so i finally got up to W6/CT-068 last weekend after talking about doing an activation for like two years. packed the KX2, a 40m EFHW, and way too much food honestly. the hike was only like 2.5 miles but i forgot how much the antenna stuff weighs when you add the mast sections and the reel and everything.

anyway got to the summit and the wind was absolutely brutal, kept knocking my mast over before i could get the wire deployed. ended up just draping it over some rocks at a pretty ugly angle but whatever it resonated okay after some tuner fiddling. made 4 contacts on 40 and then 2 on 20 before a storm rolled in and i had to pack out fast. so i got my 4 QSOs and it counts as an activation right? felt kind of anticlimactic but also really fun at the same time if that makes sense

yeah 4 QSOs is all you need, it counts. dont stress about how the antenna looked lol, ive done activations with wire literally laying on the ground and still worked a dozen stations. the KX2 is a great choice for that stuff by the way, i run one too and the built in tuner handles some pretty ugly SWR situations. next time try to get your spot out on SOTAwatch before you even leave the trailhead, makes a huge difference for pile-ups. congrats on the first one though

storm cut it short for me on my second activation too, it happens. i actually think those rushed ones are more memorable than when everything goes perfectly. also 40m EFHW in the field is kinda my go-to now, what length wire are you running? im trying to figure out if i should go 53ft or just do the full 66