Eric June (KU6J) was a key participant and contributor to the SOTA world. As the W6 Northern Sierra (NS) Regional Manager, Eric knew his territory through being an all weather activator of peaks in and around Lake Tahoe and beyond. Eric felt passionate about SOTA and to that end he created regional awards to promote the enjoyment of SOTA in his stunningly beautiful part of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. However, the most significant and lasting contribution he made is the auto spotting software for CW SOTA activators. The utility was groundbreaking and has served many across the globe exceptionally well. It represents a selfless contribution in terms of hours, days, weeks spent developing and testing the software all to make our passion more enjoyable and efficient for us.
Our recent trek up Eric’s mountain (W6/NS-204) was an easy commitment for this team to undertake. Eric was first to activate this peak, is in his backyard and represents the intersection of skiing, hiking and the wilderness all of which he loved so much.
Eric’s peak is up at about 7,500 ft and snow has come early this year to the Sierras. While only about a mile and a bit long, the trail runs out half way in and the last three hundred feet or so of vertical ascent is through trees and over fallen timber. All very picturesque but treading carefully is a must.
Last 300 ft of vertical ascent is up and over many fallen timber
View from peak
Given Eric’s CW contribution, Rick (WB0USI) and Woody (K1LB) as our CW operators deploy their stations and are up on 20m/40m respectively quickly.
Woody (K1LB) setting up his YouKits station with dipole
Kipper negotiating for his turn at CW on Rick’s KX3
My contribution to CW….Rick using my KXPA100 to boost his KX3 CW output
Ron (W6PZA) setting up his Buddipole for use with a Yaesu 857
Ron operating SSB via Yaesu 857D
We probably netted around 200 contacts between us on 20/40m using CW and SSB.
“I get the ‘no operating’ but what about dog treats” declares Kipper
Thank you Eric for all you have done for SOTA!
Rick (Wb0USI), Woody (K1LB), Paul (W6PNG), Ron (W6PZA), Jordan (WC6J) and Kipper (W0OF)
Thanks for such a wonderful tribute to Eric! I was pleased to work you guys twice: K1LB on CW and W6PZA on SSB. 73 Hal N6JZT
Nice tribute guys! Wish I could have made it up there too, but stuck in Elko for work. I’ll make it up there some day soon.
RIP my friend …_._
73, Todd KH2TJ
Portola, CA
What a great tribute for such a big SOTA player! 73 Eric, all will now know of your contributions.
AK6Q Scott
Bravo! Great work Paul and team!! I can hope when I pass some of my fiends will do same! RIP, Eric!
wGOAT(s)
Good Day SOTA Brothers & Sisters!!!
So happy to see this Memorial and Tribute to Eric KU6J…
So sorry to miss the Big Day on Wednesday…
i did not know or work Eric KU6J, but feel I knew him through what has been shared here and through his SOTA Spot Software, that helped me get over the top for Shack Sloth!!!
Thank You all, for your dedication to a dear fellow SOTA HAM…
Look forward to making it out to Eric Mountain W6/NS-204, and chasing future activations…
72
Dean Benninger NI8DEA/qrp
God Bless
Thanks for memorializing Eric in a great way. I am a friend of his from the ATV hobby he had (and also a ham, though I only went on one SOTA expedition with him) and miss his amazing abilities to compile data on roads and peaks, just as he did amazing things for the SOTA association with the spotter and all his activations. Thank you again, I will definitely make that hike next year to see the memorial and maybe every drag the radio along as well. Thank you for your thoughtful memorial to Eric.