Operating portable(mobile) in SoCal

[W1GUH]

I just got an FT-857, and I'm dying to take it out to the wide-open (HF noise quiet) spaces....clip it onto the car battery, run lots of wire for an antenna, and operate from a picnic table. And I've got a two day weekend to do it over (been rare lately).

Where do you guys recommend? I'll be leaving from Manhattan Beach on Saturday morning. My current plans are to head up to Tehachapi (I'm a train freak)...but, if there's an excellent radio place...that would take precedence.

(BTW...I love the radio!)

[KG6YTZ]

I think probably the only "wide open" you're going to get around here is out in the desert, but you're still likely to have power lines to contend with - those "offramps to nowhere" on the desert highways have to go somewhere. Even so, you'd still be away from the majority of the local hash-and-trash - it's bound to be quieter than where you are now.

I'm not very familiar with the terrain around Tehachapi, but I believe that's in the mountains above Bakersfield. You wouldn't be far from the desert there.

[ki6dzu]

Out here I 4-wheel drive up in the mountains in the BLM. This is out by Palm Springs, if you are out this way give me a call! Ill probably be out this weekend anyways.

[k6jpd]

yes, take the tram http://www.pstramway.com/ in palm springs and set up on top #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
#ps. take some warm clothes too, when you go from sea level to 8400 feet asl it gets a lot colder.

[KA4DPO]

Quote[/b] (W1GUH @ April 05 2007,22:54)]I just got an FT-857, and I'm dying to take it out to the wide-open (HF noise quiet) spaces....clip it onto the car battery, run lots of wire for an antenna, and operate from a picnic table. #And I've got a two day weekend to do it over (been rare lately).

Where do you guys recommend? #I'll be leaving from Manhattan Beach on Saturday morning. #My current plans are to head up to Tehachapi (I'm a train freak)...but, if there's an excellent radio place...that would take precedence.

(BTW...I love the radio!)
Try Griffith park up at the observatory that's a great spot.

[W1GUH]

Thanks for the suggestions. Palm Springs is a strong contender...I'd love to see that tramway. I could operate the '817 up there. And, I'm sure that there are spots around to give the '857 a workout, too.

Tehachapi is in the high desert between Lancaster/Mojave and Bakersfield (over the mountains). I've been up that way a couple of times on business and it look like theres good operating spots up that way.

[ki6dzu]

When do you plan on heading out that way? I may be able to make it out there, I am about 40 minuets away (twentynine palms). Might be neat to do some /p from there.

There is also a echolink node up on the tram, I dont know the number, but if you search for Palm Springs you should find it.

[W1GUH]

I wound up in Palm Springs last night. It was one of those things that I was undecided til I got to the turnoff for Palm Springs and took it. I actually didn't know til that moment what I wanted to do.

While out there, I looked up repeaters in Palm Springs, both in that ARRL Travel-plus software (glad it was at a deep sale price cut...), and on the 'net. I found two machines, including the one at the top of the tram, and I couldn't raise either of them. I also tried another one closer to LA and it didn't work, either. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif So I was incommunicado for the day and night and day.

I didn't get much operating in, either. Palm Springs turned out to be much, much different that I had expected, and I got distracted from the radio. Last night I walked around downtown til I got tired, and this morning I did the tram, then went to the Air Museum. Both were outstanding. I did stop at a rest area on the way back and listened a little bit on the '817, but didn't hear enough to warrent setting up the '857. That's frustrating. When I can hear WWV well, and can hardly hear hams on. Doesn't anyone operate anymore? Ah, well...

Thanks for the tip about Palm Springs and the tram. I'd heard about it and wondered about it, but I wouldn't have thought of it myself.

Now...if only the traffic on the LA Freeways wasn't such "fun." http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif