[3830] N2NL (at K1PT) 2000 NAQP CW

[Dave Mueller]

    Got a great introduction into Florida weather for my first contest =
since transferring here from Guam last month.  First of all, weather =
threatened late in the afternoon almost causing me to shut down, =
although it never developed past the S9+40 static crashes.  Near at the =
end of the contest however, I was racing a thunderstorm to my 10:00 hour =
operating time limit.  The storm won.  I got nervous when the thunder =
started getting loud and I started hearing loud static buzzing on the =
radio.  I shut down with 9:40 of operating time.  Disconnected =
everything and quietly packed up all my things and got my sleeping son, =
quiet not to wake my host (Paul, K1PT).  10 minutes after shutting down =
I was walking to the car when ***BOOM*** his tower gets hit 75 feet away =
from me.  !!SH**!! Quick, throw my son in the passenger seat and shut =
the door **BOOM** the neigbors sailboat's mast gets hit, 200ft away.  =
Hop into the drivers seat and ***BOOM*** I think this time its Paul's =
sailboat that is hit.  As I drive away I see nonstop lightning flashing =
all around me and in Paul's neigborhood.  I'm thinking I may have made =
SOMEONE angry for some reason or another. :)

    Fortunately Paul has alot of station grounding and this morning =
everything checked out and there was no damage.

2000 North American QSO Party, CW


Callsign:  N2NL  (At K1PT)

Operating Time 9:40


BAND   QSO  MULT
160         30      20
80           79      34
40          200     49
20          201     48
15          152     48
10            89     32

Total:   752  x  231    173,481


Station #1  Onmi 6
Station #2   Kenwood TS940
(Switch to shift keying between rigs and switches to select which rig =
into which ear I wanted)

Antennas:  4el tribander at 60ft,  402CD at 70ft,  80m inverted vee at =
60ft,  160m inverted L,  R-7 for 2nd ring (later swapped different =
antennas around manually between rigs)


This was my first attempt at SO2R and once I got the hang of it - WOW - =
it was fun!!  Probably over 100 2nd radio QSOs.  Thanks to everyone who =
moved for me.  10 never developed, 15/20/40 were great, 80/160 sounded =
good but the approaching storm really hurt me there.  I had to shut down =
while I was still having callers and finding mults :(

Thanks especially to Paul, K1PT, who allowed me to use his station, and =
to the Florida Contest Group guys who have welcomed me into their region =
with open arms over the past 2 weeks since I've moved here from Guam.  =
BTW I'm US Coast Guard just transferred here (Palm Beach) for a 4 year =
tour, after my 2 1/2 years stationed in KH2

73, Dave N2NL



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