[3830] AlQP K5YAA/M Mobile Solo OpMixed HP

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                    Alabama QSO Party

Call: K5YAA/M
Operator(s): K5YAA
Station: K5YAA/M

Class: Mobile Solo OpMixed HP
QTH: 14 Counties
Operating Time (hrs): 12

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs
--------------------
  160:    0      0
   80:   30      2
   40:  213     14
   20:  376     46
   15:  111     33
   10:    5      4
--------------------
Total:  735     99  CW Mults = 46  Ph Mults = 21  Total Score = 105,123

Club: Oklahoma DX Association

Comments:

Now that I have transcribed the two counties I ran the recorder in here is my
Alabama story.

A 1,150 mile round trip to and from Alabama, the drive was uneventful back and
forth to Oklahoma. I left a day early and ran a number of Mississippi counties
on CH frequencies during the day Friday and then stayed overnight in Columbus,
MS planning for a short drive to start the AQP in Pickens county Alabama on
Saturday. Just before going to Pickens I drove into Lamar County AL and made a
few QSOs on the CH frequencies. On my way back to Columbus to find Hwy 82 I was
(again) stopped by a friendly fellow who wanted to see my license. Like the
Missouri Lady he just gave me a warning and said "Have a nice day".
Mississippi officials also know a good thing when they see it! After all my
episodes this year I actually am trying to watch my hurrying - a 45 MPH sign
showed up and I was doing 55 so began to slow but too late - the blue lights
started flashing. Oh well, only a warning so the day started off OK after all.

At 11AM Central the party began. This may be the first QSO Party I have been in
that I had NO navigation problems.  Even feeling like a one armed paper hanger
all day I made not one wrong turn. Pretty amazing if you could have seen
everything that was going on. Band changes, tuning the Tarheel, turning on the
recorder, using the bug now and then and keeping the van between the ditches
all the while watching for county signs. Made for a swift 12 hours on the roads
of Alabama.  I had planned my run using Streets and Trips which does a pretty
fair job of estimating arrival times into new counties.  I believe I was on
schedule all day and even gained a few minutes after making it to the Northern
counties. Going through Jefferson county N4JF asked QTH? I said JEFF - he said
no QTH? Oh - I sent "Hwy 65 headed North". Jerry said he was only a
mile a way maybe a visit. Suspecting my time would be tight I sent "sri
time short". He said - "I understand have fun".  Maybe another
time Jerry - I had the game on!

Wind the clock forward now to late afternoon and Colbert County up in the
Northwest. I had just stopped and fetched me a Subway sandwich and was enjoying
when I heard what sounded like a siren. Turns out it was the Tornado warning
siren near Tuscumbia. A voice came on saying "Take cover
immediately". Cover where? I thought. Black skies filled the territory
North of Tuscumbia and I was heading to the South so forward I went. Me and
dozens of other cars on Hwy 43.  Headlights were on.  I pulled over to work
Colbert county but first put my cover on the generator. Minutes later the rains
- very heavy - began. Good timing on the generator cover placement. Finishing
Colbert I went on toward Franklin county. Still raining pretty hard I pulled
over into a KFC parking lot that was just about empty. In Franklin now, I
started my run. The rain and winds picked up. Buckets of water and probably 50
MPH winds. In addition to being a ham operator W0BH part times as a weather man
I guess because he began to send me reports. His radar showed a tornado 5 miles
Southwest of Russellville. Hmmm - that's just about where I am sitting or at
least I could be in the path of the thing. Well, I told Bob "I'll just
hunker down and hope for the best." A bit later the weather man gave me an
all clear - the tornado has lifted. Whew, missed me. Must have been all that CW
that chased it off. After my Franklin adventure I moved along toward Winston
County. The rains had subsided a bit but the road was still crowded with cars
heading South. In Winston I pulled into a church parking lot and began my run.
Here came the heavy rains again. They finally let up just about the time I
started moving toward Walker county, my last for the party. The roads in
Winston and Walker counties were cluttered with leaves and small tree limbs.
Some of the clutter looked like small animals that late at night so I moved
along at a slower rate (something new for me). I found me a spot in Walker
county to finish up the party. I had 30 minutes left after making it to Walker
- I was pleased as my trip plan said I would only have about ten minutes at the
end. Finished the party on 80 CW which still had some pretty good QRN caused by
the storm that had moved on to the east.

Many stations followed me most of the day. DX was again a large part of my log.
I worked 14 countries including C6, DL, EA, FM, G, I, LU, LY, OH, OM, SM, SP, US
and YV. The following stations made the log more than 10 times.

OM2VL  - 40
DL3GA  - 16
LY5A   - 16
DL3DXX - 12
DK3BN  - 11

Thanks to all the DX for giving me a call. Some of you stayed up late to work
Alabama. Much appreciated.

12 Alabama counties were worked. N4JF worked me in a number of counties.  Even
20 meters. I went to 40 fairly often but found 20 and 15 to be the most
productive.

Canadians were slim in count in this one as I worked only VE3 and VE6. VE3KZ
made the log 10 times.

The following states were missed. ME, RI, VT, AK, HI, MT, ND, SD, NV, UT and
WY. KO7X was mobiling in California so no automatic WY mult.  39 states were
worked - a smaller number than the other parties I have been in this year.

The following stations made it in the log 10 or more times. My Honor Roll
listing, as one op called it a ways back.

W0BH - 80 (that's right 80 times!) Also double duty as my WX man. Thanks Bob.
N6MU - 44
NT2A - 25
K2DSW - 22
KQ3F - 14
AE5GT - 14
K9OM - 13
N8II - 13
W0GXQ - 11
W5ASP - 10
K8MR - 10
N1EN - 10
N9QS - 10

Thanks gents for all the QSOs. You made my run much fun which is why I make
'em.
Having the K3 memories setup with CW and SSB frequencies made for swift changes
between modes.  The Tarheel doesn't need a re-tune going to SSB from CW so even
without my Hustlers I was able to scoot to SSB quickly - that is after I found
my mic. I studied a picture of my K3 microphone at home so I would know what it
looked like.

Thanks to everyone who made my log. I do these parties for the "Fun of
It". An Oklahoma DX Association saying that fits nicely.

In addition, I would like to thank Jim KC4HW and crew for a good party. Work to
put one of these on is always appreciated. The mobile route listings, rule
modifications and working to cover the entire state takes time to do so thanks
again.

Finally, thanks Bob, W0BH for your concern for my well being during those nasty
storms. It was gratifying to know someone would know where to find me if I ended
up in a twisted pile of mobile trappings on the side of an Alabama road!

That's my story for the 2014 Alabama QSO Party. This one is my 6th for this
year. The next one will be the Kansas Party on August 23 and 24. I am pleased
to say Colin, KU5B has accepted my offer to come be with me in that one. We
will be running as W0L this year. Bob, W0BH and staff! put on a pretty good
show so I am looking forward to the run in the great state of Kansas.

Best 73, Jerry K5YAA

The rig: The Oklahoma Land Rush Mobile employing a K3, Solid State amp at 600
watts, a Tarheel antenna and a Honda eu2000i generator mounted on a pull along
trailer. This run had NO problems with gear - I may finally be getting the hang
of mobile operations!


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