[Fourlanders] June contest summary

[w4zst at windstream.net]

W4NH June 2013 VHF Contest Summary

Another June contest under our belts and I don't think we want another quite like this one!!  The most rain since the year of the hurricane and the highest 

winds we've ever had up on the mountain.  That and some of the worst propagation we've had from Mile High too.  Our score is much more like January or some 

of our low September scores.  Here is the summary:

6 meters    314 Q's    76 grids
2 meters    96  Q's    33 grids
222        26  Q's    13 grids
432        46  Q's 19 grids

Total        482 Q's 114 grids
Points total    78,114

There were 3 Q's up into Washington State (CN74,84,85) one in So Cal (DM12) one down in Mexico (EL06) and the rest were east of CO.  We didn't get any of the 

usuals up in New England, with the futhest Q in that direction only to Northeastern PA.  So pretty much long ground wave and no real openings.  The other 

bands were all within 6 grids wide and about 8 grids N-S.  Two meters did get one Q in N. FL (EL89) and one ea in upper IN & OH (EN71, 81).


Station information:  Scott used his K3 with W4ZST's 6m Commander Amp for the 6m station.  He also had the new P3 board that let him use a larger monitor for 

the panadaptor display on the 6m station.  (The stations are shown in Kim's pictures).  Kos used his K3, new DEMI 2m transverter and W4ZST's 2m Commander 

amp.  The 222 station was W4ZST's FT-920, DEMI 2m transverter and Teletec brick.  Ron had his usual 432 station of IC-910 and his HB 432 K2RIW type amp.  I 

don't think we had any real station problems this time, but did have some Wtitelog software problems that eventually got straightened out.  The usual stacked 

pairs of antennas and ominis were used on both 6m and 2m.  222 had the usual stacked pair and the FM antenna, but no omni's.  Ron had a four-square of K2RIW 

 19's on 432 and the 432 omni beams.  He did have some trouble with the rotator calbration on 432.


There was some boredom, especially for the 222 and 432 ops with the lack of activity and propagation, but they hung in there for the duration.  Special 

thanks to Johnny Kludt K4SQC taking the 222 band captain duties on his first trip to the mountain with us.  The rain kept us in the trailers most of the time 

as it was usually too wet and windy to sit under the tents.  Speaking of the tents, they took a wind trip over Scott's trailer, becoming impaled on the roof 

rack, otherwise they may have gone on to be property of the elk futher down the mountain!  This was also the first time we had rain on Monday morning for 

takedown.  It was blowing pretty hard Monday morning and raining when we got up a 7 AM to start takedown.  Fortunately the rain did let up for an hour or two 

then and we got everything loaded, but of course, soaking wet.  Kos and Scott got away a little early as they both needed to work Monday afternoon.


We did leave the campground at a record early time, about 10 AM, as we did work pretty fast to get things packed away and trying to outrun the rain.  We had 

gotten up at 7 AM to make sure we'd get done early.  The parkway sure was foggy this time when we were leaving.  We did have a bit of excitement later on, 

after we ate lunch in Franklin and had just gotten in to GA, Bill had a rear wheel on his Tahoe start wobbling.  When we pulled over at a station, there was only one lug 

nut left on and it was loose.  Four studs where broken completely off.  Since we had Ivan right with us, and he has complete tools and an air compressor on 

the 'Texas Pickup', the studs were knocked out, while I ran down to Clayton to an Auto Parts store to pick up new studs and lug nuts, then returned and Bill 

pulled them in with a ratchet and air wrench.  We put the spare tire on and made it on home with no other 'events'.  Bill is going to have to look for a 

replacement aluminum wheel as that one was ruined.  He was pretty tired from all that work in the hot sun on an asphalt parking lot.


Brian and the McCarthy clan did get to come up for a time.  They came Saturday afternoon, camped out the night and left Sunday morning.  We also had a couple 

of ham friends of Paul's come visit from the Western Carolina University club.


The full time crew were:
6m band captain Scott NN4W, Kim WG8S, Paul W4SKI, Jim W5KXY
2m band captain Kos N4NIA, Bill KI4US, Ivan K4VJM
222 band captain Johnny K4SQC, part time were Claire KK4JJT and Brian NX9O
432 Band Captain Ron WW8RR, Jim WE8W, 
and Mac K4RBM and Bob W4ZST doing the cooking.

There were 8 trailers in the convoy, pulled by Bill, Bob, Ron, Jim, Scott, Johnny, Ivan and special thanks to Mac K4RBM for coming along with us and pulling 

Great White.  Not everyone has enough truck and experience to do that and we do appreciate it.  Kim and Paul met us at lunch time at the Subway in Maggie 

Valley and were there for set up.  Jim WE8W was not far behind.  Kim posted some pictures on a reflector e-mail a couple of days ago with a lot of good 

pictures of the convoy stopped for lunch and then pix on the mountain during set up and the contest. 


Full time camping and fuel costs were $56 each as the camping space prices have gone up.  Full time food cost for 8 meals was $30.  Even with the fuel to get 

there, any of us would have probably spent that much money on any ordinary 3 day weekend anyway.


As to the food, no one went hungry and no one got sick from W4ZST's cooking.  Even though Jeff wasn't in charge, it was a usual W4"Never Hungry" weekend.  

For Friday night dinner I brought brisket and burnt ends and beans from 'Smoking Gold BBQ' in Dahlonega.  Just warmed it up on the mountain, made a large 

batch of cole slaw and put the meat, beans, buns, slaw and BBQ sauce on the table.  There was no evidence remaining after a very short time, but there was 

pleanty to fill everyone up.  Saturday breakfast was scrambled eggs and bacon, lunch was turkey and ham and swiss cheese sandwiches and chips and Saturday 

night dinner was W4ZST's home made spaghetti, garlic bread and plenty of tossed salad.  Sunday breakfast was pancakes and sausage, lunch was hot dogs with 

slaw or chili and chips and sunday dinner was spiral sliced honey baked ham, hot German Potato salad and another tossed salad.  Sunday evening, it was 

pouring rain so everyone came to the back of the chuck wagon trailer and got their plates to go back and eat at the operating postiions as it was impossible 

to sit under the tents with the wind and rain that had started in the afternoon.  Monday morning was microwave Sausage, Egg and Cheese biscuits.  There were 

no leftovers to speak of, at least not enough to feed anyone another meal!  Usual FourLander result.  No one lost weight on this trip either.

It took a couple of days to get everything unloaded from the cook trailer and Great White and get it all dried out, but it's now done.  Also we should note 

that the generator worked flawlessly in it's first outing after the rat caused controller re-wiring episode at the W4ZST QTH.


Thanks again to all who participated in any capacity, including Dusty NR4N and Joe KJ4JBG who helped out at the W4ZST QTH with antenna take down and trailer 

loading before the contest.  Another special thanks to Ron K4RBM for helping out here too and for borrowing a couple of much better tires for the BlackHawk 

trailer for the trip.  It will require new tires before another trip for sure.  We borrowed the tires from another ham in Cleveland.  Thanks.


It turned out that we couldn't get a quorum of operators together for Field Day this year, so we have cancelled that.  I am going to Texas for a week or ten 

days in darly July and don't think I'll get back in time for the CQWW VHF contest so we won't be doing that as a group this year either.

However, do make your plans for the September contest, Sept 14th and 15th this year.  We get a two week break after Shelby this year because of the date of 

labor day, so that will help us out too and not be in as much a rush as we usually are when Shelby is only one weekend before the contest.  We do already 

have our reservations at the campground for the September contest.


73 for now, Bob W4ZST