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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
When fellow NCCC member Garry/NI6T asked if I wanted to do a repeat of our
successful CQP 2008 KINGs County Expedition adventure, I was still consumed
with my Locust Peak SO2R REMOTE project and will confess CQP was the last
thing on my mind. After months and months of non-stop work in the heat (I
start to melt-down above 68 degrees F), I craved some kind of "mini-vacation"
in the cool MONTerey Peninsula ocean/beach atmosphere. Doing the CQP 2008
with Garry was more fun than a barrel of drunken monkeys, but I opt'd out.
This weekend I think I found a new "Hobby" (a/k/a "Addiction") while down on
the Monterey Peninsula. No, I did not actually go up in the Hanglider,
but since I've always wanted to fly (not in a plane), well, "stayed tuned" :^)
THE ORIGINAL PLAN
I simply could not commit to a full-time CQP Expedition this year, so when
the general request came for "more coverage" in the MONT multiplier, I thought
maybe I could combine a simple fixed mobile stint with my mini-vacation plans.
Tnx to Google Earth, I had identified an $80 per night motel room location that would also
allow me to park the Tahoe oriented toward the East Coast (mobiles are directional). I made
a quick trip down the prior week to also escape the 95 degree heat, and although confronted
with dense fog at 2PM in the afternoon, the 57 degree temperature was AWESOME. The parking
location ended up being just below the freeway level, so a change was made to the Quality Inn
next door. After getting home, I got the "hindsight" idea of trying to find a daytime location
to operate "fixed mobile" on or near the salt water, and Google Earth came through
again. A few quick phone calls ended up connecting me with the owner of the the Bayview
Delicatessen on the U.S. Coast Guard pier who was receptive to the idea of parking next to
the Deli and getting A/C power via an extension cord to the Tahoe rig & Confuzer. It all seemed
so easy now - just put a TS-480 in the Tahoe, hook up the mobile antenna pack my toothbrush and
a clean pair of shorts and head for destination "X". *NOT*
THE MODIFIED ("REALITY") PLAN
I had planned to leave town about NOON on Friday and take a leisurely
drive down to MONTerey and spend the rest of the day and evening in strict R&R
mode. As I started looking for "stuff" on Thursday, I realized what a state of
chaos everything was in at the Home QTH due to the intense focus with Locust Peak
specific work for months. Sparing all the frustrating details, I also decided to
have some new mobile-specific power wiring installed, and didn't get my Tahoe back
until 8PM Friday night. I was exhausted and didn't feel like packing up in the dark
and driving, so ended up having to eat the Friday night motel expense ;-( I ended up
leaving for MONTerey a few minutes AFTER CQP started on Saturday morning (and working WX3B
mobile in my driveway). Made a few SBEN and MONT K6VVA/M SSB Q's on the trip down. Here is
the photo taken after working VE3KZ (still mobile) as I approached the pier location (late at
1730+ UTC). The view is looking toward the East Coast (over salt water - a "method to my madness" :^)
LOCUST PARADISE
The CQP 2008 motel location with 7 well-known Fast Food places almost next door was great, but
being right next to the Bayview Delicatessen Deli BBQ & MARKET on the U.S. Coast Guard pier was
even better. There's a nice outdoor patio and they even have a water dish for visiting canines
plus the Official Beer of Locust Peak: PACIFICO !!! Lenny & Valentina (originally from St. Petersburg,
Russia) were EXCELLENT CQP Expedition Hosts, and Valentina helped to faciliate a better fixed-mobile
operating position nearer the water by the HarborMaster's QTH and a nearby A/C outlet. I sat in
the passenger seat of the Tahoe with the Asus mini-PC and separate Ergo keyboard on my lap via a
3/8 inch plywood platform. I was so hungry when I arrived that I forgot to take a photo of the
MONSTER "Breakfast Burrito" and MONSTER warmed cinnamon roll with frosting that I rapidly consumed
before getting set up for CQP action. After I discovered Lenny BBQ'ing tri-tip and salmon, 3 hours
later I had a late lunch: delicious smoked salmon, BBQ'd tri-tip and a glass of Australian Shiraz.
