WVA DXpedition to FM08DQ (June 20-22, 2015)
6M, 40M (JT65)
Middle Mountain Cabins, near Bartow, WV
I had three measly QSO's, rain and storms at my location and some technical issues but I plan to return!
The unique thing about this location is it's in the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ). It was really easy to obtain permission to operate at the cabins in-advance. I contacted two employees and they were both hams:
Jonah Bauserman (KW8V) and Paulette Woody (KD8NKC)
I advised them of my temporary, portable dipole setup, my max power and my planned operating frequencies. I was asked to point my signals away from the satellite dish and to have fun and enjoy our visit*. I ran low power (< 10 W).
*Please contact the officials yourself for your visit (nrao.edu)
It is a very remote location:
- It's a 12 mile drive along a well maintained dirt and gravel forest service road
- ABSOLUTELY NO cell phone service (NRQZ = no cell phone towers!)
- The nearest telephone is a curb side payphone about 16 miles away
- There is a science camp for kids at the bottom of the mountain 12 miles away, it had power lines and it looked like some telephone lines if there is an emergency in-season
- No electric (bring flashlights, lanterns)
- No running water (treat the water from the well pump out front per manual)
- No nearby store (bring everything you need, I used a separate deep cycle battery for my ham radio, which I accidentally drained)
- An outhouse is present (very well built)
- Three cabins (two are historical from the 1930's)
- I was able to use a 2M HT to contact a nearby repeater in Circleville, VA using 5 watts even with full foliage present and a stock antenna (elevation!)
- recreation.gov for cabin rental information (you get the entire site per rental)
I plan to return. Due to rain my son and I did not get to visit the Radio Telescope nearby in Green Bank, WV. It's on my list (rumors are the telescope may close in 2016).
73, David KK4ZUU
