[CQ-Contest] Do you have A/C in your shack?

[kq2m at kq2m.com]

My shack is in the basement and there is no window space large enough 
for an A/C.  I have thus far resisted purchasing a portable non-window 
based unit although I may reconsider.

I don't ever need A/C between October - April; and during the Winter 
months it can be absolutely freezing even in SO2R mode with two amps - 
that's because heat rises and cold air sinks - right to the floor level 
where my feet are.
;-)

Between May - September the heat and humidity gradually build in the 
basement - and in July - August the humidity is very bad - and with more 
water vapor in the air, the temperature stays that much warmer than as 
compared to when there are low levels of humidity.  The heat/humidity 
can really sap your energy - it makes me sleepy very quickly even when 
operating in shorts and a T-shirt.  A large fan helps but that creates 
blower noise and very humid air blown at you is not very cooling.  A 
high powered window A/C would definitely help the score!

In Western CT our weather can be extremely unpredictable during WPX - I 
have seen years when it got down into the upper 20's at night and other 
years when it was close to 100 F.  Most of the time WPCW is ok but IARU 
and WAE can be rough to operate in full SO2R mode with two amps.

I would suggest to anyone to put a good size A/C in their shack if they 
can - better to be too powerful than not enough!  The additional score 
generated per $1 spent on A/C may be more cost-effective than almost any 
other equipment in or out of the the shack!

73

Bob KQ2M


On 2021-07-27 09:22, ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca wrote:
> Keep in mind when reading the following, I am from the Maritimes and 
> have lived
> all my life in VO2, VO1, VE1 and VE9....so I don't do the high temps 
> well ;-)
> 
> During the recent IARU contest I think this was the first time I  
> *ever*  really
> stopped operating due to heat/humidity.  I laid my head down "for a few 
> minutes"
> and woke up 5.5hrs later. Oof !
> 
> My el-cheapo thermometer on the desk next to my keyboard said it was 
> 31.5*C
> (88.8*F)...I don't recall what the humidity was in the house,(probably 
> a bit
> lower than outside)  but outside was up to 94% at 11pm according to 
> Environment
> Canada.
> 
> I QRT'd not long after midnight, shattered from the "heat".
> 
> So....has anyone installed A/C in their shack? How did you like it? Run 
> it every
> contest? Only in the summer?
> 
> Y'day I bought a teeny-tiny window A/C unit ~5000btu (on sale at that) 
> and will
> hopefully once installed, will try it out next contest,  assuming no 
> QRM/RFI. 
> Living way out in the country. I like a quiet RX.
> 
> I think in my mid-late 50's, I am finally getting soft.
> 
> In the winter, I just turn my shack heat off and sometimes even open a 
> window.
> In the summer, I often operate LP or QRP....
> In the IARU, with HP SO2R it was pretty warm and my shack is very very 
> small.
> 
> What has been your experience with heat/humidity while operating? 
> (doesn't have
> to have been in YOUR shack)
> 
> Tnx !
> 
> --
> Mike VE9AA
> 
>  
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