[SCCC] N6MI CQP report

[J. Scott Bovitz <bovitz@bovitz.com>]

On October 5-6, 2024, team N6MI (n6mi.com) set up an expedition station for the California QSO Party on Tecuya Mountain, DM04mu, Kern County, California at 6,860 feet elevation. The nearest town is Frazier Park.

The weather was perfect (ranging from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit). There was almost no wind during the contest. Each afternoon, we had mountain clouds for shade.

K6VCR (Tom) and KI6RXX (Greg) operated the SSB station on 10-40 meters from Tom's trailer. Tom and Greg used an Elecraft K3 and an Elecraft 500-watt amplifier. For 10-40, they used a Mosley three element tribander with a 40 meter add on kit. The antenna was mounted at 40 feet on the Work of ARTTT tower trailer (Amateur Radio Tower Trailer Team, workofarttt.com).

Tom and Greg made 956 contacts -- 232 contacts on 40, 217 contacts on 20, 241 contacts on 15, and 266 contacts on 10.

N7DA (Drew) and N6MI (Scott) operated the CW station on 10-80 meters from N6MI's van.  We used the Yaesu FTdx101D and an Acom 600-watt amplifier. For 10-15-20, we used  a CS3-JK tribander (two elements on each band) at 60 feet (on the van's pneumatic mast). For 40, we used a sloper aimed to the east. For 80, we used an inverted vee.

Drew and Scott worked 1,428 contacts -- 58 contacts on 80, 185 contacts on 40, 374 contacts on 20, 404 contacts on 15, and 407 contacts on 10.

Drew treated the team to calzones from Mike's Pizza Co. on Thursday night. Scott provided donuts and muffins for breakfast(s). Greg cooked curry beef and vegetables in his portable wok on Saturday night. Eating well -- a nice touch.

We did not operate in the very early morning hours (lazy) and broke down two hours before the contest ended (to get off the mountain in daylight). So, someone should beat our team's score.

We uploaded entries in the CQP (multi-two, high power category) and the Oceana DX (SSB) contest (not many contacts in this one).

All bands opened deep and long to Europe. Given the good radio conditions (SFI 240, plus or minus), I worked many first-time contesters on the air. (Be nice to those new folks.)

Thank you for the contacts.

73,
J. Scott Bovitz

P.S. N6MI (bovitz at bovitz.com) is happy to speak to your radio club on portable contesting.