[SECC] ARRL FD AA4LR 1E LP

[Bill Coleman]

                   ARRL Field Day

Call: AA4LR
Operator(s): AA4LR
Station: AA4LR

Class: 1E LP
QTH: GA
Operating Time (hrs): 5.5

Summary:
Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Dig Qs
----------------------------
 160:                   
  80:    3              
  40:  119      5       
  20:   54     18       
  15:   10      3       
  10:                   
   6:                   
   2:                   
 222:                   
 432:                   
 903:                   
 1.2:                   
 2.3:                   
 3.4:                   
 5.7:                   
 10G:                   
 24G:                   
----------------------------
Total:  186     26      0  Total Score = 896

Club: South East Contest Club

Comments:

Antennas:
Cushcraft R7000 @ 2m (40-10m)
80/40m trap dipole @ 3-5m (80m, 40m)

Equipment:
Elecraft K2/100 w/ KAT100 running 50-100 watts
Deep-cycle 12v battery

Comments:

Despite a bit of back trouble (which I really hadn't had in 3 years), I managed to operate field day this year from Floyd county. Day started with putting the 80/40m dipole back up. It had fallen down when the rope frayed where it went over a branch. While that end is still at a disappointingly low height, I did have time to raise the other end a couple of meters higher. I don't think it made a lot of difference in my score, though.

The K2 is a radio that was designed for field day. It worked out very well. I did get a Low Batt indication after 3.5 hours, but I reduced power to about 50 watts and soldiered on.

Conditions weren't great. I found nothing on 10m, very little activity on 15, which means everything was crammed onto 20 and 40m. At one point, I could not find a clear frequency on 40m CW -- there were signals every 200-300 Hz. It almost sounded like 160m during the ARRL 160m contest.

Managed to do a bit of running, but this one was mostly S & P. I must say that field day operating technique is significantly below the standard of most contests. There were several occasions where I was calling CQ, someone called, I answered, and they disappeared. It even happened a couple of times when someone else called CQ. I guess people got key (not mic) fright.

Took one break to take my wife out to dinner. About 0300z, my back had had enough of sitting and I had to pull the plug. Maybe next time, I'll be able to stay up a bit later and work more on 80m.

Two memorable contacts. Worked W4DOC -- the Atlanta Radio Club, with whom I have done innumerable field days. Also worked W8SP -- a club which my brother Ben, NJ8J, used to join for field day in WV. I had never worked W8SP before.


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Web: http://boringhamradiopart.blogspot.com
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901