Early April Hike to Old Hill Village
April 2013

Today I hiked in Old Hill Village on the west side of the
Pemigewasset River. I worked Macedonia, Italy and W0RW
pedestrian mobile in Colorado. This was a fantastic outing.



Coming down the hill alongside Needle Shop Brook, there
was still snow and ice. But once in the old village, the road
was dry. This is the most amazing spot with 3500 acres of
fields and trees which form a flood control reserve for the
Franklin Falls Dam.

After walking 1/2 mile north I turned east through a field
toward the river.



Imagine having a place like this... all to yourself... to roam, to breathe
clean air, to enjoy nature... and to play radio.



I setup at the edge of the field, not 60 feet from the river. I tossed
a line over a pine branch and sat down in the warm sun. I hooked
up the HB-1B with 4 watts on 20 meters to a half-wave wire rising
straight from the backpack to the branch overhead.

At the bottom of the band I heard Jane Z320G from Macedonia
calling CQ. I answered and we exchanged quick 599s. This was
generous because I had to send my call several times before he
copied. There was strong QSB. Next I went up the band and
heard Pietro IZ2EWR finishing another QSO. The Italian
station was very strong and well worth waiting for. Pietro gave
me a 579 and sent, "UR QRP FB."

Before calling it quits, I dialed up to the QRP frequency, 14.060.
What a nice surprise to hear Paul W0RW calling CQ. Paul in
Colorado, was pedestrian mobile. We were both weak to each
other, but were able to complete a contact. Paul gave me a 339
and he was 449.



With cool temperatures in the mid-30s and a wind
gusting to 15 MPH, it was a bit nippy in the shade.
But in the warm sun, surrounded by blue sky and
some trees for a wind-break, it was perfect. This is
a place I love to ride my bike in the warmer weather.
I'll be back many times in the glorious weeks ahead.