This 5214’ (4 point) summit is a fairly easy, short hike after a fairly long drive in.
Take Hwy 58 to Westfir, OR. Westfir Rd turns north off of 58 across the road from the USFS Ranger Station. Take this road, and after about 0.5 miles turn left onto North Fork/Westfir Rd. Follow this until you come to NF-19/ Aufderheide Dr.
Gem Peak is a drive-up with a fire lookout at the top that is available to rent. This is an L-4 type lookout on top of a 30-foot tower that was constructed in 1964. The road up is suitable for most vehicles, so long as they have a bit of clearance. The road is gated just below the summit & it is likely that the lookout is being used if the gate is closed.
(2.8 miles, +2,200 feet)
Haystack Mountain is a nice hike up a well-maintained trail. The summit is a large rockpile that has the scattered remains of an old fire lookout (“L-4” type lookout constructed in 1936 & destroyed on 1977). Although there is room to setup on the summit rockpile, there is a more comfortable flat area about 20-feet below the summit that is well within the activation zone. The trail may be accessed as follows:
Wards Butte is near Cottage Grove, Oregon and can be accessed from the south by I-5 exit 170 and from the north by exit 174. (Not to be confused with Ward Butte-W7O/CC-082.)
This summit was not activated. The road to the summit is gated, but not posted, so it should be accessible - however, it appears to be 3.2 miles one-way to the summit - quite a distance for just one point. A mountain bike may be a fun way to activate this peak.Note that the overpass near the summit is incorrectly named "Ward Butte Road." The summit appears to have a radio communications site.
Mount Pisgah is a 'near' urban summit just east of Eugene. It is known as Mount Pisgah Arboretum and as the Howard Burford Recreation Area. It's a short 1.5 miles, but steep with 1050 feet of elevation gain from the parking lot to the summit. It features some of the last remaining oak savanna that once dominated the Willamette Valley and the summit has good views.
Here's a pleasant and easy pavement drive-up activation just east of Madras in Central Oregon. You might consider it as you travel between Bend and Portland sometime. There are nice views from the top, good parking, and trees and sagebrush to support most antennas. Just remember to move away from the vehicle with all your gear for the activation.
Here's a quiet Central Oregon summit for those with a high clearance vehicle - or anyone that wants a bit of hiking as one could walk the rutted dirt road or even go directly cross-country to the summit (although direct would be a bit steep).
Haystack Butte in Central Oregon is fenced and posted as "Fee Access Only." Don't despair for summits to activate nearby however, as two other accessible peaks are within a few miles. W7O/CE-223 - Juniper Butte right across Highway 97 and W7O/CN-074 - Round Butte, a pavement drive-up a few miles north east of Madras.
I tried three access points to Haystack Butte, the gate at the south was locked indicating that it was not open to the public and the next two roads to the north were posted with the pictured sign.
Fielder Mountain, near Rogue River, Oregon is a relatively easy trip. The driving portion is only about 30 minutes from its start, the corner of West Evans Creek Road and Fielder Creek Road in unicorporated Jackson County, Oregon. Follow the road to the yellow gate, park, and walk the last mile or so to the peak. There are several large commercial communications sites, including cellular, VHF/UHF, microwave and FM broadcast (though I believe it's a translator, not a full-power FM). I noticed inteference only once, on 18 mHz.