50 MHz Fall Sprint
Call: WW2Y
Operator(s): WW2Y
Station: N2NC
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: FN20
Operating Time (hrs): 2.0
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 72 Mults = 36 Tot Dist(km) = 1731 Total Score = 2,592
Club: Frankford Radio Club
Comments:
During Wednesday last week, I asked John, N2NC what are his plans for the 6
meter Fall sprint? He told me that he didn't have any commitments. I suggested
that we put up an array of three vertically stacked horizontal dipoles
suspended by a rope between two trees. It will consist of two tag lines so it
can be easily rotated from the ground level. I began to construct the 3 wooden
element frames early Friday evening and they were completed a few hours later.
I arrived at John's QTH early Saturday morning so we can finish assembling the
array and conduct tests to avoid the scorching heat that were predicted for
later that day. The temperature rose to 100 degrees F along with high humidity
by 1 PM. We took a break for a couple of hours and completed the antenna by 4
PM. We raised the antenna so that the bottom element was approximately 10 feet
above ground. The initial assessment of its receiving performance was quite
disappointing to say the least. The noise level was high and could not detect
the local beacons on the band. We raised the antenna to its full height of 40
ft and aimed the antenna NE/SW. We began to hear a couple of beacons that were
a few dB out of the noise. Also, the band was open to the mid west. John
started operating the contest and made some QSOs, but the noise was covering up
the weaker stations that were answering to his CQs. After about 30 minutes of
operating, John decided to go outside to see if he could null out the noise
source by rotating the antenna. I was listening to the receiver in the shack
and observed a sharp null while he was turning the antenna. I yelled out to him
"There's a deep null right there!" He noticed that the element tips
were pointed directly to his house. He yelled back to me saying "It's my
house!". He ran back inside to disconnect every electrical appliance and
electronic device throughout the entire house. The noise disappeared during
this process and he returned to operate. All is well. We both operated roughly
50 percent of the contest using our individual call sign. The conditions were
great during the sprint and the antenna seemed to work well for what it is. I
worked a few Europeans on CW early Sunday morning.
Regards,
Peter
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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