01/24/2005 | K0NR For the January contest this year, I did a backpack portable operation on Sunday afternoon, operating about 5 hours. Just like in previous years, I climbed to the summit of one of my favorite close-in mountains, Mt Herman (DM79mb, ~9000 feet in elevation).

The radio equipment included an FT-817 QRP rig for 6M, 2M and 70cm; and an Alinco HT for 222 MHz FM, plus a couple of other HTs for monitoring FM simplex frequencies. I used an Arrow dualband yagi antenna mounted on a camera tripod for 2M and 70 cm. Poor planning on my part left the 6M dipole at home, so I made do with a telescopic BNC vertical on 50 MHz.

Most challenging contact was squeezing out a CW QSO with Phil N0KE over in DM69 (near Vail, CO). I didn't have a proper key with me but was able to use the up/down buttons on the FT-817 mike as an iambic keyer. It got the job done.

Weather was excellent and the radio activity was respectable. No 6M openings or any unusual propagation to report. A good day to be on a mountaintop playing radio.

73, Bob K0NR -- K0NR