WD9INF 160 SSB M/O

[Joseph A. Feustle, Jr.]

Here's the score for the WD9INF team:

1106 Qs x 79 mults = 204,000 points

Ops: WD9INF, KN8R, KG8CW, N8AAT, W8IQ, WB8JKR

Equipment: Icom 751-A, Kenwood TS850S, TenTec Titan, NA logging software.
Antennas: ZL at 100 ft., Inverted vee at 100 ft., 1/4 wave balloon vertical
(somtimes kite)with elevated radials. Beverages from 300 to 600 ft.

Outside of being called by EU, a rarity for us in a SSB contest, the
highlight of this CQ 160 was the great balloon experiment. Got it floated by
the start of the contest and it appeared to work better than either of the
other antennas, but lost it about 5 hours into the contest to wind gusts on
the leading edge of a weather front that passed through. When last seen, the
balloon and part of its radial system were headed to VE2 in a big hurry.
Further experiments with different kinds of party balloons proved fruitless,
however the kites DID work after a fashion. The Batman kite got off to a
great start but impailed itself in a distant tree about 1:30 AM local time
due to the same gusts that got the balloon(s). A second kite (Spiderman?)
worked great at 800 ft. until pilot/operator error caused its demise.

Please accept our appoligies for any intrusions into the DX Window. The
lead-off operator was unaware of the Window but moved when another member of
the team so advised him. 

This is the last operation from WD9INF's current QTH. He is moving to
Michigan where he plans to be louder and meaner than ever. If you think you
worked a YL at "INF" early Saturday, thank KN8R who brought the helium.
Well, we had to do something with it.

For the gang at WD9INF until the next 160,
Joe Feustle, N8AAT

PS: Several of the members of our Big Bolt-1 team have been doing computer
modeling of a product purchased from a vending maching in the men's room of
a truck stop outside of Dayton. It's called DeSenz and, when modeled on our
Cray against the angle of the dangle, it shows great potential for retarding
ESA (early signal acquisition). That is, if we manage to rub some on the
competition's Beverages, the dx signals will get to our antennas first! Now,
there's an advantage!