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Our Golden Packet Station on July 21,2012 at the Comers Rock observation platform. Packet on 144.34 DIGI, APRS w/iGate and ANSRVR on 144.39 and a voice link on 445.925 from approx 1330 zulu till 2000z. The weather cooperated nicely as did our equipment. Special thanks to Zach D, KJ4QLP and The Virginia Tech ARA, K4KDJ for providing the bulk of the Horsepower on equipment to make the station successful. Glenn, N4AZR Brought along a complete 3rd station to allow for flexibility and automatic logging and monitoring of all activity. We were able to communicate with our neighboring stations at Roan Mountain to the SW(72 MI) and Apple Orchard Mountain to the NE(103MI) on LOW power still copying S7-S9. While the parking area was easy to get to despite the last segment of road being HEAVILY washed out, the walk to the top is just a bit more than expected. The path is primarily made of LARGE stone steps and is heavily overgrown. In a little over 100 yards of forward motion, you must climb approximately 200 ft vertical to reach the summit and this can be just a bit challenging when you haul a shelter, chairs, masts, antennas, radios, laptops, batteries, HARDLINE, solar panels and lunch up the hill when you live at 600ft ELEV and the summit is at approx. 4000 ft. Operators were Zach, KJ4QLP, Glenn, N4AZR and myself, Andrew, KF4RDR. Station Tectical Calls were COMERS on 144.39 and 144.34 for bulletins and DIGI call was COMERS-4. Surrounding stations were Roan mountain (ROAN-3) and Apple Orchard Mountain (AOMTN-5). As my laptop battery died 90% the way through the exercise, I've still not recovered the DIGI/Igate path I was able to use directly on 144.39. It could have been multiple sites as we did experience some VHF "Ducting" early on and I had an "ALOHA" circle of 236kM direct communication on Low power (10w.)
AT Golden Packet ... 
Hanging on under ... 
Valley to the South 
Peaks to the South 
View of Station f... 
Ready for anythin... 
Did anybody bring... 
Another Valley view! 
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