Hilltopping Pictures from James (KI6JD)

These Photo's were taken on two different trips to the hill. Most were for the fall VHF/UHF SSB contest.

I purchased a Ten Tec 10 meter to 2 meter transverter as a means of getting on 2 meter sideband. I did not want to spend big dollars purchasing an all mode rig. I did make a number of contacts with the Alinco DX-70 as the main rig and taking the output of the Ten Tec transverter and running it into a RFC 2 meter amplifier. At the last minute, I borrowed Dave's (K6GKV) Kenwood TS-700A 2 meter all mode radio. I modified his radio to run on DC and ran all radio's off a Deep Cycle battery.

You can see my 6 meter J- Pole (home made) in the back ground. I made about half dozen contacts that day on 6 meters. This was just a fun outing and I was not doing serious contesting. I was wearing ear phones due to the intense traffic noise going by.. (Mostly motorcycles racing along Skyline Blvd.)

In the pictures, you will see my wife Julie.

She brought her English study books to keep her busy while I did radio..

The beam you see is a home brew antenna, actually the third generation.. It has 7 elements as that is all I had room for on the boom. I made a two element extension for the boom, but it is not shown in the photo. It is a parasitic beam. I built the beam from a computer derived program by a fellow named Cebic, who is famous of his Yagi designs. It works quite well.

This photo is a trial run for the Ten Tec transverter and Alinco DX-70 as the input to the transverter. When I tune to 28.200, 5 watts, I am transmitting on 144.200 with fairly low power. I think 20 watts, hence the need for the RFC 2 meter all mode amplifier. I am making my first SSB contacts. This was the weekend prior to the contest. I believe the antenna is pointed East...

I really built this antenna for 2 meter Simplex contacts... I have a couple of 300 mile simplex contacts with this antenna. It's often possible to access repeaters in the Redding area to check how things are working and troll for Simplex contacts. I call the repeater in the area I am hoping to make contacts, then when someone answers, I ask them if they can try Simplex with me. This has resulted in a number of contacts I would not have made other wise.. I have done this going South towards Bakersfield as well...What ever it takes to fill up the log.. Hi Hi!