Grid Square DN06

This page - Calloway Road - Wild Horse Overlook - I-90 Vantage Viewpoint - Sentinel Ridge - Jump Off Joe Butte - Frenchman Hills - Nine Canyon Road

A list of VHF rover sites in Washington's grid DN06. Be careful.
Hover mouse over a map marker for more about the grid and site.

Calloway Road, DN06xx67

Near city of Ritzville, Adams County, WA, Altitude 2000
See Google map, Bing map, Mapquest, OpenStreetMap, Beam heading
Last update: 2001-10-06
Source: Lynn N7CFO PNW Rover Locations DN06
Comments by: Martin N7MX

High ground in the boonies, southeast of Ritzville. Good rover stop.

Driving directions: From the Ritzville-Benge Road going north towards I-90:
- Turn right on Calloway Road
- Go about a mile to the top of the hill
- The high ground is near a farmhouse on the left

Wild Horse Overlook, DN06ax41

Near city of Vantage, Grant County, WA, Altitude 1200
See Google map, Bing map, Mapquest, OpenStreetMap, Beam heading
Last update: 2012-07-02
Comments by: Barry K7BWH

I-90 (eastbound) roadside viewpoint overlooking the Columbia River at mile 140. There is another viewpoint accessible from the westbound lanes. This location has excellent exposure to the west, north and south, but the path to the east is blocked by a ridge.

These viewpoints are a bit lower than DN06 Frenchman Hills, but they offer extremely quick access to nice places to pull off.

I-90 Vantage Viewpoint, DN06ax33

Near city of Vantage, Grant County, WA, Altitude 1100
See Google map, Bing map, Mapquest, OpenStreetMap, Beam heading
Last update: 2012-07-02
Comments by: Barry K7BWH

I-90 (westbound) roadside viewpoint overlooking the Columbia River at mile 140. There is another viewpoint (Wild Horse Overlook) accessible from the eastbound lanes. This location has excellent exposure to the west, north and south, but the path to the east is blocked by a ridge.

These viewpoints are a bit lower than DN06 Frenchman Hills, but they offer extremely quick access to nice places to pull off.

Sentinel Ridge, DN06bt45

Near city of Vantage, Grant County, WA, Altitude 2365
See Google map, Bing map, Mapquest, OpenStreetMap, Beam heading
Last update: 2002-01-28
Source: Lynn N7CFO PNW Rover Locations DN06
Comments by: Robert N7AU

Repeater site southeast of Vantage. DeLorme Topo map says you can see Mt. Rainier from there.

Driving directions: On the East side of the Columbia river on I-90 turn south onto Hwy 26
- Then take Hwy 243 south again.
- Travel approximately 13 miles and take the turn to Mattawa on the left.
- Watch your speed - it's 25 in town.
- Just outside of town (East) turn Left (North) onto Rd R.
- Stay on Rd R and when you cross the canal keep to the left of the fence
- Stay on this road until you get to the top where all the microwave sites are.
- You should find enough room to get away for any thing that will cause RFI

- Caution: when cresting the ridge, take it slow and take a look. THE OTHER SIDE MAY NOT HAVE A ROAD UNTIL YOU HIT THE BOTTOM - straight down.

Jump Off Joe Butte, DN06kc44

Near city of Kennewick, Benton County, WA, Altitude 2500
See Google map, Bing map, Mapquest, OpenStreetMap, Beam heading
Last update: 2001-12-01
Comments by: Jerry N7FYP

Easily accesible butte. Numerous radio towers in the area. Excellent exposure in all directions.

Driving directions: Best to look at a local map for this one.
- Get to Owens Road, south of Kennewick and go south.
- Go east on Jump Off Joe Road.

Frenchman Hills, DN06bx18

Near city of Quincy, Grant County, WA, Altitude 1867
See Google map, Bing map, Mapquest, OpenStreetMap, Beam heading
Last update: 2012-07-08
Comments by: Barry K7BWH

This hilltop in farmland is about 15 minutes from I-5. It offers a local high point along the north edge of DN06. Strongly advised to use 4WD for the last bit along a wheat field.

Propagation into the Seattle area is generally very good, but some stations don't have eastward paths from their home location. Propagation into Portland was okay on 6m but very bad on 2m.

Note that DN07 is nearby but you have to loop around to DN07 Beverly-Burke a mile west to stay on a hilltop. The nearest entry to DN07 from here would be on Road R, which would be at the bottom of this big hill.

I've always wondered why everyone says to be bring toilet paper. On this trip, I finally found out what it's good for. (See photo.)

Driving directions: From I-5 drive 7 miles east from Vantage and take exit 143 for Silica Road.
- Turn right onto Road U (what an original name).
- Turn left onto Road 5 (see? brilliant name).
- Take the first right onto Road 5.5 / Road T.
- Turn right onto Road S
- Drive to top of hill, at the ancient combine turn right into the field
- Drive along the edge of the field to the top
Note: This could be reached from the south via Highway 26, but the road is a poor dirt track and would be impassable in rain or snow.

Nine Canyon Road, DN06ka69

Near city of Kennewick, Benton County, WA, Altitude 1770
See Google map, Bing map, Mapquest, OpenStreetMap, Beam heading
Last update: 2011-08-07
Comments by: Barry K7BWH

This lofty location above Kennewick and the Tri-Cities should have good radio propagation in all directions. However, no UHF contacts were made during the contest. I made a 144 MHz simplex contact with N7NKT in Hermiston, OR, so maybe that's a better direction from this spot.

I don't know if the line-of-sight was bad or if there was just nobody on the air. Next time, I will try another nearby spot a bit closer to the city, somewhere around the Jump-Off Joe peak.