October 24th 2015

Meathead
All Day

On October 22, 2015 (Thursday), N6MI (Scott) and K6VCR (Tom) placed three transmitters on the air for the end of the month Southern California transmitter hunt.

The loud transmitter (“N6MI” in slow code, once a minute) ran about 25 watts to a three element quad pointed at Wrightwood. The transmitter was planted about one mile south from Highway 74 on the South Main Divide Road (west of Lake Elsinore). This required a short, steep hike up a hill to the east. (Sorry.) This transmitter was still on the air on Sunday night. This transmitter was found by AB6PA, N6AIN, KF6GQ/KD6LAJ, N6ZHZ/KD6CYG, WB6JPI, and WA6RJN (in that order).

The soft voice transmitter (“N6MI T 1-6”) ran 50 milliwatts to a dipole about six feet up a tree in the California Wildland Firefighter Memorial (at the intersection of Highway 74 and the South Main Divide Road). This transmitter was no longer on the air on Sunday night. The transmitter was found by AB6PA, N6AIN, KF6GQ/KD6LAJ, N6ZHZ/KD6CYG, WA6RJN, and WB6JPI (in that order). Some hunters thought it was very polite to hide near a clean restroom.

A low power KF6GQ box was placed in some rusted bed springs on the side of Cajalco Road (looking down on Highway 15). KF6GQ was kind enough to change the battery on Saturday night; this transmitter was still running on Sunday night. This transmitter was found by N6AIN, WB6JPI, AB6PA, and KF6GQ/KD6LAJ (in that order).

On October 23, 2015 (Friday morning), we placed two additional transmitters in San Diego County.

The Gopher Canyon transmitter (“K6VCR T1” and tones) was running about 30 watts to a vertical. WB6JPI and KF6GQ/KD6LAJ found this transmitter. It was still running on Sunday night.

The Palomar Mountain transmitter (“K6VCR T T”) was running about 30 watts to a log periodic, pointed toward Lake Elsinore. This transmitter was found by WB6JPI, K9TLN (his first hidden transmitter), KF6GQ/KD6LAJ, WA6RJN, and a local ham who did not put his call sign down on the sign in sheet. While waiting for the hunters, N6MI and K6VCR operated in the CQ Worldwide SSB DX Contest from the big white N6MI van with a four element yagi up about 60 feet.

K9TLN and the local guy each found one transmitter.

N6ZHZ/KD6CYG found two transmitters.

AB6PA, N6AIN, and WA6RJN found three transmitters. Doug also found a pizza.

KF6GQ/KD6LAJ found five transmitters. For his initial bearing, KF6GQ reported that “Okay I've got some bearings from the Duarte Mesa area 34.155435, -117.954955. I took 7 bearings over a 15 minute time period, and I got seven different bearings. If I average them out I get 152.8 degrees. I think that the T is on MI's back and he moving from place to place!”

WB6JPI found five transmitters. For his initial bearing, JPI reported that, “from my home N34 4.49 W117 25.26, I get 192.7 to 180. Now it really gets confusing. I find that the signal runs between 0db and 30 dB of attenuator with about 3dB during the modulation and has increased from S6 on the vertical to S9 here at home.” The 180 degree bearing was very close, so Bob wins on the tie breaker.

The weather could not have been nicer. Several folks enjoyed fresh Julian apple pie.

Thank you for coming out.

73,

N6MI & K6VCR

WB6JPI's Story