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POTA K-4516: Project TouCans on Monjeau Peak


Project TouCans did its first somewhat high antenna elevation POTA in Lincoln National Forest over the weekend. The cloud cover was thick at 9,000 feet, so I didn't notice something about the QTH that definitely affected the QSO map. The cloud cover also made for a very quiet forest with the occasional exception of four wheel drive vehicles turning around because the last little bit of Forest Service Road 117 up to Monjeau Lookout was gated closed.

This was the first POTA where TouCans was substantially—meaning more than four feet up—suspended by tarred twine. It turns out that the stuff works spectaculalrly well! 

The area was gorgeous. I grew up in the mountains around here. Both the drive up and the very small hike felt very famililar and very comfortable. The air felt right. I live at sea level these days, so I had to move slow—it's all my body was going to allow me to do—but the space called for slow, easy movements anyway. You'll see.



QSO Maps


You'll probably note that due North just isn't there for the rig. QSOs to Colorado later in the day from Valley of Fires proved out that there were in fact folks listening out that direction. As I mentioned, I couldn't really see where I was setting up in relation to hte rest of the landscape. Here's what I found when I was finally able to look at a map:




I had setup the site in a bit of a bowl. There are two reasons I can see for the lack of QSOs to the North. First, Monjeau Lookout is in the way. 



Second, if you take another look at the antenna and rig that opened the post, you'll see the rig (and therefore the antenna feed point) is situated more towards the side of the ravine that leads out to Monjeau Lookout, so the ravine itself can also block more signal on that side.

QSOs

Callsignrx RSTtx RSTTime (GMT)Frequency
ai6ey5595592024/03/16 18:30:0014057.4
n9msg5395592024/03/16 18:48:0014057.4
kj5w5495992024/03/16 18:50:0014057.4
wm2v5695592024/03/16 18:52:0014057.4
n7wpo5495592024/03/16 18:54:0014057.4
k0yy5495592024/03/16 18:56:0014057.4
ai5in5495592024/03/16 19:00:0014057.4
k0hx5395492024/03/16 19:09:0014057.4
k6pb5395392024/03/16 19:10:0014057.4
w5gw5695592024/03/16 19:13:0014057.4
k0laf5395392024/03/16 19:15:0014057.4
n7xj4395992024/03/16 19:21:0014057.4

Wrapping it all up

I made a useful discovery during this activation: almost all of the digital noise the rig sometimes emanates is coming from the Bluetooh audio transmitter. I switched off the Pico-W and the digital noise was completely unchanged. That leaves the audio transmitter. When the Bluetooth transmitter isn't causing issues, the rig is surprisingly noise free, even in San Francisco.

One of the things I really enjoy about POTA is the chance to get outside and see the world. This activation did not disappoint in that—or any other for that matter—regard. On the way back down the mountain, a large herd of deer made their way across the road in front of me, then started grazing again on the other side.



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