07/03/2009 | W6ZZZ This year the weather was hot and so were the bands, with plenty of contacts made by our West Valley Amateur Radio Assoc team. We operated QRP in the 9A Battery from Mora Hill overlooking Los Altos, California from an elevation of 500 feet. Saturdays temperature approached 100 degrees, but that didnt stop us from having loads of fun.

High Point of the Weekend: Svends (KF6EMB) helium balloon-supported full-wavelength loop antennas on 40 and 80 meters. These antennas are based on WU0Is award-winning QST article from July 2007.

Biggest Grin: Working W1AW on 80 meters from the West Coast with the balloon loop and 5 watts.

Coolest Technology: Gary (K6KV) brought two homebrew HF triplexers that allowed us to simultaneously share each HF tribander between three stations running on 10- 15- and 20 meters.

Most Exciting Moment: Jack (W6FB) jumping what seemed like 5 feet straight up after stepping on a large snake in the grass. Both Jack and the snake appeared to be equally surprised and rapidly departed the scene in opposite directions. -- K6EI