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N0LX/MM QRP World Record Attempt
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August 14, 2004
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This summer I operated QRP from a small rowboat in a reservoir at 13,800 feet, just below the summit of Mt Evans west of Denver. It was a cool 45 degrees, but the sun was shining and I was fulfilling a plan that took two years to realize. I was packed and ready to go late last summer, but the day before it was to happen, they closed the road for the year due to snow.
Well, the contacts came in from as far away as New Hampshire and Virginia and I had a great time, especially hearing the surprise in their voices as they asked me to repeat my location. The hardest part was talking, rowing and logging at the same time. The wind came up frequently and I had to keep rowing to keep from being blown into the not-too-distant shore.
I brought along two friends: Bruce, KG0SH and Eric, KG0HO to help carry the boat to the water and to act as witnesses. They stayed with the vehicles back on the road and answered questions from curious passers-by. Several wanted to know how big the fish were that I needed such a big pole. (By the way, I did receive permission to do this from the USFS. There is no boating allowed on the two bigger lakes down below here.)
Here’s the setup I used that day:
Boat: eight-foot Walker Bay
Rig: Yaesu FT-817 running five watts SSB on 17 and 20 meters
Tuner: homebrew tuned circuit using toroid coils and an old a.m. radio’s tuning cap
Antenna: twenty-foot, coil-shortened, halfwave vertical, held up with a fiberglass fishing pole
If someone comes along and proves they operated from a lake at 16,000 feet in the Himalayas back in ’65, then I’ll congratulate them and revert to my secondary claim of the QRP Marine Altitude Record. The most important thing of all is that I set a goal, succeeded and had a blast doing it!
72/73,
Jake
N0LX
Click on the pictures below to see the full size photos.
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Here's the reservoir, 40 miles west of Denver, Colorado and just below the summit of Mt Evans. Location: 39* 34.96'N 105* 38.36' W
Built to supply water to a restaurant that was once at the top of the mountain, it is no longer in use.
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Arrival. It's a short hike to the water from here.
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Tuning up.
The FT-817 feeds a homebrew matching unit and coil-loaded halfwave vertical. The antenna is supported with a 20 foot fishing pole.
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The GPS shows the lake to be right at 13,800 feet above sea level.
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What a backdrop! Looking southwest toward the far side of the lake.
In all, 14 contacts were made to eight states including: Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia and Colorado.
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Later, Eric and I hiked to the top of the mountain. He wanted to see the summit and I tried some "pedestrian mobile."
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That's me. Made some nice contacts including Florida and Alberta, Canada.
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Can you spot the HFPack'er in the crowd?
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This is the USGS marker at the summit.
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