Texas QSO Party
Call: K5YAA
Operator(s): N5NU K5YAA
Station: K5YAA
Class: Multi-Op Mobile HP
QTH: 42 Counties
Operating Time (hrs): 18
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs Dig Qs
----------------------------
160: 0 0 0
80: 0 0 0
40: 310 54 0
20: 1162 72 0
15: 1 0 0
10: 1 0 0
6: 0 0 0
2: 0 0 0
UHF: 0 0 0
----------------------------
Total: 1474 126 0 Mults = 111 Total Score = 560,814
Club: Oklahoma DX Association
Comments:
Texas is a big place. Running in 42 counties as we did sounds pretty hefty but
with 254 counties a mere drop in the bucket even though we were hauling for the
entire 18 hours.
It was my pleasure to have Jason, N5NU as my guest for this one. He told me a
ways back he would like to run with me in a QSO party so he was able to arrange
to take a weekend off among his busy schedule which I am glad he did. A top
young operator who handled the pileups so well I found myself driving and
navigating more than usual simply enjoying the driver's headset listening to
the Morse music and Jason's very capable SSB operating. Aggressive and somewhat
exciting to experience. An old slow talking Morse man who rarely ventures to SSB
I did indeed like the way Jason handled the pig farmers on 40 especially! After
a few expressions of, "Yes the frequency has been busy for sometime now,
adding another few Qs to the log then simply tossing in the towel by saying
"Back to CW now." More civil QSOs were to be had on CW anyway.
Friday evening before the party I had the privilege to be around some one
hundred young gentlemen who were having a fellowship at a local park. A few
hours before the gathering I was chauffeured around Huntsville while Jason
gathered the "tools" for the gathering. Parking cones and an
extension cord, a photo of the "Big House" where Texas State
executions are carried out then we stopped at a local grocery and picked up our
dinner fixins. The gathering was a "bring your own" type of cookout. A
steak, brats and some potato salad with a jar of steak seasoning and even
plastic utensils for not only us but several others who might benefit from a
fork and knife.
Music was playing on loudspeakers and several grills of all shapes and sizes
were set up in the parking lot. It was a pleasure to watch so many young men
hustling around, some with their pets on leashes others playing volley ball
with a Frisbee or two flying. Several eyed the mobile and wanted to see what
all the "ruckus" was about. It's not every day you get to see such a
contraption from Oklahoma. Jason and others have efforts ongoing to get a few
of the fellows their license. I met a couple who have recently joined our ranks
and who have been "exposed" to the craziness of contesting at a couple
of large Texas hoosgow collection of antennas and gear courtesy of Jason and big
time station owners in SE Texas.
Now for a few statements about the actual running of the Texas party. At the
outset in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express in Huntsville Jason had
confirmed all was set at 8:45AM. We pulled out to start right there in Walker
county. At 9AM off we went. What? No power from the amp. Minutes ago all was
well. Hmm, a quick pullover and check of all the cables, power OK fans running
etc. I should have known quickly what the trouble was but not until Jackson
county did the loose plug for K3 keying of the amplifier get
"wiggled". All of a sudden HP on the power meter and Jason said in a
few minutes, "The pileup is a layer or two deeper now." Good, that's
what we came for. It is somewhat interesting though what 100 watts and a stick
will do. Perhaps we missed a few dozen Qs due to the lack of HP but the rate
wasn't too bad for the first eight counties.
Part of the reason for the particular route that was mapped out was to get two
of the last four counties needed by DL6KVA for his USA-CA award. Along the way
to the first one, Jackson, Axel was heard calling but he never responded to us
calling him back. Dang, 100 watts not quite cutting it but as we pulled over to
the roadside on a slight hill in Jackson, #1 on Axel's list that plug wiggling
perked up the mobile's output. Axel heard us and one was down. Later in
Gonzales, #2 needed he had no problem making the log! One objective of the long
drive to Texas down. Numerous other Europeans were logged Saturday all the way
into the early morning hours in Europe.
Here are several calls that made the log many times. RZ1OA a big signal and
one
who worked us with our puny pants on. DK2OY another with a 100 watt receptor.
