[NCC] K8LN - ARRL DX PHONE

[John Schaffner Jr.,- K8LN]

1999 ARRL DX PHONE

K8LN        SO   High Power   Assisted

TS-940   Tr-Log    L7    TH7DXX at 73'    250' Vee at 65 feet

band     qso's     mults
160          11             8
80            51           36
40          102           52
20          221           90
15          209           77
10          187           77

total       781     335

Score.......781,890

Plans change!!!  I had wanted to experience a multi contest station in full
operation.  My wife was out of town until Sunday night.  I was free from
Friday till Monday,  life could not get better. The plan was Friday night at
home, Sat & Sun playing with the big boy's.

Operating assisted mode was all new to me....so Friday night I played and
operated.  My Th7 has web's and critters blocking the drain hole(s) in the
driven elements and when the rain/snow/ice came late Fri, early Sat the swr
went sky high.  Sat morning was a 20 watt test for me.  All the more reason
to go some where else.  With map in hand and a invitation to come up to
K8AZ's  the phone rang....it was Scott, K8DX on the cell phone.  "The snow
and ice de tunned our antennas, and the 15 meter amp is toasted.  High SWR.
We (K3LR's gang) decided to stop.  To bad to, we were really cooking, good
numbers for the first 8 hours.  Better think twice about heading up north, I
heard Tom Lee lost part of the high 15 meter antenna and might have to give
it up also".  BUMMER, to say the least.  So I stayed home. Took a nap Sat
afternoon.  Later Sat night I learned that the AZ gang has a new moto NEVER
GIVE UP.

After Sunday church and dinner I discovered the sun had melted the ice and
the water had drained out of the trap(s).  The last six hours of the contest
was spent chasing packet spots and N8TR for the new mult's.

Operating assisted mode was a lot like shoot'in trap.  Just point and shoot!
Would I do it again, yes/maybe/sometimes.

John


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