2m SOTA fun from Cowtrack Mountain
For 2026, I've spent a fair amount of time attempting 2m weak signal contacts. There is a SOTA challenge this year to make 2m CW and SSB contacts from summits, so W6LOR and I have been hitting the peaks and trying to make it work. Before this year, my experience with this was pretty limited, but I've managed to put together some gear and have had some modest success. My farthest contact so far happened this weekend, so here is a short recap!
Four-element 2m Yagi
Lorene and I headed to Cowtrack Mountain (W6/ND-019). This is a seldom visited peak east of Mono Lake in California, not far from the Nevada border. This is one of Lorene's favorite peaks, and the day promised to be not too hot. The approach is via a sandy double track road that gradually gets worse and worse. After a bit of driving, we pulled off before a particularly deep sandy stretch and started hiking the double track.
W6LOR heading out along the sandy double track.
There are some spectacular views of the Sierra range to the west, and one can start daydreaming about the next Sierra peak to do.
W6LOR pointing towards Lee Vining canyon. The prominent peak left of center is Mt. Dana.
The double track continues, but shows less and less signs of recent vehicle use as we get closer to the peak. At this point, the summit becomes visible as a low rock mound in the distance.
The double track continues, but grows more faint.
We saw good displays of wildflowers decorating our way. The most prominent were lupines and a member of genus Stephanomeria. We also saw Phlox, Rabbitbrush, Bitterbrush, and Scalebud.
Some Stephanomeria in the foreground.
Yellow Scalebud flowers.
As we neared the summit, we were treated to a stark view of Mono Lake with the Sierra range in the background.
A stunning view of desolate Mono Lake comes into view.
The south end of Mono Lake. The prominent peak left of center is 13,058' Mt. Dana (W6/SN-020).
After reaching the peak of Cowtrack Mountain, we set up an end-fed halfwave antenna for HF and a 4-element Yagi antenna for 2m. We worked several stations in Bishop, California on 2m FM and 2m SSB. We also worked Hank, W6SX, in Mammoth Lakes on 2m CW.
W6LOR making contacts. The 4-element Yagi is for 2m. The EFHW antenna runs to the left, but is hard to see in the photo.
The real fun began, though, when we saw that Tom (KE6SRO) and Carol (KE6SRN) had spotted on Butler Peak (W6/CT-009) in Southern California. Butler has a great dropoff to the north, and we knew that Tom and Carol would be active on 2m CW. Lorene quickly texted them and asked them to point their beam north, while we pointed south and listened. After a few moments, we clearly heard Carol's CQ. It was faint, raspy, and had some fading, but it was clearly there. After we both made contact with Carol, it was Tom's turn to work first me and then Lorene. I caught a portion of that QSO on my iPhone. Here it is:
A portion of the QSO between Tom and Lorene.
This was a 444 km contact. I realize that there are folks who do better than this on a regular basis, but this was the farthest 2m contact I have ever made. It was also interesting to use the "Heywhatsthat" app to look at the straight-line path and intervening terrain.
Path between Cowtrack Mountain and Butler Peak.
The "heywhatsthat" app provides a view of the intervening terrain along the path. The graph shows the Earth as flat and the straight-line path as curved because it is a little easier to judge the terrain this way.
After basking in the glow of this really fun contact, we did some HF. Lorene had a good run on 20m CW, including NH and Japan. 40m was a little quieter for me, but I still managed several contacts with our KX2. After that, it was time to pack up and head back home.
Returning home from the peak with great views along the way.
73,
Mike K6STR
Comments
Post a Comment