Night Hikes And Tarp Shelters: Winter Summits-On-The-Air Is Here!

Mount Norwottuck (W1/CR-004) in the Mount Holyoke Range State Park (K-2449) is a baby mountain. It is just over 1100 feet in elevation and less than 4 miles out-and-back. So AA1F and I each brought our summer overnight packs complete with our own radio stations (including 20M, 40M, and 80M band pass filters so we could operate simultaneously).

Our stations are identical, including Yaesu FT-891As, LDG Z100Plus autotuners, 15ah Bioenno LiFePo4 batteries, Dunestar bandpass filters, and RG8X coax feedlines and jumpers. AA1F uses a Radiowavz 20M EFHW antenna religiously. I brought my homemade 49:1 40M EFHW. AA1F, an extremely fast-paced and efficient person, set up on a rock and was on the air in less than 15 minutes. You can see his set-up at the summit of Mount Norwottuck below.

I, on the other hand, take much longer to set-up and appreciate some luxury. I guyed and staked out my current go-to ~1 pound polyureathane-coated ripstop nylon REI Quarter Dome SL tarp in an “L”-shaped configuration. This provided both a wind block as well as a ground cover. It also collected a bit of warmth from the sun with a tiny bit of a greenhouse effect on the thin, light-colored plasticky nylon fabric. Despite the 30 degree late fall temperatures and steady chilly wind, I wasn’t too cold. I did have long underwear upper and lower base layers, cross-country ski pants, wool socks, multiple shirts, and a puffy pack coat. My warmth was being sucked away by the cold earth due to a lack of an insulated ground pad (which I had decided to leave behind). As you can see, the sun was setting on our one point (successful!) SOTA activation.

AA1F and I packed up in the twilight and hiked down by headlamp in the dark. That is Bare Mountain seen through the trees near the peak of Mount Norwottuck after sunset.

There are two important winter hiking tips in this tiny little radio report. One, a lightweight tarp can be a godsend, if for nothing else it can keep your radio dry and on the air if it rains. And you too! I tend to bring a tarp along, even just to use as a picnic blanket, on every hike I go on these days. But, when you really need it, a tarp can be a life-saving shelter, keeping you and your gear out of the elements. Or it can just make a cold day a bit more comfortable. A versatile tool well worth its pack weight!

Next, never ever hike without a headlamp. The sun set a little after 4 pm today in this corner of Massachusetts. AA1F are not known to be early birds. Be we still like to get our worms. When we get a late start hiking and know the sun is going to set on us, we do not panic. In fact, hiking in the dark is a very enjoyable activity and can be done safely if you have the outdoor experience and are careful about what trails you pick. Though maybe we best leave this as our little secret? Because it is so very very nice to be out in the woods alone…

Until the next one,

KM1NDY