This was certainly "LOCUST PARADISE" to be sure :^) The temperature was about 60 degrees and I was
sucking up all the ocean air in a CQP T-Shirt and shorts. If you ever visit Monterey be sure and stop by the
Bayview Delicatessen BBQ & MARKET on the U.S. Coast Guard pier and tell Lenny & Valentina "THE LOCUST"
sent you !!!
LOCUST (COMMERICAL) RADIO NOSTALGIA
In early & mid-1980's, I worked in Commercial Radio as a D.J. ("On-Air Announcer") and Program Director
for several Monterey area stations. Standing in the parking lot outside the Bayview Deli looking toward
nearby famous "Cannery Row", I could see a familiar red & white painted self-supporting tower of the AM
station I worked for as "Christopher Drake" (one of my many on-air names). The red arrow points to the tower
which is not easily visible in the photo. I recalled doing one specific "overnight" shift (Top 40/Oldies Format
when 45 RPM record lengths were like 2 minutes & 40 seconds). The studios were located in on the 2nd story
of a building on Cannery Row that legend has it was a former Brothel. Some of the doorways were extremely low, and the
foam padding above the low door between the on-air studio and the production room had come off (or been
taken down). Circa 3AM in the morning, I was in the production room when I realized the 45 I had put on
to play was just about to end. I came RUSHING back to the on-air room, but forgot about the low, un-protected
low-headroom in the doorway. WHAM!!! I started to pass out from the massive blow to my head, but stumbled
into the room and plopped in the chair while holding my hand to my head. When I brought my hand down and looked at my
palm, it contained a pool of blood. I was like MAJOR disoriented, and all I could think about was that it was
my "job" to keep the station on the air with no "dead air". I could not find the Emergency Station phone
number list, but had enough consciousness of mind to call 911. Ambulance, Fire & Police personnel descended on the
studios shortly thereafter, and the Medics said I needed to go to the Hospital ASAP for major stitches. Like a
good solider (yeah, I did Basic Training at nearby Ft. Ord in the 1960's), I could not leave my post. They put
some Super Butterfly type bandages on my head to hopefully last until my shift ended at 7AM. As soon as the
next Jock arrived, I drove to Monterey Peninsula Hospital and got the big wound stitched up and a Tetanus shot.
The famous Barbra Streisand song "Memories" is now playing in my mind :^)
WANNA BUY A BOAT?
This was a very cool boat for sale on the Coast Guard pier. The photo does not do justice to the
quality of the mahogany interior. If you have an extra $80,000 to spare, it could be yours!!!
THE DREAM PLAN
Here is where I would have liked to have stayed on Cannery Row, just put my Sigma 5
and Sigma 40-XKR vertical dipoles on the balcony overlooking the (salt) water, and
strung an 80m sloper pointed toward the East Coast. But at $549 per night BEFORE both
occupany and sales taxes, considering the extreme over-budget realities of the Locust Peak
project, I had to pass and find a more cost-effective CQP solution and save this one
for a more "Romantic" venue !!!
SATURDAY NIGHT CQP
The 2nd floor room at the Marina Quality Inn was actually quite nice. I ran the coax and
HS-1800 screwdriver controller cable out the window to my Tahoe parked almost below. The
small room desk was quickly converted into a CQP County Expedition operating setup. There
was no "Room Service" so I could have removed the telephone. But since I was supposed to
be on a "mini-vacation", I QRT'd from the CQP early and crawled into bed and watched the
last 2/3 of "Sweet Home Alabama" and then QSY'd to ZZZZZZZZZZ'sVille. Woke up farily early
and operated until it was time to head for SBEN.
