Oklahoma QSO Party
Call: K5YAA/M
Operator(s): K5YAA
Station: K5YAA
Class: Mobile Single Op HP
QTH: 27 OK Counties
Operating Time (hrs): 8.5
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs Dig Qs
----------------------------
160: 0 0 0
80: 23 0 0
40: 507 12 0
20: 566 39 0
15: 0 0 0
10: 0 0 0
6: 0 0 0
----------------------------
Total: 1096 51 0 Mults = 66 Total Score = 226,996
Club: Oklahoma DX Association
Comments:
Began Saturday under rain clouds with water in them and they lasted up until out
west north of Oklahoma City where the clouds cleared as rain moved further east,
the direction I had spent most of Saturday in. Heavy rain at times but mostly
just drizzle. A bit of time lost after a few counties but somehow made up as I
moved along because a half hour was remaining on the timepiece when LINcoln
county arrived. Good because 10 minutes on 40 then the balance on 80 would top
off a very good day.
This run may be the most perfect as far as everything performing flawlessly.
The van was never turned off except for gassing up once in PAWnee county. Not
one, even minor, attack from Murphy. Rare in a mobile environment but much more
fun than getting out the tool box.
Friday evening I decided to mount only the 20 meter Hustler leaving the 10 and
15 ones sitting on the ground. Actually the one for ten has been stored in the
far rear seat of the van for a couple of years now. Figured to set the Tarheel
on 40 and switch between 20 and 40 as the day went along. If anyone, just
anyone said, "15 is open" I could motor the Tarheel to 21 megs. Only
one time early Saturday when OM2VL said he thought he was hearing something on
15, did I press the motor drive switch to dial in 15 on the Tarheel. Alas, a
false alarm as no signals heard in the mobile. We tried anyway Laci. Not one
other time all weekend did I receive information that 15 was open so the choice
of antennas was also flawless as the Tarheel went to 80 late Saturday in LINcoln
county for a couple dozen Qs. Even worked OM2VL but neither of us sent
"SSB?" like we did regularly on 20 and 40 meters. CW was tough enough
so no need thinking a SSB Q was possible.
>From memory let me thank the following stations for riding with me most of both
days. K1RO, OM2VL, N6MU, N4PN and several other GA onion growers, N2CU, W2CVW,
K4MM, W6OUL, N6MA, N4UP, WN4AFP, WA4EEZ, WB0PYF and Ray's club W9GHX. Many
others popped in as they could between mowing the grass and other Saturday home
chores. They included, again from memory, K4AMC, K9NW (Mike actually in IN for a
change), N2JNE, DK3BN, N3RJ, N1NN, W0MU, WA9LEY, NA2X, N8II, W7OM, VA3ATT,
K7ZYV, AD1C, NW0M and many, many others that made the log and made the run
great fun. Serge, using CG2AWR found a moment to hand out a few Qs for the QC
mult. Thank you all for riding with me.
For Jim, K8MR. That coat hanger you load up down in FL, the one holding up the
umbrella on your beach chair works pretty good actually. I'm guessing you have
to have both feet in the sand during any transmissions to boost your output?
Even heard you well on SSB so keep the flip flops off my boy and your ass in
the sand.
Having Alan, N5NA call from where? MT? Heck, I had to erase TX and put MT in
but all weekend Alan stayed in MT so was easy from a logging perspective.
AB5ZA/7 in MT showed up a few times. What's a good mailing address for you
Marshall as Laci, OM2VL needs your county for his USA-CA and our first attempt
using the mails came back. I'm thinking K7BG said there actually is postal
service to and from MT but I might be mistaken.
At times rates were out the roof. Never have I seen 600/hr but for a minute it
was hit. 10 Qs in a minute rivaling the better CQWW rates from EA8 and other
places. Alas though, I could not extend that pace for long. Looks good though
and has to have the New England boys envious, perhaps? Rolled along often well
over 250/hr with 149/hr being the overall rate. Something tells me those onion
growers in GA had something to do with that 600/hr minute! All those guys sound
the same and boy can they send the Morse.
Rather than send while moving along with the recorder running, as I have done
in a number of parties running solo I decided to only operate when stopped. A
good decision I believe as even with that approach tiredness set in after those
eleven hours of roadwork. Years seem to be taking their toll but still music to
my ears.
My apologies when CW got hacked a bit. The old Dell running XP, very stable,
has trouble if I try to place the next call in the window or even log a Q and
will burp leaving out a dit or dah even stretching a dit at times. Anything
over 40 WPM and it really has to grunt. Heck, the op himself has to grunt.
Happened mostly though when responding at 46 WPM to those GA onion growers.
Having Merv, K9FD call in a couple of times from HI when I had no idea the band
was open to the Pacific was a treat. Sorry for calling you Mel Merv! JO7WXN
called me when in NOBle and PAWnee making the log even more respectable. Both
days Europe was readable but I believe Sunday was a bit better as ON4AAC and
other somewhat northerly Europeans called in. DL3DXX, DL8USA, DL4CF, DL5JQ and
DK3BN in DL land showed often. F8BBL, IV3NVR, S57S, UA3AGW and LY5W were
others. PJ4/K3SW snuck in the log early Saturday morning at the CHErokee/ADAir
county line and I think the SW was the only one South of Florida to do so.
Nothing quite like DX in a mobile yet that VU2 a couple of years ago breaking
the Kansas Party pileup on both 20 and 15 still tops the list from the /M.
The following states were never heard. ME, DE, ND, AK, and NV. Only AB, ON, QC,
SK worked in Canada but as always Canadian Qs appreciated.
Again, a most perfect weekend and the weather Sunday cleared. Sunny and mild
Springtime temps. So much so I altered my route continually driving South to
near the Texas border. The Red Bud trees are blooming and leaves are beginning
to show on most trees now. Seems as each year passes a day or two "out in
the country" lifts the spirits. Springtime also brings the little calves
to life of which there were many in the fields with their mamas. One little
character was practicing his high jump skills showing off to the others I
guess. Over the years it has been rare a scurrying furry critter is hit by the
van. I recall each of the three either myself or a guest op has squashed.
Sorrowfully this time a small grey furry critter, just wanting to cross the Hwy
in Hughes county missed the left front tire but got whacked by the left rear
tire of the van. He was laying very still as I viewed him in the rear view
mirror. Sorry buddy no way to miss you.
My thanks to Connie and Pam Marshall for their continuing the OKQP. This one,
though activity seemed down a bit this year, was a good one. Much appreciation
to all for an annual get the year started mobile run for this old man.
73 to all - Jerry K5YAA
Mobile Rig: A K3, Tarheel, HP Hustler for 20 on this run all pumped up by a KW
solid state amp which is a hummer. Spares for everything except the stalwart
amp which may never die according to the original owner.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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