[CQ-Contest] Radiosport- Hawaiian style

[N6HC at aol.com]

  Aloha from Hawaii
  I have been on Oahu since 11/13, on business, which will require me to 
spend 
  two months working at the Kaiser Moanalua hospital.  Since this trip has 
been 
  planned for several months right in the heart of the contest season, there 
  was no chance that a radio would not accompany me.  K6OHM was kind enough 
to 
  part with his FT-100 and ATAS whip antenna while W1HIJ agreed to loan his 
  miniature 12v power supply and baby sit the house and home station.  On 
  arrival to our island home/apartment and before  my suitcase of clothing 
was 
  unpacked, the station was setup on the 12th floor of a 22 floor apartment 
  building.  Fortunately, I was clear to the east and north from this 
location. 
   The whip was mounted on the balcony railing but would only load if in the 
  horizontal position.  I was able to work quite a few stations with this 
setup 
  with a respectable report on most occasions, both CW & SSB, including CX, 
  UA0, 3B8, ZL, LU, VK, DJ, ZS, EM, LZ,EA8, HI, R1, C6A, AH8.
  I tried this station setup on Sweepstakes SSB with disasterous results.  
Only 
  280 Q and 67 mults.  I thought that using the prefix NH7 would attract 
  attention, but it only seemed to confuse all but the most seasoned dxers 
and 
  contesters.  KH6 prefix would have been much easier.  So much for trying to 
  attract the prefix hunters.  I knew that this station configuration would 
  only frustrate me more in CQWWCW.  KH7R was spoken for months ago (N6TJ) so 
  the hunt was on for a station with a tribander and amplifier.  KH7V (Don) 
and 
  xyl WH7K (Sandy)  came to my rescue.  A TS570D with TL-922A and A4S at 30 
  feet / G5RV apex at 30 feet (40/80) were put at my disposal.  My laptop, 
  paddle, and keying cable completed the setup. Permission from my xyl-Sherry 
  (KA6DOW) to abandon her for the weekend was graciously granted. Work 
  obligations prevented me from starting the contest until 0200UTC.  The 
  station played well with the exception of RFI on 20 meters.  A neighbor  
took 
  umbrage at his TV and touch light switches blinking.  Otherwise, Murphy was 
  nowhere to be seen the entire weekend.  What fun to be DX and enjoying 
  pileups that can only be experienced by DXpeditions and relatively rare DX 
  stations.  Since I am no longer a young stud, 31 hours of operation was all 
I 
  could muster.  The resultant score exceeded my expectations.  Hearing many 
of 
  my friends come back to me (sometimes with my name) brought many smiles to 
my 
  face throughout the weekend.  The call NH7/N6HC continued to give the 
  occasional operators some difficulty but that was a small price to pay for 
  the luxury of operating from a competitive station.  I offered to use the 
  home station call (KH7V) but Don adamantly refused permission because he 
  didn't want the added burden of 2301 potential QSL cards (can't say as I 
  blame him!).  I am certain that the score could have been maximized with 
  telnet assistance for multiplier harvesting, but I decided to just play the 
  old fashioned way.  The only assistance was the cheerleading from Sandy and 
  Don throughout the weekend.  Many thanks to both of them for their 
  hospitality and use of the station.
  I am looking forward to the ten meter contest and hope to be a part of the 
  KH7V team using Sandy's call (WH7K).  I hope to be able to say hello to 
each 
  and every one of the reflector subscribers.  Until then....
  Mahalo for the contacts.....
  Aloha from the island paradise of Oahu....
  73  de  Arnie
  NH7/N6HC  
  
 


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