Mountain Pond in October
by Jim Cluett
This afternoon Hanz W1JSB and I hiked to
Mountain Pond. It's a remote reservoir for
the nearby town of New Hampton. We set
up on 20 meters and operated for about
half an hour. Between us we worked nearly
a dozen stations including Oregon, Florida and
Hungary.
![](corner.jpg)
The trail beckoned us onward right from the
beginning. Brilliant fall foliage lined the pathway
both underfoot and on the branches.
![](gold_tunnel.jpg)
I haven't been to Mountain Pond in perhaps
five years. It's a remote area about a mile
and a quarter West of Spectacle Pond off
Rt. 132 in Sanbornton. The day was perfect
for a hike.
Along the trail we came upon several huge trees
blocking our way. They came down last summer
when a microburst cut right through the area.
![](trees_down.jpg)
After walking for nearly 40 minutes we reached
the pond.
![](pond.jpg)
The place is stunning. All around the pond
and in the hills beyond, the trees are in
brilliant color. Beaver lodges and cuttings are
easily seen. A huge hawk soars overhead and
moose and deer tracks can be seen in the mud
along the water's edge. We set up our antennas on
a pine knoll about 40 feet from the water.
![](pine_knoll.jpg)
Hanz put up an end fed wire as a sloper. The
end is up about 30 feet and it's a perfect
45 degree sloper. I also use an end fed but have
it straight up as a vertical.
The wind is whistling and it's only slightly
above 40. By the time we're ready to operate
our hands are pretty cold.
Hanz sits on a huge tree trunk with his SW-20.
He's added lots of enhancements like an LED
frequency readout, a touch keyer and battery
voltage readout.
![](hanz.jpg)
We hear mostly stations in the FOC contest and
work a bunch of them. I am using the ATS-2. We
switch off. Hanz works a couple of stations, then
I do the same.
![](jim.jpg)
I don't hear a lot of DX at the bottom of the band.
But the FOC stations are pounding in way over
S-9. I work K4XU, Dick in Oregon who graciously
congratulates me on the QRP signal. I also worked
Bob N4BP using the Second Class Operators call
W1SOC. Before shutting down I managed to work
HA9RT, Joska in Hungary. He was one of the few
European stations I heard today.
![](gold2.jpg)
On the return hike the sun was lower and bathed
the leaves in light. We stopped on the trail
several times just to soak in the magic of it all.
A combination of wind and rain due this coming
week will probably put an end to the enchantment.