[3830] January VHF SS W9SZ QRP portable

[Zack Widup]

                   ARRL VHF SWEEPSTAKES -- 1998
 
 
                                      Section: Illinois
 
       Call: W9SZ                     Country: USA 
 
       Grid: EN50                     Category: QRP portable

 
 
       BAND     QSO    QSO PTS      GRIDS
 
 
 
       144       10       10           8
 
       432        3        6           3
 
       1.2        0        0           0

       2.3        0        0           0

       3.4        0        0           0
 
       -----------------------------------
 
 
      Totals     13        16         11  =  176
 
 
 Equipment Description: Homebrew transverters 144, 432, 1296 Approx. 5 watts
 each band
 
 Homebrew transverters 2304, 3456 Approx. 100 mW each band

 HTX-100 IF rig

 12-el Yagi 144 MHz; 15-el Yagi 432 MHz; 24-el loop yagi 1296 MHz; 2 ft. 
 dia. dish for 2304 and 3456 MHz 
 

I must be crazy to take all this equipment and stuff it in my car to 
drive to the nearest hilltop and set it up in the cold and the dark for 
about 4 hours of operating time!  It was fun anyway.  The bands weren't 
so great between 9pm and 1 am Saturday night though. All bands sounded 
dead after 1 am Sunday, so I packed up and left just before the freezing 
drizzle hit.

I had equipment for some microwave bands, hoping a rover would stop nearby 
and we could work.  Alas, it didn't happen. Tried one 1296 QSO (about 
120-mile path) and I could hear him but he couldn't hear me.  Maybe next 
time!

73, Zack W9SZ

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