[SECC] Test of new antennas and gear

[Dave Thompson]

I was too late for the 20 meter opening to Italy for the ARI contest and hear two stations working IB0O.  Later Saturady went back down and noticed that the Yaesu exciter had relay was sticking so I took off the covers and the main relay was working OK but the relay for GEN/HAM was sticking.  took off the plastic cover and sprayed the relay with Office Depot dust spray and in 15 minutes of testing no problems.

I listened on 40 SSB and quickly worked IK0PHY and IB0O but at 2300Z that was all on SSB.  Cane back down 3 hours later and the band was open to Europe.  I just over an hour I worked 14 more stations.  Interesting that a few were very loud S9++, several were s9 and a few stations S7 or so.  Loudest was IQ6AN who said I was the loudest Stateside signal at 30 over.  I worked 9 stations in 19 minutes and had to go back up stairs to help the family.  I went back down 2 hours later and worked 4 more stations and noticed the same loud stations were still on.  I do not have my PC hooked up as I had water come in the opposite wall due to a gutter being 1/4 inch off the board.  Early in the afternoon I did not see any ARI contesters on 15, Sorry no log submitted this time.  Noted that all of the stateside State QSO parties filled up 20 and 40 so I had to dodge between them to work the ARI stations.

ARI SUMMARY  K4JRB

20  1  station   1 mults
40  14 Stations  11 nuts

Operating time 2 hours 25 minutes

Antennas used  20 Tennedyne T-10
               40 cushcraft 2 el 302cd

Rig: Yaesu old FT-980 driving a lK-550 NO Tune at 1200 watts out


73 Dave K4JRB