[3830] ARRL FD AA4LR 1E LP

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                    ARRL Field Day

Call: AA4LR
Operator(s): AA4LR
Station: AA4LR

Class: 1E LP
QTH: GA
Operating Time (hrs): 5.5

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Dig Qs
----------------------------
  160:                   
   80:    3              
   40:  119      5       
   20:   54     18       
   15:   10      3       
   10:                   
    6:                   
    2:                   
  222:                   
  432:                   
  903:                   
  1.2:                   
  2.3:                   
  3.4:                   
  5.7:                   
  10G:                   
  24G:                   
----------------------------
Total:  186     26      0  Total Score = 896

Club: South East Contest Club

Comments:

Antennas:
Cushcraft R7000 @ 2m (40-10m)
80/40m trap dipole @ 3-5m (80m, 40m)

Equipment:
Elecraft K2/100 w/ KAT100 running 50-100 watts
Deep-cycle 12v battery

Comments:

Despite a bit of back trouble (which I really hadn't had in 3 years), I managed
to operate field day this year from Floyd county. Day started with putting the
80/40m dipole back up. It had fallen down when the rope frayed where it went
over a branch. While that end is still at a disappointingly low height, I did
have time to raise the other end a couple of meters higher. I don't think it
made a lot of difference in my score, though.

The K2 is a radio that was designed for field day. It worked out very well. I
did get a Low Batt indication after 3.5 hours, but I reduced power to about 50
watts and soldiered on.

Conditions weren't great. I found nothing on 10m, very little activity on 15,
which means everything was crammed onto 20 and 40m. At one point, I could not
find a clear frequency on 40m CW -- there were signals every 200-300 Hz. It
almost sounded like 160m during the ARRL 160m contest.

Managed to do a bit of running, but this one was mostly S & P. I must say that
field day operating technique is significantly below the standard of most
contests. There were several occasions where I was calling CQ, someone called,
I answered, and they disappeared. It even happened a couple of times when
someone else called CQ. I guess people got key (not mic) fright.

Took one break to take my wife out to dinner. About 0300z, my back had had
enough of sitting and I had to pull the plug. Maybe next time, I'll be able to
stay up a bit later and work more on 80m.

Two memorable contacts. Worked W4DOC -- the Atlanta Radio Club, with whom I
have done innumerable field days. Also worked W8SP -- a club which my brother
Ben, NJ8J, used to join for field day in WV. I had never worked W8SP before.


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