Bay Hill SOTA activation 2023-04-02

Bay Hill SOTA activation 2023-04-02
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Today’s post is about Bay Hill, aka W6/NC-434 SOTA activation. I can’t say that the summit is of any particular interest to me on its own. It’s just me trying to hit two birds with one stone: I’ve never been to Bodega Bay before, and Bay Hill is the closest SOTA hump.

A wee bit of Bodega Bay history

Located about forty miles north of San Francisco, Bodega Bay is neatly protected from visitor crowds by Muir Woods and Napa Valley. It takes about one and a half hours to get there driving on 101 and about two hours driving on the 1.

Cliffs below the Bodega Head Trail

Cliffs below the Bodega Head Trail

The bay is named after Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, Spanish Peruvian explorer who charted this coast back in 1775. While most evidence points towards Drake’s Bay, some distance to the south, as the location of New Albion - the first English claim on the west coast of North America - some believe it could be Bodega Bay instead.

Find an arch

Find an arch

Like Drake’s Bay, Bodega Bay was home for coastal Miwok people when the Europeans were exploring the area for the first time. It also served as the main port for the Fort Ross and was one of the southernmost points of Russian-American Company activity back in the 19th century.

Cliffs below the Bodega Head Trail

Cliffs below the Bodega Head Trail

After the Mexican-American war the territory was incorporated into the United States.

The comparatively secluded location made the place a fitting backdrop for Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”

Nice flowers

Nice flowers

I was delighted to discover one of the prettiest corners of Central California’s shore here, hiking the short Bodega Head trail. The vistas are well worth the drive and you can get some decent oysters and crabs in town.

Doran spit

Doran spit

Getting there

I’d take 1 going north and 101 going back. Just drive to this point. Bay Hill road is a bit rough at times but nothing a Prius can’t handle.

Bay Hill aka W6/NC-434 SOTA activation

The activation is a fairly simple “drive-by” one. There are several pull-outs on the road near the summit from which you can work.

Operating from inside the vehicle but on the battery power

Operating from inside the vehicle but on the battery power

Make sure your antenna setup is neat, secure, and does not cause trouble for passers-by.

The summit is not super prominent

The summit is not super prominent

Stations worked from Bay Hill

Thanks to all the chasers!

Time UTC Call sign RST sent RST received Frequency Mode Maidenhead grid
20:14 WW7D 559 579 14.062 CW CN87
20:16 N7LKK 559 559 14.062 CW DN17
20:18 WU7H 559 559 14.062 CW CN87
20:20 KF7SP 559 559 14.062 CW
20:22 KE5AKL 559 559 14.062 CW DM65
20:24 WB7ULD 559 559 14.062 CW DN40
20:30 WB6POT 599 579 7.032 CW CM99

See you, K0SSK out.