Excitement is high in North Texas with the recent addition of the North Texas region.
As a fairly active activator (as active as I could be with the closest summit being in Oklahoma, 3.5hrs away), I REALLY wanted to be the first to activate a W5T/NT summit. I already had plans to attend a QRP ham convention in Missouri this first weekend of /NT but an 18 wheeler running into my driver’s side door changed all of those plans. I was still able to get around (in pain and off pain meds so I could drive) so I took a trip to Possum Kingdom Lake where Johnson Peak showed up with a road all the way to the summit.
I got to the turn and found a sign that said authorized vehicles only. Bummer!
No need to give up though, I found a sign with a phone number for contacting the authorities and soon after, a sheriff showed up.
He said the road ‘used’ to be no trespassing for everyone but since a trail has been made around the lake that goes across the road, it is now open to hikers all the way to the top!
I quickly got a 2m contact with my wife back at the truck for a VHF contact and 1 in the logbook…
The AC lines, tower antennas, etc put out S7 noise on my Alexloop and S9 on my endfed so I stuck with the Alexloop. I wanted to get 12m in for the extra chasers that hang out there but I had to try 40 for the locals first. 40 was dead or chasers were buried in the noise. Went to 20 and got all the chasers I could hear (6) and was feeling bad so I packed up and headed down.
I will be coming back here. The sheriff gave me a tip on another local summit after he looked at the summit pins on my SOTAgoat app map.
I REALLY appreciate Mike KD5KC and the SOTA MT for all the work that went into creating this new p100 region within W5T. It makes it easier for not only me to enjoy my favourite hobby, but for me to take along new/old/non hams on my expeditions to get them excited about my passion (addiction?).
73,
Curtis