09/28/2004 | KB8VAO The first weekend of the contest I operated from U.C. Davis / CM98dm, and Mt. Diablo / CM97av.

Saturday I met W6BY / Brian and AA6HA / John at U.C. Davis where we worked K6GZA / Ron on 10 and 24 GHz with bone crushing signals.

Unfortunately I was only able to operate for a very short time due to other commitments.

Sunday I met AD6A / Dave and AD6IW / Goran on Mt. Diablo and worked
WA6CDR / Robin, W6QI / Frank, and AA6IW / Lars on Mt. Frazier at 439 km, my best 10 GHz DX of the contest!

The second weekend W6BY and I started from a vista along I-5 in CM97kh.

I worked W6QI on 10 GHz using a horn antenna and heard AA6IW on Mt. Frazier but could not complete.

The next stop was Santa Rita Peak / CM96qi. Murphy just couldnt stay away, and I got a flat tire on the way up the mountain.

After getting the tire changed,I finally got set up.

We met a group of amateurs from Western Intertie Network (WIN System) http://www.winsystem.org/index.html installing a repeater at the site.

These guys really know how to throw a work party. My compliments to the chef, Thank You for the delicious lunch.

The highlight of this stop was working AD6FP / Gary on 47 GHz., my best DX on the band at 232 Km!

Gary's signal was very easily heard and full quieting!

Thanks to W6BY for the use of some WR19 to install my amp!

It was a very time consuming QSO, as I had to install the amplifier to transmit, and remove it to receive, but well worth the effort.

Then I headed South for the long drive to Mt. Frazier. I arrived on Mt. Frazier around 7:00 a.m. on Sunday. It was a chilly 33 degrees Fahrenheit and very windy.

The highlight of this stop was working W6QI / Frank on 24 GHz at 290 km, my best DX ever!

The high elevation of the California mountains really made a huge difference.

I worked 106 QSOs with 44 unique calls. Signals were extremely loud at all locations.

I also heard reports of rainscatter contacts on 10 GHz but didnt work any myself.

Thank You for the use of the Cactus Repeater System during the contest. Its really great to be able to work from Northern California to Southern California and beyond using only an HT!

Im always interested in microwave QSOs, and can operate 903 MHz
through 47 GHz from Mt. Diablo / CM97av almost any weekend!

Please send an e-mail to set up a sked. I hope to CU on the bands soon.

Thanks to the rovers for all you do!

73

Steve -- KB8VAO