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POTA Organ Mountains de KD0FNR K-4551: Milky Way

 The sky was gorgeous! The Milky Way was finally out on this trip, so there were great photos. Ham radio also did really well on 20 meters QRP.


Park:

Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument K-4551 

Take US 70 out of Las Cruces headed East Towards Alamogordo. After you get through the pass, look for a sign on the right hand side after the rest area, but before you get to the Missile Range entrance.

Camping out here is only $7 a night. You don't need a reservation. The place is gorgeous. What else can I say?

Radio Details:

I was at the park for two nights—silly Southwest Airlines and weather delays—but at a different site each night, so the antennas were pointed different directions. You'll see this in the map below if you zoom in far enough.

The radio was the old POTA workhorse: the RockMite on 20 meters.  I wound up out on the mountain for two nights. Here's the first antenna placement:


and here's the second




QSO/RBN spot map:

The map above is both nights combined. Notice, the Organ Mountains are still Mountaining. A detailed view from the two sites shows the picture more completely:




Happenings of Interest 

As I mentioned, the Milky Way was out! I managed to luck into camping spot 33 which is apparently much sought after. The next morning, a gentleman waited patiently in his truck for me to finish packing camp before he immediately moved in.

I wound up out at the Organs a second night when my flight was cancelled. The next morning I capture a few videos of my second camp site which I beleive was spot 1. It was higher up the hill towards the Organs.


Where to Eat, What to Do

There are some delicious restaurants in the area. Here's where I got to go on this trip.

Dick's Cafe

This is an awesome little burgers and beer joint that's local. I've been eating there since I was a kid. When I got into my early 20s, I finally got a taste for green chile and ate their even more often. At lunch and in the evenings, if you like hamburgers, you can't go wrong with theirs. Make sure to get it with green chili and cheese. It's so good! 

If you're there in the morning, their breakfast burritos are also incredible, (it's the chili.) When they ask if you'd like red or green chili, I'd advise ordering it Christmas. It'll come with half read and half green chili. Both are delicious. The picture below is a lunch burrito. The breakfast burritos don't come with beans and rice.


When you're asked what size of beer you'd like, short meens a normal pint like you'd get in any other pub or bar. The large beer is HUGE!

Bosa Donuts

Again with the chili: I lived near this place in grad school. They have a drivethrough window, open at five in the morning, and have one of the best breakfast burritos you can eat while you drive. Their donuts are also yummy. If you get there too late—especially on a weekend—there'll be a line around the building.

Calichis

This is another joint I started frequenting in grad school. Back then I really liked their custard milk shakes and malts. I still do. Now though, I also really enjoy their hot dogs.

If you bring a dog with you, they also have pup cones for your puppy. 

Also? The location on Roadrunner has kind of a nice view of the Organs.



QSO Log

Callsignrx RSTtx RSTTime (GMT)Frequency
K4SUE5995992023/04/25 02:35:0014058.4
W7OQ5795992023/04/25 02:07:0014058.4
KB4N5595792023/04/25 02:12:0014058.4
W6DX4495592023/04/25 02:15:0014058.4
WB8DTT5995992023/04/25 02:40:0014058.4
W9MET5595992023/04/25 02:42:0014058.4
WB2WGX3395992023/04/25 02:49:0014058.4
KG4ZQZ5595592023/04/25 12:27:0014058.4
WB8DTT5595892023/04/25 12:32:0014058.4
KF9R5595992023/04/25 12:35:0014058.4
N8BB5595592023/04/25 12:35:0014058.4
NG6R5595992023/04/25 12:38:0014058.4
KA9DCU5595792023/04/25 13:00:0014058.4
KB3AD5595892023/04/25 13:02:0014058.4
N2EM3295792023/04/25 13:04:0014058.4
WK4DS3394492023/04/25 16:08:0014058.4
WB8DTT5595592023/04/26 02:16:0014058.4
N6KM5595992023/04/26 02:17:0014058.4
K5VWW5595992023/04/26 02:20:0014058.4
K6MW2295592023/04/26 02:58:0014058.4
WC0Y5995792023/04/26 03:00:0014058.4
AB4GE5795792023/04/26 03:03:0014058.4
WW9L5595992023/04/26 03:06:0014058.4
W8SCS5595892023/04/26 03:11:0014058.4
AA5UZ5595792023/04/26 03:13:0014058.4
N9GZ5795992023/04/26 03:16:0014058.4
KO4RST5995992023/04/26 11:5414058.4
N3XLS3395592023/04/26 11:57:0014058.4
N4GZ5595592023/04/26 11:59:0014058.4
AE4FZ5593392023/04/26 12:00:0014058.4

POTA tx QSL:


QSL rx album:


References


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