w6csn’s outdoor amateur radio

In early October we took a couple days off work for a mini-vacation down the central coast of California. Just past Monterey, in the town of Pacific Grove, is Asilomar State Beach and conference center – also designated US-3399 for Parks On The Air.

The conference center is part of the California State Park system and the lodging can be rented by the public. Designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan, the facility was built for the YWCA between 1913 and 1928 in the Arts and Crafts style.

From the conference center, you can walk to Asilomar State Beach, following paths through the sand dunes. One path runs along the ridge of a dune and offers broad views of the ocean and the famed links golf course at Spanish Bay. This is where I set up to attempt my POTA activation.

I forgot to bring my wire antennas so I was going to have to use one of the several verticals that I keep in the trunk of the car. With not much wind during the morning hours, a small tripod held the antenna steady with the center spike wedged into the wooden platform.

Starting with the QMX I worked the bands for an hour or so but failed to net the 10 contacts needed to qualify the activation. I would have to try to finish it off a little later.

While my traveling companions went into town to have a look around Pacific Grove, I stayed behind and tried to complete the activation. This time I setup the KH1 on the deck outside our hotel room and used the MFJ-1979 whip on a mag-mount, which stuck securely to the iron covering over some type of cistern or vault.

Remember, the entire conference center is part of the State Park unit, so I could do a POTA activation from our hotel room! This was a new and rather convenient arrangement.

While the solar conditions weren’t bad, propagation wasn’t particularly strong for a West Coast QRP station. Therefore I contented myself with the 10 QSOs needed for an activation and spent the rest of the time relaxing.

73 de W6CSN