Alabama QSO Party
Call: K4BAI/M
Operator(s): K4BAI/KU8E
Station: KU8E/M
Class: Rover LP
QTH: AL
Operating Time (hrs): 6
Summary:
Band CW Qs SSB Qs FM Qs Mults
-----------------------------------
160:
80:
40: 31 8 18
20: 171 0 38
15: 12 0 5
10:
6:
2:
222:
432:
-----------------------------------
Total: 214 8 0 61 Total Score = 27,084
Club: South East Contest Club
Comments:
Jeff, KU8E, and John, K4BAI, were the operators and we were QRV in 15 counties
in Alabama during the 6 hours of the contest. We used Jeff's IC706 with CW
filter and a variety of Hustler whips and restonators on the trunk of Jeff's
car. We had a MFJ tuner so we could change to 40 SSB from 40 CW without having
to stop and adjust the antennas. We had two tri-mounts with a antennastuner for
10, 15 meters, one for 20 CW and one for 20 SSB, and the antenna for 40 meters
without the tuner for CW with the tuner for SSB. The new small MFJ tuner is an
improvement over one we tried to use in the GQP in April in that it has a
straight-through switch. It is inconveniently located on the rear of the unit,
but we could reach it OK. The one we tried to use in GQP in April required us
to sitch it in and out of the line or change the coax jumpers and that takes
time.
Unfortunately, we were not able to make any QSOs on 20 SSB during the contest.
We did make QSOs there before and after the contest and believe the antenna
system works OK, but the activity from the fixed stations in the Texas QSO Party
pretty well covered the 20 meter phone band.
Our county-by-county breakdown follows. It is in the order in which we ran the
counties. We started on Interstate 20 east of Anniston, GA at the Ga state line
and followed I-20 to Birmingham. That is a terrible, rough, bumpy road. We saw
the thousands assembled for the automobile races when we passed Talladega. In
Birmingham, we got on I-65 and took it south to Montomery. In Montgomery, we
changed to I-85 and followed it east to the Line Road Exit between Tuskegee and
Auburn. There, we went east into Lee County in order to make a side trip down
into Russell County. Then we turned around and followed some state routes north
through Lee, Tallapoosa, and Chambers counties, ending up on I-85 near the Ga
line at the end of the contest. Band conditions were considerably down from the
last two years when I have run the contest mobile in the counties in the SE
corner of the state. Last year, there were very good openings on 15 meters,
particularly to Europe. This year, we only worked DL5MC/DL0ERF from one county
on 15M, got W1END in NH in one county, and the other contacts were all on the US
and Canadian West Coast (plus one Texas mobile). On 20, skip seemed short,
which is generally good for state QSO parties, but not too many people seemed
interested in working us. We did work some DX there, consisting of
DL5MC/DL0ERF, HA7UG, OH3JF, OK1KT, and SP4JWR. 40 M was better than last year.
Some Ala. fixed stations were QRV there (we also worked N4JF on 20) and we
worked stations as far away as Colorado and Ontario. The QRM from the RTTY
contest was not nearly as bad as during the past two years.
County Minutes CW Qs SSB QSs Mults Score
CLE 22 1 1 2 8
CAL 9 8 0 8 128
TDA 20 7 1 7 112
STC 36 11 1 11 264
JEF 30 22 3 22 1100
SHE 22 13 0 12 312
CHI 35 19 1 17 680
AUT 15 16 0 12 384
ELM 5 3 0 3 18
MGY 26 15 1 15 480
MAC 45 21 0 18 756 (included a stop for gas)
LEE 42 38 0 30 2280
RUS 11 5 0 5 50
CHA 26 18 0 14 504
TPA 13 17 0 15 510
Thanks to all who called. I will be glad to immediately respond to any QSLs.
Thanks also to the sponsors. I hope we will have more activity in this contest
in the future. I still need two Alabama counties for my all-time counties
confirmed list.
73,
John, K4BAI.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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