The "MONTEREY SPECIAL" Antenna
I decided that 100 watts to a 6 foot mobile whip on 80m & 40m would be shear TORTURE, so
my conjured up "Monterey Special" antenna was in order for these bands on Saturday Night (a
derivation of my "Farallon Special" and "Ketchikan Special" Expedition antennas). Two large
hose clamps were used to strap a 32 foot fiberglass telescoping mast to the HS-1800 custom
hitch mount on my Tahoe. Using the High Sierra "Quick Disconnects", I could quickly add
the 27 foot or so vertical (wire) extension for a bit more RF Horsepower on those bands. In
the Gale Force winds, the mast got hammered and at one point WHAM - it "UNTELESCOOPED" down
(vertically) which necessiated going out in the cold wind to resurrect it. I had planned to
add several "elevated radials" to the ground connection on the Tahoe hitch mount, but could
not find them before I left home Saturday morning ;-(
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
My "mini-vacation" wasn't working out very well, so I decided to at least hoof on down to the
nearby Marina State Beach for a while and enjoy the ocean air for a while before heading off to
SBEN. I confess I kicked myself for the last minute commitment made to operate for at least an hour
or so from there, because I would have preferred to stay another night on the Monterey Peninsula to
make up for not getting down there on Friday. What a thrill, however, to discover the Hanglider Field
at the beach. Yup, I see a new "Hobby" ("Addiction") in my future :^)
SBEN TERRITORY
I made a few /M Q's from MONT and in SBEN before arriving pretty much on schedule to my former
CQP 2004 operating QTH in SBEN at the incredible Dunneville Cafe & Market in Northern San Benito
County. Owner Bill Regentz again graciously allowed me to use A/C power and helped get my extension
cords over the side fence from the outlet. The BBQ'd Tri-Tip sandwiches there (on garlic bread)
with the special BBQ sauce are out-of-this-world (I'm a frequent customer since it's only a short
trip down there from my Home QTH). And only SIX BUCKS !!! A new back patio was put in which is great
for nice weather outdoor eating, and all the food is great including the breakfasts! I should have used
the Macro feature in my camera to take the close up of the sandwich, so it came out a bit fuzzy ;-(
I can assure you, it was AWESOME tasting !!! CQP 2009 was definitely a time to "binge" on BBQ Tri-Tip :^)
REFLECTIONS
The "mini-vacation" part of the weekend didn't pan out as expected, but I did enjoy the brief time
in that wonderful Monterey Bay Area temperature and weather (except for the wind part). With only
100 watts to the 6 foot mobile whip most of the time, I got beat up a lot, and had over 1,000 CQ's
"UNANSWERED" in the 10+ hours I was actually on-the-wire. I *should* have brought a 20 meter length
wire radiator for the "MONTerey Special" and telescoped the mast up as needed...or at least the 10 foot
whip which is around here somewhere. Having some extra radials (elevated or not) while in "Fixed" QRV
would have also helped. "Next Time!!!" CONFESSION: I had scolded Jim/N3BB for driving while operating
AND logging all by himself during the Texas QSO Party, but apologized to him in an email last night that
I ended up doing the same darn thing as K6VVA/M. NOT GOOD ;-( "NEVER AGAIN!!!"
A special TNX again to Lenny & Valentina at the Bayview Delicatessen BBQ & MARKET, "Mike" the HarborMaster,
and Bill Regentz at the Dunneville Cafe & Market, as well as Aaron, Jessica & Catherine at the Marina
Quality Inn for helping make this memorable CQP 2009 happen. Discovering that there are still some nice,
cooperative folks willing to help out a "CRAZY HAM OPERATOR" on a last minute CQP adventure was worth the
price of admission alone. It's amazing what can be done via Google Earth, the telephone, and simply asking
nice people for their help. God Bless them all.
TNX!!! TNX to all who participated in our CQP 2009,
and TNX for all the Q's & Mults.
73...
Rick, K6VVA * The Locust
NCCC Co-Founding Member
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