[Fourlanders] June Contest Update

[Bob Lear]

Well, now that FD is over and I've recovered from that and the contest,
it's time for the contest summary.  

We had a great time with very few problems.  In fact the only major
problem we had was we identified a bad connector center pin on the 6m
hardline and will replace it before the next contest.  It did cause high
SWR and a bad signal for a while before we found it.

Other notable equipment items:  Our first time with the M2 2M9SSB
antennas donated by K5AND.  The stacked pair went up easily and played
very well and were so much easier to put up than the 2M5WL's.  The other
item of note was Brian's great pleasure at hitting 1 kW out on the 222
LL amp.  He was driving it with Ron's IC-375 this time.  He has another
higher drive transverter on order from DEMI also.

The weather was excellent, only rained for a short time and really
didn't bother us.  Clear for set up and take down.  All the trailers
worked well, especially the two new ones on their first trip.  We did
have to carry those two trailers in and on other larger trailers, but it
worked out very well.  Brians new 15kW diesel generator is the best
we've ever had.  It is also an easy set-up and very quiet.  I don't
think we made it burp once during the contest!!  I think some pics were
taken and will get posted sometime.

Participants included:  Ron Rogers WW8RR, Jim Rogers WE8W, Jim Worsham
W4KXY, Kim Hensley WG8S, Ivan White K4VJM, Brian McCarthy NX9O, Paul
Yeager W4SKI, Robin Cutshaw AA4RC, Bob Crone WA4VJC, Robert Crone W4RFC,
Steve Adams K4RF and Bob Lear K4SZ.

We spent $120 for generator fuel, split 10 ways made it 12 each.
The campground cost $25.20 each when split 9 ways.  The deposit had been
paid earlier.  I think the actual total was $288 for the weekend.

Thanks to Anna and Brian for picking up and delivering the excellent BBQ
we had after set-up on Friday evening.  That worked out to $7 each or so
for the participants.  We fended for ourselves for the rest of the
weekend, but I didn't see anyone going hungry.  There was plenty of good
food around and the gas grill got a good work-out.  

Results were good and everyone was pleased.  We bettered the scores of
both contests last year.  Final tally was 221,633 points with the
following distribution:  Six meters, 445 Q's and 157 grids; Two meters,
172 Q's and 42 grids; 222 MHz, 52 Q's and 24 grids; 432 MHz, 80 Q's and
28 grids.  We aren't turning it in for score since we are going to
remain limited multi-op, but a fourlanders milestone was reached during
the contest.  Steve K4RF made the first narrow band 10 GHz QSO during
the contest.  He worked W4DEX on CW.  We had made 10 GHz wideband FM
contacts using Gunnplexers a time or two, but this is the first "Real"
QSO on 10 GHz.  The weather didn't cooperate long enough to try 5 GHz. 
Maybe next time we'll get enough folks to do full multi again and get to
make some more microwave Q's.  

The campground is reserved for the September contest.  Start thinking
now about what you want to do and we'll see if we can get a large enough
group to let us do multi-op again.  

73, Bob