Black dome - W2/GC- 003 / Blackhead W2/GC-056

I have been very eager to activate Black Dome - W2/GC- 003 and Blackhead W2/GC-056 since they are two 10 point summits fairly close to one another.

I figured the W2 SOTA Campout weekend was a great time to do so, since I would also be able to pick up a bunch of S2S points. 

I met fellow SOTA activators Bence AC1NM and his son Nándor KC1ZDL at the trailhead early in the AM and we enjoyed a lovely day in the mountains together. 

We hiked from the Big Hollow Road parking lot and let Nándor pick which summit we would do first. He decided on Black Dome, and off we went.

Once we reached the summit there was so much activity on 2m FM, I didn't even bother setting up my HF rig. We just passed around my HT for an absolute rodeo of S2S contacts with all the fellow hams on various summits around the Catskills. This was extremely fun.

I logged 7 2m FM QSOs all of them being S2S contact. 

After a quick break for some snacks, we made our way over to Blackhead. 

Black Head from Blackdome

Eager to work some CW I set up my radio while Bence and Nándor worked 2m SSB. 

The bands were a little rough that day, but I managed to make 9 CW contacts on 20ms 5 of which were S2S the furthest away being in Colorado. After packing up the KX2 I dipped back into 2m FM and made 5 more S2S contacts. 

This was the most S2S contacts I've made in a day and this also helped me gain 8 SOTA completes since all of the other activators were on summits I've already activated. 

View of Blackdome from Black head

Later that day everyone in town for the camp out met up for a group dinner at the Hunter Mtn Brewery. It was great to finally match some faces with callsigns. 

A wonderful evening in great company.