After acquiring the IC-7300 and 9700 last year, I now have 4 VHF bands plus 222 and 900 handhelds. So I spent the last month or more building the long-planned 6m Quad, 432 Quagi and 1296 loop yagi.

I planned to head to the mountains of Northern AZ and put in a serious effort for June VHF contest. But a family commitment required me to be in Tucson that weekend instead, so I picked a southern AZ mountain, Mount Lemmon in DM42pk.

Driving to Tucson Friday afternoon I could see the brush fires on the western slopes of that mountain, I planned to be 5 miles east on the northern slopes. I doubled checked the fire new reports and headed to the top and down the northern slope, friday night was completely pleasant and peaceful. Up early Saturday morning I got the entire station assembled and checked out and the solar charging the battery, it took about 4 hours but I was ready 20 minutes before the starting bell.

Only managed a few QSOs on 6m both CW and SSB before the band opening petered out. 2 and 432 were not as good into Phoenix as I hoped, turns out the twists and turns of my mountain left me with a bit of a ridge masking due north and I was completely blocked from most of Tucson.

Mid afternoon, a game warden stopped by and told me Forest Service was going to close my access road. So I got back on the radio, made a few last Q's including my only 1296 QSO then spend 2 hours taking everything down and 3 hours driving out.

Well, I've got a working solar/battery station ready for FD and August UHF and sept VHF contests!

AA4Q