[3830] NAQP CW N7ON Single Op LP

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                    North American QSO Party, CW

Call: N7ON
Operator(s): N7ON
Station: N7ON

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: NV
Operating Time (hrs): 

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    0     0
   80:  129    30
   40:   73    32
   20:   39    19
   15:    0     0
   10:    0     0
-------------------
Total:  241    81  Total Score = 19,521

Club: Northern California Contest Club

Team: 

Comments:

Rig:  Elecraft K2/100
Antennas:  homebrew condo designs

Abbreviated summer effort.  Short periods on 20m and 40m to pass out the NV
mult.  Fellow NV stations N7TR (20m) and KN6VVH (40m) were heard and worked. 
Congrats to fellow condo station KA3DRR for the best signal (80m and 20m) I've
heard yet from Scot.

NAQP CW was an experimental run for my new 80m antenna.  I built it to use the
next time I'm in Hawaii.

Antenna criteria:
--simple, inexpensive construction from readily available parts
--easy to transport
--lightweight
--quick to mount on a pole or from a tree
--no radials
--low profile
--good on-air performance.

Test criteria:
--two hours of operating time
--100w
--15 minutes total time allowed for putting up and taking down the antenna.

Goal:  to learn how many QSO's and what distances could be worked with this
antenna.

Results:
Total 80m time:  two hours
Total 80m QSO's and mults: 129 QSO's and 30 mults.  Combined time of two runs
was 1h 56m, generating 123 coast-to-coast QSO's.  Six S & P QSO's were made
while finding run frequencies.

Notes:
--Pleased with the 80m QSO/mult totals and distances worked, enough to give the
antenna another test.
--Will soon run an A/B test with an 80m inverted-L.
--Total cost with new parts, all available locally:  $23.43; call it less than
$10 if relying on a junkbox.
--fits in a small bag for transport.
--no tools required for field assembly.
--SWR meter and/or antenna analyzer for tuning.  No re-tuning required after
initial tweaking for the proper band segment.  1.8:1 bandwidth -- 85 KHz.
--Total weight:  1.5 lbs.
--Total height:  27 feet; it can vary depending upon available supports.
--Footprint:  a few inches.
--Technical references:  The ARRL Antenna Book, 20th Ed., and ON4UN's Low-Band
DXing, 3rd Ed.

Many thanks to Jim, K7JN, for steering me in the right direction with my
antennas a few years ago, and also to Bobby, K7RSM (ex-W6JYT), Harry,
K7GQ/KH6CW, and Rich, N7TR, for their guidance and suggestions.  

K7RSM monitored my signal on his bandscope from his new home in Arizona.  His
report:  the antenna produced one of the stronger signals on 80m at his AZ QTH.
 He gave a similar report during NAQP RTTY when I used a 40m version of the
antenna -- that 40m antenna is a keeper.

In the "help your neighbor become a DX'er/contester, he'll help you, too"
department, I'd like to thank former neighbor K7RSM for all of his suggestions
and improvements to my antennas and station.  It was only after getting to know
him that I found his name prominently mentioned on the acknowledgments page of
an edition of W6SAI's classic Radio Handbook -- chalk one up to the "you never
know who you might meet" department.  He's become an excellent contester/DX'er
in a year and a half.  When you hear him in Topband contests this season, now
you'll know he built his custom-designed 160m 800w amp in two nights from his
junkbox.  I'm impressed!

Thanks for the QSO's, they were essential for a successful test.

73,

John, N7ON


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