Mountain today. I spent
only 15 minutes there. But in that time I setup, worked the
Balaeric Islands and Slovenia, and packed everything up
again.
I left the car, and crossed the first bridge at 5:15 pm. The hike
up the mountain was perfect. The air at 75F, was balmy and
the sunlight filtering across the hillside and through the
new spring leaves was stunning.
The property owners have removed the second bridge. It was
rotting and dangerous. Now to cross the brook, I have to jump
across a series of rocks and hope I don't slip. It's not so easy
when the brook is high, but now it's been very dry and the
crossing is a snap.
I reached the pond in a half an hour... 5:45 pm.
I heave the water bottle with my antenna line attached almost 50
feet into the cherry
tree behind the cabin. I am using the HB-1B at 4 watts with the Par
tuner and a 33 foot
wire. I answer Jurek EA6UN five minutes after arriving at the cabin.
Jurek gives me
a 579 and sends, "FB JOB UR 4W QRP." Within a few more minutes I
work Fredi,
S52ZW in Slovenia. We exchange 599s and I pack up.
I take one last snap shot of the pond in the afternoon light. While
it's still light at
the cabin, the trail grows dark much sooner because of the steep
hills on either
side of the brook. I am anxious to get back to the car before it
gets too dark.