[VHFcontesting] Flagg Mountain & Stacked Arrays

[Les Rayburn]

This past weekend, my wife and I started scouting nearby summits for potential operation spots during the upcoming June contests. First up was a trip to Flagg Mountain in Coosa County, Alabama located in EM62tx. It's elevation is listed as 1,148 feet. It's about an hours drive from my front door. 

Getting there is half the fun, so our trip included a stop at "Kelly's Corner". It's one of those old grocery/general stores that were common when I was a child. It's been there for the better part of a century, and still sells a mixture of gasoline, groceries, hardware parts, etc. In the back is an old butcher shop style deli meat cabinet, and they'll make you sandwiches to go made to order. They stock local meat, from local farms, and know most of their customers by name. 

Abby and I got a bologna sandwich and an ice cold root bear in a glass bottle. That store alone would have been worth the drive. 

Headed up the mountain, you turn off a paved two lane, onto a single lane paved road with a scary one lane bridge that crosses a local creek. This continues to a logging road that runs up a curvy road to the top of the mountain. Like most peaks in the Alabama, the issue isn't height as much as finding a clear view of the valley below that isn't blocked by trees. 

Near the top of the summit, we were blocked by a gate. This was expected, as the true summit is owned by a private group and access is restricted. We were able to drive to within about 300 feet of the peak. A break in the trees provided a great view towards Montgomery. I hauled out a portable four element Arrow beam, and some coax. This was quickly hooked to my Yaesu FT-857D. 

But then disaster struck. I had forgotten to throw the telescoping push up pole into the back of the truck. There was no support for the antenna. I struggled to suspend it to a tree branch using bungee cords on the edge of a cliff. After a couple of near falls, my wife vetoed this approach. 

"Why don't I just hold it for you?" she offered. Well, I thought, it won't hurt at low power, and I'll keep the contacts short. Just enough to test things. She hoisted the small beam way above her head, and I began to call CQ on 144.200. 

Quickly, Jack, WA5UUD answered my CQ, asking, "Where the heck are you? You're running 20 over S9 here!" I told him my location, and we chatted for a few moments. He politely asked about Abby and I told him that not only was she with me, she was holding the beam. 

Jack replied, "Wow. Now that's what I called a stacked array!". 

My wife is still laughing. 

73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
EM63nf
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114