CALL CLASS SEC SCORE CQ QSOs Phone QSOs Total QSOs
==== ===== === ===== ======= ========== ==========
N4BP QRP 1A SFL 7820 673 58 731
Pervert List: N4JBW, W4OVU, WD4JNS, WV5Z, DL5OBZ, N4BP
Mitch, Bruce, Julio, Kevin, Markus, head pervert
Location: Fiesta Key on Long Key, FL (alias Guano Reef) at mm70
Stations: HF: TS-130V and "ugly vertical" on sea wall.
VHF: TM-241A for 2M FM and packet (0 QSOs!)
Yaesu 6M SSB & CW
Two 110 A/H solar charged batteries to run each station.
Julio, WD4JNS came down with bronchitis just before the weekend, but
loaded up his van with gear and food before collapsing in bed. Bruce,
W4OVU drove the van down for him. Mitch, N4JBW filled in for Julio as chief
cook and fed us royally. During the weekend, not a drop of rain, not a
single mosquito, but temps (and humidity) in the 90's - it was HOT!
Only two minor equipment malfunctions: My MFJ DVK developed an
intermittant from the start causing us to abandon the idea of a beacon CQ
on 6M. We wasted time trying to make QSOs on 6M with my 3 el Yagi before
we discovered that Bruce's home made quad had it beat by at least 20db -
might have been the 1000 feet or so of coax though. :-( We were able to
make several packet connections with nodes up and down the Keys, but
couldn't find a "human" to make a FD exchange with us. There were also
no 2M FM sigs to be heard except for various repeaters...
The HF setup worked flawlessly although condx were terrible at the
start. We made up a lot of ground though on Saturday night and Sunday.
Our plans for a 5/8 wave 40M vertical were dashed by the lack of wind to
hold up our parafoil - leaving us with the ugly vertical topped with a
Hustler 40M mobile resonator. But, surprisingly, we could hold a freq on
40M and had runs close to 60 per hour.
On Sunday, at one point, I was able to hold NA's rate meter at 96/hr for
several minutes. The three HF ops (N4BP, WV5Z, DL5OBZ) all have very
differing operating techniques, but rates were quite comparable. When
Markus, DL5OBZ learns to copy direct to keyboard (instead of first
writing the calls on paper) he will be a killer contester!
We set up before the contest and so were limited to 24 hours of
operating. Actually, I planned it that way since I had to work overnight
Sunday - that was one tough night at the TV station. I had brought a
half gallon of ice cream for a quick "victory celebration" but
conveniently forgot it until after we left Guano Reef. Bruce, Kevin, and
I pulled into a Burger King on Marathon Key and ordered drinks to go with
our three way split of the trophy! Markus and friend came to the house
Monday noon to return my tent and so got to share what was left.
I'm sure I'm leaving out a lot of the details, but wanted to get this
posted while it was reasonably fresh in my mind. My sincere thanks to
all my assistant perverts who did a fantastic job!
Bob Patten, N4BP Plantation, FL
n4bp@shadow.net http://www.shadow.net/~n4bp/n4bp.htm
Brass Pounder BBS (954) 472-7715
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