I wasn't able to contest on Saturday, but Sunday was free and my friend and new ham Jesse, KC2YUG was up for a challenge, so Sunday with temps in the teens Jesse and I decided to contest from the summit of Hook Mountain http://www.sotawatch.org/summits.php?summit=W2/GC-055 for a dual SOTA summit activation/QRP contest day. 

This was Jesse's first contest and summit activation, but I had been to the summit in the past.  As per SOTA rules, Jesse and I hiked up all of our gear and power. 

The trail was completely hidden by the snow, but I did have last year's track in the GPS (from the SOTA page) and there were a few blazes on the trees.  It was a short but tough hike in the deep snow with the tripod, mast, 6m beam and other gear.  The mast & tripod really were a bear to hike up...i'ts a good thing I had Jesse along.

The summit was beautiful, horizon almost 360 degrees around and full sun.  I was hoping for a picture of the summit cactus in the snow (yes really), but the snow was just too deep.  We could see the Empire State Building about 40 miles to the south as well as the partially frozen Hudson River.

At the summit we had a lot of trouble with the M2 6m beam because the mounting plate was not really made for the small diameter mast/tripod unit I had from the yp-3 beam....that is something I will have to correct for next time.  That wasn't our only beam problem, as I found out I was one screw short of being able to fully assemble the beam....being one screw short is so heartbreaking when you have come so far....

We didn't give up though, and I found that the matching unit could hold one of the 6m beam elements onto the antenna all by itself, freeing up a screw to mount another element and all was good with the beam!

Once the 6m beam was up we ereced a small 2m arrow antenna on a painter's pole and Jesse and I were off to the races.   It was great to be right next to a competitor for the contest, and Jesse's enthusiasm was infectious.  Jesse was focused on at least beating me, the older experienced ham and I think he succeded ;-)

We answered plenty of questions from passers by and a family hung around for a while to watch and listen, but I have to say the contacts on Sunday were a bit sparse. 

We both had a great time and Jesse got his first contest under his belt with his own call.

73,

Tom, N2YTF