[NCC] K8MR/R PA QSO Party

[Jim K8MR via NCC]

                    Pennsylvania QSO Party


Call: K8MR
Operator(s): K8MR W3JL
Station: K8MR


Class: Rover Multi-Op LP
QTH: 4 Counties
Operating Time (hrs): 2.5


Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  RTTY Qs  PSK31 Qs
---------------------------------------
  160:                             
   80:                             
   40:         292                 
   20:                             
   15:   5       3                 
   10:                             
    6:                             
    2:                             
---------------------------------------
Total:   5     295      0         0  Mults = 88  Total Score = 26,840


Club: North Coast Contesters


Comments:


Plus five W3TDF bonus QSOs.


It's always a good time to drive around PA to see the fall colors, and this was
a beautiful day to do so, although the leaves have just begun to change. To get
the maximum out of our time on SSB, I operate from several of the more rare
counties as a Rover, using the 33 Foot HamStick antenna. (33 feet of wire fed
against the minivan ground. Generally 2-3 S units better than the HamStick).
Since PAQP rules don't allow Rovers to make QSOs while moving, we operated as
W3USA/M while driving.


While the drive was less exciting than last year's futile effort where we lost
the minivan brakes at the start, we did have some interesting times. We didn't
plan to do so, but we ended up spending 2.5 total hours in Armstrong county.
First we stopped at a site we've used in previous years, at a water tower not
far off US422 east of Kittanning. But we got there and found there is now a
locked gate. So back on the road, encountering a lot of power line noise for
the rest of the county. Drove around the last small town looking for a good
spot with no luck. Then backtracked five miles to a church parking lot we had
passed, and set up there.


Did OK for a bit, but then we stopped getting calls, were having trouble
raising people, then getting odd audio feedback, and then the radio died. We
had forgotten to turn off the headlights, and the not very new battery did not
like that. Fortunately after several tries we were able to get the van started
using a couple of 25AH batteries I carry along. We then kept the engine running
while parked and were once again able to get some decent rate.


Cambria county was one of the rare ones this year, with lots of people asking
about our schedule to get there. Once again we were having trouble finding a
quiet location. We tried at a park in the town of North Cambria, but quit from
there after four QSOs because of the QRN. We were eventually able to find a
better but not totally quiet location and set up there.


When we did, WOW! I can't recall a more intense pileup in any domestic contest.
I kicked it into overdrive and ended up with 140 QSQs in 45 minutes from that
spot. That included several for whom Cambria was their last county. 


There was very little overlap of people worked from K8MR and those from
W3USA/M. I'd prefer one didn't have to split the time between two different
entries. It is a bit complicated (both computerwise and brainwise) switching
between two calls. But the contest is still fun either way.


On Saturday I'll be out again, roving around the Finger Lakes in the New York
QSO Party  during the daylight hours. I hope lots of you will show up in my log
in that one!




73   -   Jim  K8MR