As readers who are amateur radio operators know, "contesting" has grown to become one of the most popular aspects of the hobby.  Thousands of operators mark their calendars months or years in advance to avoid conflicts on the weekends of the major national and worldwide contests.  Some travel to distant lands for DX contests; others build competitive stations with large antennas at home.  And some buy property in an outstanding remote location and build an elaborate radio station there just for contest operating.
   The Tehachapi Mountain station fell into the latter category--and the strategy paid off.  Even before the first of the three parcels was purchased in 1993, contest operating at the site began (from a van).  By 1995, when the main cabin was built, there were three towers on the property.  Soon there were six.
   Despite the devastating effects of winds and ice storms (which have precluded operating in major winter contests such as the ARRL International DX Contest), the station's guest operators have compiled an impressive record.  As the photo below shows, by 2002 the cabin walls were adorned by many plaques and certificates.  So what does winning give you other than a plaque or a certificate?  Well, not much... a little personal satisfaction,  maybe a little notoriety, maybe a divorce or two(!).

1992 - First place overall and first place, portable station, CQ VHF WPX Contest (N6NB,
           operator)
1993 - First place, single operator, Pacific Division (and #1 west coast), June VHF Contest
           (N6NB, operator)
1993 - First place, portable station, CQ VHF WPX Contest (N6NB, operator)
1993 - First place, multioperator, Pacific Division, ARRL Sweepstakes, SSB (N6MU + N6NB)
1994 - First place, zone 6 (west coast), IARU Radiosport Championship (N6MI, operator)
1995 - First place, multioperator, Pacific Division, ARRL Sweepstakes, SSB (N6MU + N6NB)
1996 - First place, out of state, Texas QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1996 - First place, U.S.A., 21 MHz, CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB (N6MU, operator)
1996 - First place, unlimited multioperator, Pacific Division (and #1 west coast), June VHF 
           Contest (N6MU + N6NB)
1996 - First place, zone 6 (west coast), IARU Radiosport Championship (N6MI, operator)
1996 - First place overall, WSWSS VHF-UHF sprint (N6NB, operator)
1996 - Most CW QSOs, Calif. QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1996 - First place, Pacific Division (and #1 west coast), ARRL 10-Meter Contest (N6MU, 
           operator)
1997 - First place, out of state, Texas QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1997 - First place, single operator, Pacific Division (and #1 west coast), June VHF Contest
           (N6NB, operator)
1997 - First place, SJV section, IARU Radiosport Championship (N6MI, operator)
1997 - Most CW QSOs, Calif. QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1997 - First place overall, QRP class, ARRL Sweepstakes, SSB (N6MU, operator)
1998 - First place, U.S.A., 21 MHz, CQ WW WPX Contest, CW (N6MU, operator)
1998 - First place, out of state, Texas QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1998 - First place, SJV section, IARU Radiosport Championship (N6MI, operator)
1998 - First place, west coast, Pennsylvania QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1998 - First place worldwide, QRP class, CQ WW DX Contest, SSB (N6MU, operator)
1998 - First place, QRP class, Pacific Division, ARRL Sweepstakes, CW (N6MU, operator)
1998 - First place, QRP class, Pacific Division, ARRL Sweepstakes, SSB (N6MI, operator)
1998 - First place U.S.A., #2 world, QRP class, CQ WW DX Contest, CW (N6MU, 
           operator)
1998 - First place worldwide, QRP class, ARRL 10-Meter Contest (N6MU, operator)
1999 - First place, out of state, Texas QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1999 - First place, California, #2 U.S.A., QRP class, CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB (N6MU,
           operator)
1999 - First place, California, 21 MHz, CQ WW WPX Contest, CW (N6MU, operator)
1999 - Special achievement award, Florida QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1999 - First place, out of state, HP, Georgia QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1999 - First place, west coast, Pennsylvania QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
1999 - First place, QRP class, Pacific Division, ARRL Sweepstakes, CW (N6MU, operator)
2000 - First place, SJV section, 28 MHz, ARRL International DX Contest, CW
2000 - First place, out of state, Florida QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
2000 - First place, out of state, Georgia QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
2000 - First place, out of state, Ohio QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
2000 - First place, zone 6 (west coast), IARU Radiosport Championship (N6MI, operator)
2000 - First place, LP class, Pacific Division (and #1 west coast), September VHF Contest
           (N6MU, operator)
2000 - First place overall, QRP class, California QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
2000 - First place, west coast, Pennsylvania QSO Party (N6MU, operator)
2000 - First place, California, #2 U.S.A., QRP class, CQ WW DX Contest, SSB (N6MU,
           operator)
2000 - First place, North America (new record), 28 MHz QRP, CQWW DX Contest, CW
            (N6MU, operator)
2000 - First place, QRP class, Pacific Division, ARRL Sweepstakes, CW (N6MU, operator)
2000 - First place worldwide (new record), QRP mixed class, ARRL 10-Meter Contest 
           (N6MU, operator) 
2010 - First place, west coast, multioperator category, June VHF Contest (KE6HPZ, K6WCI
            and N6TEB, operators)
2010 - First place overall (new record), QRP portable category, September VHF Contest 
            (N6NB, operating in a car near the property)
2011 - First place overall (new record), QRP portable category, June VHF Contest 
            (N6NB, operating in a car near the property)

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For photos of N6MI and N6MU operating the Tehachapi Mountain station, click here and scroll down the page.