K1USN Slow Speed Test - Feb 27
Call: AH7RF
Operator(s): AH7RF
Station: AH7RF
Class: Single Op QRP
QTH:
Operating Time (hrs): 1
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160:
80:
40:
20: 1
15:
10:
-------------------
Total: 1 1 Total Score = 1
Club:
Comments:
Aloha! I operated this contest from up high in makiki/tantalus, off of a trail,
in my favorite radio spot (happens to also be a POTA, K-2222!).
This was a pretty awesome radio day!
First, it's a 3 mile hike up to my favorite spot, and a 6 mile round trip
walk/hike from my QTH. It was very muddy! Not the muddiest I've seen, but
close. Usually when it gets muddier, parts of the trail wash out and sometimes
the trail becomes inaccessible, and I have to turn around. So I'm very happy I
was able to navigate around the fallen trees to get to my spot. Then, I checked
the line in my tree. With all the wind and weather lately, it had gotten
tangled. But, I managed to get enough loose to raise the wire for the endfed.
Yay! Then, the antenna wire broke off the matchbox - the connector had gotten
stressed, and the wire broke off. The last time I had antenna problems, I
couldn't fix it. So, I now carry an altoid tin marked 'antenna tools', and it
had just what was needed to fix my antenna. Success!
About this time, after I got things set up, I got a text message from my friend,
warning me that there was a bit of a solar storm - and that if I hear nothing,
there's nothing wrong with my equipment! Helpful :-) I was at the radio spot
quite a bit early (well before the SST), no luck getting spotted on 20m or 10m.
My friend on north shore was trying to see if he could hear me, nope, nothing. I
chased various spots on the bands, nope, not a whole lot of signals I could hear
(and quite a few other hawaii stations, nope, nothing). The few signals I hear
were kinda muddy. So, not really optimistic for the SST, but you never know,
right?
The SST was an adventure! Once it started, I tuned around, not a lot of
stations I could hear, ugh. Then, a very nice and loud Stan AH6KO, so I got a
contact! Followed by a handful of other stations, trying to work them, but
nothing. Signals were just very weak for me. It didn't help that it was quite
windy and cold for me up there - the wind made it hard to hear things, and
affected the antenna, which was swaying in the ironwood tree. Also lots of ants
crawling all over me. Eek. So, 1 contact, but it's never a bad day for me when
I'm up in the mountain on that edge. I love it up there.
The way back was hard - it had started raining, hard, right when I started
hiking back. The trail I take is a loop, and I just continued on the loop. I
opted to go that way because it should be on the 'dry' side, but has more
potential for the trail to be destroyed. I was pretty sure the trail was a loop
still, based on the other hikers (they usually complain a lot when they have to
turn around). Except for a pile of trees all fallen over, conveniently next to a
sign warning the trail is dangerous, the trail was mostly fine. Very muddy!
Anyways - I had a lot of fun! Lots of near misses of things that might have
prevented me from participating in the SST, but I lucked out! Great fun :-)
72 and Aloha
Heather
AH7RF
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