2007 FOBB – K6DGW/BB

I did FOBB in 2007, I had a great time, and really enjoyed it.  I had done one other FOBB, 2005 I think, but this time I decided to go to what is called “Overlook Park” here in Auburn and this time I had a Buddipole.  At one time in the early 70’s, there was a project to build a dam, much like Hoover Dam, on the American River at Auburn … except trust me, the American River is not even close to the same league as the Colorado!  The Bureau of Reclamation built an information center on the edge of the canyon so people could learn about the dam and look over the edge and see it being constructed.  A lot of foundation work was completed, you can see the southeast abutment for the dam in the first photo.  Then, an earthquake occurred in the vicinity of the newly completed dam at Oroville to the north on the Feather River.  This triggered a new seismic study at Auburn, and alas, it found the same kinds of faults under the yet-to-be-constructed dam.  Re-engineering the dam to be seismically safe ran the costs way out of reach of even the Federal government, and the project has been abandoned. 

Eventually, the Bureau tore down their information center, and gave the land and parking lot to the Auburn Recreation District who made it into a sort-of park. It currently is the site of the Auburn Skateboard Park, the finish line for the American River 50mi Run, the finish for the Tevis 100mi Endurance Ride, and “Event Control” for both the Tevis and the Western States 100mi Endurance Run.

When I was looking for a place to operate, I tumbled to the realization that the Overlook would allow me to put my Buddipole on the west edge of a 1,000’ deep canyon which might offer me some take-off angle advantages.  I have some combat injuries and have braces on my legs, but I figured I could maintain the spirit of the FOBB if I drove to the parking lot, parked my truck as far as I thought I could manage, and schlepp my gear to a shaded picnic table close to the edge of the canyon. 

Here is my station; a QRP K2 [#4398], an Elecraft W1 wattmeter/SWR bridge in a W8FGU Lexan box, a 12 Ah gel cell that I charged with my neighbor’s RV solar panel, and a Bencher paddle.  The picnic table was metal and powder coated, so I drove my own ground rod [not sure why, I guess it seemed like a good idea at the time.  I really didn’t expect lightning].  And here is my Buddipole where I was getting it tuned [in the shade, it was almost 100 that day], I moved it out to the edge of the canyon for the contest.

How’d it go?  Well, I made 15 Q’s in 3 hours and 45 mins, 13 of which were with other Bees for 540 points [I think].  It was all 20m, the SFI was totally in the tank, and if you give me some time, I’ll think up some other excuses.   I overestimated the charge rate from the solar panel, and my battery began to die right at the end.  I had a great time though, and had several visitors asking what was going on.

And for trivia:  The hill with the dry grass behind my antenna in the third photo was actually a military “installation” during WW2.  The cinder block building you can see belongs to the Auburn Police Department and houses one of their radio sites.  It’s probably 20 years old.  Next to it, there is an old structure like a fire lookout where paramilitary volunteers would scan the skies for Japanese aircraft.  It had a name, I used to know it, unfortunately that memory has faded.

See you all in 2008.

73,

Fred [“Skip”] K6DGW