Oklahoma QSO Party
Call: W5LE
Operator(s): W5LE, K5YAA
Station: W5LE
Class: Rover-Assisted HP
QTH: 25 Counties
Operating Time (hrs): 18
Summary:
Band CW-Dig Qs Ph Qs
------------------------
160: 0 0
80: 8 0
40: 741 10
20: 278 14
15: 9 0
10: 0 0
6: 0 0
------------------------
Total: 1036 24 Mults = 73 Total Score = 230,388
Club: Oklahoma DX Association
Comments:
Having posted under my call K5YAA yesterday evening with some of our rover story
here is a bit more about the journey of the "Oklahoma Land Rush Mobile".
Sunday turned out to be less of a "hassle" than Saturday had been. Roads were
clearer and the operators had accepted the idea that the WX simply had control
of the 2010 Oklahoma QSO Party. All the spares and wanna operate attitude
wasn't going to overcome the snow, ice, wind and generally gloomy looking
skies.
The generators may well have fired back up but - hey - it's quite cold and the
wind made for a 12 degree wind chill factor. I haven't owned a parka since the
early sixties - without such we didn't feel the need to see if we could get HP
back on the air. The van had been warming up and it was much more comfortable
in the driving and operating seats.
So, onward at 8:10AM Central from the hotel in Payne County toward Lincoln
county which was the actual planned route! As we went through Lincoln it
appeared as though the conditions may well let us stay with our plans for the
Sunday run. South thru Pottawattamie, east thru Seminole and Okfuskee. Now a
short stop for a coffee and "break" then south to Hughes. Snow beginning to
come down in large flakes and the roads had considerable slush building on
them. Check that schedule of counties again. Maybe a faster turn north would
be in order. In Hughes we started encountering SWR difficulties with our
Tarheel. Ice and snow still covered the mount and base of the antenna - heck
most of the trailer too - so we could not see the loose connector that had
developed due to road bouncing on the hardening snow and ice in Garfiled county
the night before. Hmmm, those hamstiks and mag mounts tied on the side of the
trailer were put there for a reason. Not expecting difficulty with the Tarheel
( a great antenna ) but just in case the stiks and mounts had gotten strapped
on. OK, let's put them in service and get on with this thing. The 40 and 20
meter stiks went on the roof. A quick analyzer look and we were off again.
Turns out to be a good decision and the hamstiks played as reliably as they had
for the past 8 years.
Snow had decided to stay around in the eastern part of the state on Sunday. We
heard some folks could use Creek county so we decided to turn north at Hwy 75 to
run OKF and then on into CRE and TUL. Another sane change to the route as we
actually worked one more county than planned for Sunday without seeing how much
snow we could pile on our vehicle / trailer by going further east out of Hughes
county. A brief stop for another coffee and "break" at a McDs on the Indian
Nation Turnpike and onward north to work the CRE / TUL line where we once again
got to see the rate meter top 200+. I was at the keyboard and that was fun.
Now homeward around Tulsa town on the Creek Turnpike - working WAGgoner county
and in the last 2 minutes of the party logging 3 more ROGers county QSOs. This
one is now over - one for the history books for sure. Never in the 8 years
since we began again the QSO party from Oklahoma in 2002 has there been such WX
to hamper the operations. Rain a time or two and once a bit of left over snow
on the ground but never this kind of snow, ice, sleet and in general near
impossible driving conditions - especially out west. I know Bob WÃ?BH was
dissapointed to not be with us down here but I can assure him he was safer,
warmer and - maybe the only one with a brain - in this one! I have not heard
of any accidents by any of the rovers - only equipment difficulties. Hopefully
everyone made it back home safely.
So, to wrap up this one. Those that came to be on the roads with us - A Very
Big Thanks for your participation. Those out of state that stayed with us
during much of the 18 hours - your answering our CQs let us know we were still
on the air and made the WX warmer. To all the other out of state stations that
made it into our logs a thanks too. The biggest reason to go out mobile in
these things is for the "Operating" fun they provide. We did have fun in spite
of the WX. There were many highlights on the air - there will be many more
hopefully in future events.
K5YAA - Jerry and W5LE - Gene
Running as W5LE/M in the "Oklahoma Land Rush Mobile"
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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