[VHFcontesting] My sight seeing trip to DN12

[Bruce Junkin]

Hello All,

Well, I am back at home after a 24 hour, 940 mile round trip to Idaho.  I made it to South Mountain, where I intended to operate from, but the road heading up to the top was not much more than a Jeep trail.  There was a tree that had fallen across the road, and the trees along the road had grown out and grabbed my antennas and bent the elements that I had just re-built before this trip.  Then the vehicle started acting up and in fact, after making the decision to come home, I just barely made it.  I had also heard on the news that clouds were coming in  on Sunday, with the possibility of Thunder boomers,  Not the best time to be on a hilltop with a bunch of aluminum in the air.

This trip started out bad from the beginning.  A Transceiver that was being delivered to my house by UPS was supposed to be delivered on Monday came in early and was delivered on Friday at about 4:00 pm.  There was no way I was going to let that package sit on my front porch all weekend long.  Not in this neighborhood!  Then the mail that is normally delivered around 10:30 ~ 11:00 was not delivered until 4:30.  I set out for parts unknown at about 4:30 pm and made it to Ontario, Oregon at about 11:30 pm, got a hotel room, and headed into Idaho early Saturday.  As I came into Caldwell, Idaho, my "Service Engine Soon" light on the dash came on which was the beginning of what ever problem arose later.  I made it to Jordan Valley, Oregon at about 9:00, and headed up to South Mountain, Idaho, but that's when the other problems came up.  So, I will have to re-build the antennas again, and try to figure out what is wrong with my vehicle, and buff out the new scratches.  I apologize for not making more contacts from DN12, but perhaps another time.  This was one of those "pay your dues" trips.  73's.


Bruce, KI7JA