[SECC] AQP 2008 - KB4KBS

[Scott Straw]

AQP After Action Report - KB4KBS

Well, it turned out to be more of a love of labor rather than a labor of love. The first bad omen was our tardy departure enroute to breakfast with friends in Chattanooga. The meal was great, the friends were gracious, and the conversation lively. We said our goodbyes, got the antenna in place and then we took off headed for Alabama with the countdown timer to 11AM CDT ticking loudly.

Lesson One: Trust your GPS
On the way there, instead of following the GPS-determined fastest route, I decided to "cut the corner" and shoot down I-65 to make up for lost time. (Strike One) I then got my time, space, distance, and exit numbers confused and we got off one exit too early (but we didn’t know it at the time.) (Strike Two) Following the logic that if you are going South and you want to go West, your turn right, we took off to the right and soon found ourselves meandering through the remotest parts of NW Georgia, not NE Alabama. Finally after many, many, more minutes had passed; we came upon the I-65 exit that we should have gotten off at originally. From there we were able regroup, gather our loose bearings, and race for the Alabama line. We finally slid in to DeKalb County about 11:15 CDT.

Lesson Two: Love your Pilot
My original plan was to come into Alabama from the North on Highway 72 and spend 90 minutes in Jackson County first. Now, at T-plus 20 minutes, I was in DeKalb County which was my planned second stop, and my timetable was hosed. Fortunately, my wife reminded me, I was nevertheless officially in Alabama and could start CQ-ing. While I did this for a few minutes, my darling spouse was able to look at the AAA Atlas, figure out where we were, and how to get to where we wanted to be (Scottsboro). We set out for Highway 72 in Scottsboro, and after about fifteen minutes I was finally in Jackson County. We made it into Scottsboro without an issue and dawdled there for a few minutes while I kept calling for contacts.
We discussed heading straight for Albertville in Marshall County, but I really felt that I needed to give DeKalb County its full shake. Since my navigational abilities were totally without merit in the mind of my pilot, it took a great deal of pleading and coaxing to get the vehicle headed east toward Rainsville and back into DeKalb. Finally she relented. We "dragged anchor" a bit as we went eastward and before long, at almost the exact 45 minute mark, the "Welcome to DeKalb County" sign appeared. Not only did she get me "unlost" from the wilds of NW Georgia, she even used an undiscovered road-rally talent to hit "the marks" right on time. Thanks sweetheart!

Lesson Three: When your Roving Efforts Flounder, At Least Take Time to Enjoy the Scenery 
As we passed through Rainsville and started south toward Albertville, I was starting to get frustrated at the lack of contacts in the log. The first two had been rather quick to reply, but then there was a dry spell that made me wonder if something had broken. I was so intent on getting "Qs in the Log" I almost missed the beauty and splendor of NE Alabama’s rolling foot hills and beautiful lakes. We paused for a while at a boat launch and took in the lake-side view between switching from 40M to 20M and back. Alabama truly is a pretty place; from the beauty of the NE where we traversed, to the locks and dams of the Tennessee River in NW Alabama, to the pristine sands of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, there is a lot to enjoy. I say this because by the time we hit Albertville in Marshall County at T-plus 4 hours, I had logged a whole 8 whopping contacts - but not from a lack of trying however. The radio said I was transmitting 100W, and I had a very low SWR on the antenna, but there was definitely no joy in the logbook. The wonderful views were a welcome soothing salve for the wounded spirits of this fledgling contester.

We finished out the tour; hitting Etowah County (Gadsden) and Cherokee County (Centre) before slipping safely back across the Georgia border at T-plus 8 hours, and shut down the rig and logging computer with a grand total of 12 SSB contacts. Was I disappointed in my score? Yes, but this was only my second attempt at being a rover, and I had all manner of gremlins to fight - engine noise, inverter noise, computer noise, and poor band conditions (as well as Wrong-Way Corrigan-esque navigational skills); not to mention pretty weather that lured potential contacts outdoors and away from their radios... I could come up with a million excuses, but they won’t change my score. Was it worth it? YES. Even though the cost of gasoline is sky-high (but cheaper in Alabama than in Georgia), I got to spend time on a pretty day with my lovely wife, a rare privilege for someone who works three jobs and spends at least one or two nights a week in a firehouse. Will I do it again? Well, next year, I say we rent a houseboat on Guntersville Lake and moor it just off shore from Wentzell´s Oyster House in Guntersville... anybody for a Multi-Multi effort?

Thank to the "Elite Eleven" in my log book (N2JEN hit me twice - once on my way out of DeKalb the first time, and again 45 minutes later during my tour of Jackson).

73,
Scott, KB4KBS



Scott Straw, CTS-D, CTS-I, EMT-I
Roswell, GA