[NCC] Back From Paradise

[Jimk8mr at aol.com]

I'm back from HI at my daughter's QTH for the night. I drive back to Ohio  
tomorrow.
 
HI was a lot of fun, even without the radio. Did run into some radio  
problems - the setup at the room had high noise levels - noisy wall wart for the  
WiFi for one. I didn't really find this until after the contest, but even 
if I  had, either I pulled the plug and took out 7 or more other rooms' WiFi, 
or if  not there were still a zillion other bad ones in the area.
 
Beach operation with the KX3 was great, at least when I had been spotted.  
However, the K9LU Bulldog paddle was having problems - at times I  sounded 
like (and was) a real lid who couldn't send CW. Really it was the  paddle, 
not the cervesa.
 
Saturday night I tried to fix it, but ended up putting the Bulldog out of  
it's misery. So I was literally up the beach without a paddle. So for  
Sunday I had to choose between (1) operating from the room with high noise  
levels, (2) operating from the beach with only the WinKey in freestanding  memory 
keyer mode, or (3) bagging it and doing normal tourist stuff. I chose (2)  
- pure S&P, with only HI/K8MR and TU 5NN8 in the memory keyer.
 
>From the beach I recorded the contest to be transcribed later (I got the OK 
 in advance). I'm up to 1430Z on Saturday. I'm guessing approaching  1000  
QSOs, nothing special multiplier wise (4 qsos on 80 meters doesn't make a 
good  mult number). 
 
Good to work various MRRC & NCC members. I would have had several  more 
qsos if you folks had better ears and/or switched to your south  antennas! 
 
 
73  -  Jim  K8MR