My first IOTA activation: Jekyll Island (NA-058). We stayed at the Villas by the Sea, and although we had a great spot, facing the ocean with a straight-shot to Europe, and with a convenient tree to hang some wires in, not a very impressive result. This was a holiday-style activation, which worked fine running FT8 in the days up to the contest, but mixing family vacationing with contesting isn't something I'll suggest trying. I had counted on 20M during the day, and had blocked off the early evening to spend with wife and kids. As a result, I missed at least an hour of the 40M opening. And 20M during the day was just terrible: I didn't even get the England multiplier. I figured my buddipole wasn't up to it (and it wasn't really), but in a way relieved to hear I wasn't the only one struggling. Very little noise though, and the storms all missed us.

I heard John loud and clear at least twice, but couldn't make myself heard. I'm not sure how many GA stations I worked: the highlight was probably K3UT on St. Simons.

A lot of funny looks with the weird devices near the beach. My wife pointed out that I'd best have something to tell the other hotel guests, and I worked up a nice little speech explaining that these were ham radio antennas, and how their was this special contest related to amateur radio operators contacting islands all around the planet. It worked -- this morning I had more than one question about whether I had won. Unfortunately, no.

At 11pm last night I abandoned caution, and used the G5RV, knocking out all the TVs around us (satellite TV), but then was able to work a few new European islands, even with just 100 watts.

I think it was a good location afterall, at least for the northeast and Europe. Not for anything to the east though. Worked nothing past VE7, and that only after I had switched to the wires.

Call: AA5JF/4
Operator(s): AA5JF
Station: AA5JF/4

Class: SO(A)12CW LP
QTH: NA-058
Operating Time (hrs): 12
Location: Island

Summary: Compare Scores
Band	CW Qs	CW Mults	Ph Qs	Ph Mults
80:	13	5
40:	117	18
20:	78	6
15:
10:
Total:	208	29	0	0	Total Score	41,470

Club: South East Contest Club

Comments: [email] 2020-07-26 21:46:39 My first IOTA activation, from NA-058, Jekyll Island, GA. We had an excellent location with oceanside condo with unobstructed path to Europe. Conditions were very difficult on 20M though, with only limited openings to Europe, and when we discovered that exciting the wire antennas knocked out the satellite TV in our units (and the adjacent ones), that left me with a basic antenna that was OK for NA, but not sufficient for Europe. 40M was a pleasant surprise, and I had a good (if short) run about an hour after sunset, with solid propagation to most of Europe. I learned from this experience, and will be more prepared next time. Thanks for all the QSOs. I had intended to enter in the mixed category, with my son taking phone duties, but the conditions were just too difficult, despite a valiant few (unanswered) CQs he called on 40 late Saturday evening. Sorry we weren't able to provide that multiplier on phone.