I never thought that at the end of January we would have mosquitoes, but there they were all over me at the top of David Hill. If that’s not a reason to go activate the summit, then what about this view on the way to the top?
We left Bill’s (WJ7WJ) house at 8 a.m. The trailhead is not marked. It’s on a bend in the road and starts with a steep hill. I borrowed trekking poles from Bill, which has inspired me to get a pair of my own. Some parts are steep, and it’s great to have upper-body assistance as you climb David Hill.
Part of the trail cuts over Stimson’s private property. On weekends the public can access it, or Monday to Friday from 16:00 until sunset.
This morning we had an inversion, with clouds blanketing the city below. Out in the distance was Mt. Hood, poking through the clouds.
The activation zone is in a large opening with no viewpoints. When we arrived, it appeared to have been recently logged. There was little understory growth, and the tree roots looked fresh.
Bill and I set up our radios and started transmitting. Immediately, I was swarmed with mosquitoes, big ones, too. I was dancing around my radio, swatting them away while trying to record people’s summit codes. Next time, I’ll pack my picaridin spray.
I used an end-fed half-wave antenna with my TX-500 Discovery. I had a place to mount my mast and reached Oklahoma that day with a 5-9 report at 10 W. Bill’s setup was unique. I didn’t realize it at first, but one of his trekking poles is a Yagi antenna! He also built a table for his tripod stand so he could operate while standing.
After an hour, we packed up and headed back to the car. Overall, David Hill is a nice, simple hike that might be better during the dry season
