[Fourlanders] Meeting In Shelby

[Jim Worsham]

Hello everyone.  As you probably know we had a meeting this weekend at the
hamfest in Shelby.  I forgot to bring anything to write notes on so I am
doing this from memory.  If I miss anything, I am sorry.

Food:  Everyone who is participating needs to contact Paul, W4SKI and let
him know what you will require with regards to meals.

Generator:  We talked about this some.  It was the consensus of the group
that it wasn't worth it to drive 50 miles to pickup a generator which is
only a little bit larger than one we already have.  If we can fine say a 15
KW diesel that is quiet and that is relatively close (Cherokee or Maggie
Valley) then we would be interested in that.  For this contest we will most
likely be going with the usual complement of gasoline generators.  Folks
bringing generators are:

Neal, K4EA - Spare/6?
Brian, NX9O - 6?, 2 and 222
Jim, W4KXY - 432 and microwaves
Bob, K4SZ - Cook

6 meters - There was quite a bit of discussion about 6 meters.  The main
topics were reports from June that we had a poor signal on 6 and the amount
of AC power that the 6 meter amplifier seemed to require.  Neal, K4EA has
been working on this and has been unable to duplicate the poor signal
situation from home using the exact same equipment.  Some of us think the
problem may have to do with the low line voltage that resulted because the 6
meter amplifier was loading down the generator (Brian's 8 KW!).  Brian and
Neal measured the current that the amplifier draws key down as 19 Amps at
240 Volts.  That is nearly 5 KW!  With 1 KW RF output that is only 20%
efficiency which seems really low (isn't class AB something like 70%
theoretical?).  Alternatives discussed were:

1. Use a dedicated generator for 6.
2. Use a different amplifier for 6.  We have at least two other 6 meter
amplifiers available.
3. Use a different transceiver.  We have several 6 meter transceivers
available.

Neal will continue to investigate and let us know what he is going to do.
If Neal wants to use another amplifier and/or rig he needs to let us know by
next weekend.  We are going to start packing then.  The antenna we used in
June may not be available.  If it isn't Neal purchased a 6 element Hy-Gain
at Shelby and he will just use that.  Bob, K4SZ will supply a 100+ foot long
run of half inch hardline and I will supply a 100 ft. run of LMR 400 for the
6 meter antennas.

2 meters - Everything is in order here.  Dick, K5AND has been checking out
the FT-897 and amplifier he will be using and it is working great.  He will
be using one of the clubs 2M5WL antennas fed with 100 feet of half inch
hardline he bought at Shelby.  Jim, W4KXY will supply a 2 meter bandpass
filter.

222 - Everything is in order here.  Brian will be using the same setup he
used in June.

432 - I am still waiting for my transverter to come back from DEMI.  N2CEI
said he would get it back to me before the contest.  I just hope it gets
back in time for me to do some testing before I have to start packing.  The
station will be a 1000MP, transverter and amplifier.  Antennas will be a
stacked pair of K1FOs (just like in June).  Robi, KB4IDC is going to mount
an FM vertical for 446 MHz FM and a horizontal loop for 432 MHz SSB on the
trailer so I can have a secondary station for working FM and monitoring
432.180 (see rover info).

microwaves - What can you say about microwaves.  Bob has worked like a dog
these past several weeks getting all the stuff together so we will have a
station for every band from 903 MHz through 10 GHz on the mountain.  In
addition he has put together a rover microwave station for 2304, 3456 and
5760.  Lets hope conditions are better and we can work some folks on these
bands.  One bit of bad news we heard is that K8GP will not be on for this
contest.  They were one of or primary candidates for microwave contacts.
Neal, K4EA will supply a short (35 - 40 foot) run of 1/2 hardline for one of
the microwave bands.

rover - Robin, KB4IDC and his partner will be roving with the previously
mentioned microwave station along with his own gear.  The plan is for him to
head southwest from the mountain on Saturday and try to hit three grids in
that direction.  They will return to the mountain Saturday night (Paul, note
that we may need a late night meal for these guys).  On Sunday they will
head to the northeast and try to hit three more grids.  If we are successful
we will get 7 grids (including our own) on all bands from 6 through 5760.  I
don't know how much of a boost this will give our score but I think it will
be good.  There is also a possibility that Jack, AB4CR will be roving.  I am
not sure all the bands he has but I know that he has 10 GHz.  If we can get
several grids from him on 10 GHz that would be great!  Primary rover liason
will be on 432.180 SSB and 446 FM.  Robin will be working frequencies of the
form XXXX.180 so be sure to listen for him there.

Ok, that is all I can think of.  If I left anything out or got anything
wrong please let us know.

73
Jim W4KXY