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Bunker Hill, OR | September 2020

K7WXW's picture
Summit: 
W7O/NC-038
Voice Cellular Coverage: 
Don't know
Data Cellular Coverage: 
Spotty, may not work at all
Cellular Provider: 
AT&T
APRS Coverage: 
Good digi echos

Bunker Hill is an unremarkable summit that can be reached, cautiously, with a 4WD vehicle. After you leave the highway, the way up has a number of branch points; GPS or a map will be handy.  When you get to the yellow gate, take down your antennas and be carefree about your paint getting scratched, otherwise, park here and hike up. It is roughly a 300' climb over half a mile. 

Here is a gaiagps map with driving and hiking information: W7O/NC-038 route.  

The activation zone is broad and flat. You'll find an open area with a fire ring. You can claw your way through the dense underbrush to get to the summit but it hardly seemed worth the effort. There's no view but there are also no RF towers, so it is very quiet.  There are small trees from which to hang wires and a leisurely activation, at least in good weather, is possible.  I had the place to myself but there are a lot of gravel roads on this hill and they all look well-used. 

I had good APRS digi echos but didn't try messaging as it is a PITA on the VX8.  ATT data coverage was mostly non-existent and I was unsuccessful spotting myself using SOTAgoat. I used a 1/4 wave whip for 2M contacts, which worked okay, and an endfed set up as an inverted "L" for 40/30/20 meters SSB and CW, which also worked okay.