[Fourlanders] Antenna Workday

[Bob Lear]

We had a very successful workday today.  Jim W4KXY, Johnny K4SQC, Jerry 
W5TDY, Rick KK4LPP and W4ZST started at 10AM at the W4ZST QTH.  Four 
trailers were moved first and then we got to assembling and installing 
antennas.  The 6m beams and omnis are up, currently using the old 
stackmatch as Jim is working on the BiP/BoP Box. Working fine as we 
copied several beacons around.  We did find some intermittent power line 
noise and tracked it down to a pole down in the cow pasture SE from the 
shack.  Will investigate that noise source further and call the power 
company if it persists.  The 2m beams and omni's are up also and we 
copied our lone usual beacon there.  We had hot dogs and chips for lunch 
and then put 902, 1296 and 2304 antennas up on the small white tower 
trailer.  They are not on the air yet as I need to do some work on my 
single feed-line relay box for those bands, but there is plenty of time 
now before the contest.  Thanks so much to Jim, Johnny, Jerry and Rick 
for coming up and doing all his work and for also looking out for my 
back problems.  Very happy to be back on the air on 6m now too.  I had 
put the 222 antennas up a couple of weeks ago with help from Jason who 
comes and helps me out mostly with yard work but he likes to get exposed 
to the radio stuff too.  Just last week, I was on the 2m Monday night 
net and worked K8TQK in EM89, then on 222 activity night on Tuesday, I 
worked K8TQK again and also N4TWX in EL89.   10 Q''s and 5 states on 222 
Tuesday.  Then during the 432 Wednesday night net, I worked N4TWX again 
on that band.  Good activity this week.  Now I can get back on 6m also.  
I was using Johnny's 2m EME antennas for 2m until now.  I also put a 
single FO25/432 antenna in between the 222 yagis and have been using 
that for the 432 activity.  Ron will come up sometime before the contest 
with his trailer and put up the 432 antennas.  The only contest station 
already set up right now is the NX9O 222 station that I have had on the air.

Thanks again to the crew for coming up and getting these antennas ready 
for the contest.  We couldn't have had better weather and I'm glad they 
are up and ready to use.  We won't need to call for another setup 
workday.  The band captains will bring their stations whenever they have 
time before the contest.

73, Bob