SP9LJD, Les who followed us all day beginning very early. SL5ZP a nice upper
European caller. Others who made the log. DL5ME, DL8USA, F5IN, DL3IAC, DK3BN,
ON4AAC, DM3ZF, F5FJ, HA8IB, OK1VJ, PA3ARM, IT9YOZ, EA5IIK, HC2AO, RA1OW, DL3DXX
and JF1SEK. Some 14 countries made the log which is about regular for these
state parties. A call from JF1 midday Sunday on 20 was a treat.
Also, thanks to the Canadians who called in especially Miss Summer VE5SDH. She
is becoming quite the CW op. VE7CV, VE3KZ and VE3KP standout along with several
other VE3s who stayed with us for much of the party.
Too many to produce what has become known as the "Honor Roll" of
stations but allow me to simply say thanks very much to those US stations who
rode along with
us. You all make these jaunts worthwhile indeed.
To finish up here are a couple of road warrior happenings. Some time ago the
cover for the generator was "lost" when the operator failed to bungee
the thing down. Never to be found a new sort of rain protector was quickly
cobbled up for the Texas run as rain showers were predicted for both days. The
new one is a tight fit and after a few hours warmth begins to creep up on the
generator's sides so it was hoped rain would not show often. Harris county and
all the way to Jackson county Saturday morning showers kept popping up but a
stop to install
the cover wasn't made. With the pullover in Jackson to restart the stalled
"water in the carb" generator it was decided a swap out with the
"dry" spare
generator was in order. The cover was installed after starting up the spare.
Good news too as HP was restored with the amp keying cable plug reinsert. A
worthwhile stop indeed.
On up the road the cover was removed as rain showers seemed to come to an end
at least for a while. Later on here came another shower but the spare kept on
ticking. Let's push it a bit and see if it will stay with us. Somehow it did
and it ran the rest of the evening and even all six hours on Sunday. The
battery bank and laptop(s) stayed charged, the radio kept perking and only a
couple of mysterious SWR hikes on both 20 and 40 meter hustlers were the only
mobile anomalies so overall a good and Murphy non-eventful run both days.
Just North of San Antonio in Bexar county showers were beginning to stall but
the road remained wet. Jason was doing the driving as I took the keyboard for
the few hours I operated. On these state parties the mobile takes no prisoners
on the road so after a couple of miles following a semi truck that was
spraying
the van with road water I looked up and noticed no one was in the left lane
that would keep us from taking a shot at getting around this nuisance. I said
to Jason, "Punch it and let's get out from behind this 'ol boy." He
put his foot down, scooted into the left lane and gunned it right on past the
semi. A little background here. Jason drives their second vehicle and his wife
has the good car. Hmm, sounds familiar. Anyway seems his second vehicle lacks
real get up and go so he said to me, "I'm just not used to such
acceleration." Chuckle here from the operator. The balance of Jason's time
at the wheel resulted in no more strolls behind water spraying semi trucks! Now
we're cooking Jason. Roll on boy!
No animals of any sort crossed our path and only the usual odd looks from those
we passed or those on the sidewalks of Fredericksburg, Texas happened. We did
get questioned at gas stops and even by the hotel operator in Waco. What are
you guys doing with that thing. Of course the standard answer of "We are
Amateur Radio Operators and we talk all over the world with this thing"
seemed to calm the curiosity of onlookers. The usual eye roll and words like
"Cool" always result after that simple explanation of why all the
sticks are on the roof. A small price to pay for so much fun.
Thanks again for all who chased us around making our weekend and also to the
following two fellows who put a great deal of time into the Texas party each
and every year. NO5W, Chuck and N5NA, Alan whose mapping and postings are
indeed magnificent. Thanks fellows for your dedication to our hobby.
My special thanks to Jason for his willingness to experience one of these
things with an OT such as myself. Youth, oh where have thou gone? Jason your
company, friendship and companionship will be remembered son.
Now best 73 from us both. Jason, N5NU and Jerry K5YAA.
The Rig: A 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan, K3, 15/20/40 meter HP Hustlers and a HP
Tarheel for non existent 10 and 80 meter Qs. Wait, one 10 meter Q with W4MJ who
ran the bands for us when we came within what was probably a few feet of his
shack. N1MM running on a Dell laptop that required even more duct tape to hold
the screen at a viewing angle. You should have seen Jason hammering the
keyboard with one hand and taping the ropes down with the other. Super job
Jason. The spare laptop, a Samsung is more hassle running Windows 8 than it's
worth so the last few counties using that old Dell was worth it rather than
swapping out for a much harder to see Samsung.
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