Florida QSO Party
Call: KC4HW/M
Operator(s): KC4HW
Station: KC4HW
Class: SO MobileCW LP
QTH:
Operating Time (hrs): 6.5
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs
--------------------
40:
20:
15:
10:
--------------------
Total: 499 0 CW Mults = 56 Ph Mults = 0 Total Score = 111,776
Club: Alabama Contest Group
Comments:
This score may be a little off.
Used a IC706MKII and a hustler resonator antenna for 20 and 40 meters. 1999
Chevy Pickup with 256k miles. Ran good, but wanted to run a little hot when it
was idling. The RX was very quite, last year or the year before I used some
copper strapping to bond the exhaust system and motor to the chassic. Really
reduced the noise in the RX.
Had a great time in the FQP this year! My YL (Ms Bonnie), who normally drives
for me, made a trip to North Carolina to visit her mother. She left me with
some chores, but after much complaining: that the WX was probably going to be
bad, etc. she gave me a reprieve on the chores so I could play in the FQP.
Saturday I started in Holmes, then to Walton, Washington, Calhoun and Bay. Was
going to Jackson, but was running out of steam. Actual operating time was 2
hours and 54 minutes and had 235 Qs. Was on the road from about 17Z until
about 01Z which include a stop to get dinner before heading home. I ran into
K5YAA, Jerry, from Oklahoma, he was operating in Calhoun when I crossed the
line. Stopped for an "eyeball" and short chat (about 3 or 4 minutes) while he
was operating. He said that he had been hamming for 52 years, I hope that I
can make it that long, need 20 more years... HI. I went on down the road
until I could not hear him in my RX anymore and then found a place to operate
for a bit.
Sunday, I had every intention to get up early and make it over to Escambia
pretty close to starting time, but unfortunately, I did not even wake up until
12Z, therefore, missed the starting time but made my first Q at 1511Z. Worked
10 Qs on 40m in 20 minutes--not exactly burning it up. The band was great and
the signals were strong, but nobody was there. One of those 10 Qs was with
K9ES in Brevard. I was very thankful to work Eric for my only BRE contact!
Thanks Buddy! Unfortunately Eric had a stroke earlier this year and has been
recovering, his CW was very good considering. Keep up the good work Eric!
Finally I decided to go to 20m, it is a good thing there were no buildings
around where I was operating, because I am sure that one would have fell on me
sooner to tell me to go to 20m. When I finally landed on 20m everybody was
there. Duh! There was great activity and very strong signals.
Next on to Santa Rosa county, where 20m continued to be excellent, probably was
my best period, I worked 91 Qs in 62 minutes. I was surprised, I actually did a
double take to be sure that this was correct. May not be a lot for many of you,
but tops on my CW Challenged operating experience as "the best".
>From there went to Okaloosa and with good results also. I must admit that my
operating location was not the best. It was just off US90 right across the
street from the railroad. Would you know that a frieght train came by and made
tremendous noise, so I rolled up the windows. The train went away and I had
just not thought to roll the windows down again. The next think I know all of
a suden, I hear this horn blowing right at my door...scared the "pee wads" out
of me... it was NF4A and he had come up on me from the blind side and started
pounding out a CQ on his horn. We had a big laugh about it. Charlie was on
his way to Santa Rose and Escambia. I continued on there for a few more
minutes and headed to Jackson for my last stop. Conditions were still good on
20m and after a few minutes of CQing the crowd found me and I had my hands full
again making 61 Qs in 45 minutes.
I will tell you that the pileup everywhere I went was very big! I have never
operate from a DX CW contest before, but I could not imagine it would have been
any larger than what I experienced in this years FQP. Each time I was in a
county it was about 10 to 15 minutes of where I could only get a couple of
letters and then move on with the rest of the call. My buddy W4EIP said that
he caught me working the pileup in one county, I think SAN and that he knew
that I was about to "crap my pants". I didn't, but it was quite challenging
and fun at the same time.
There were tons of DX and all had huge to "esp" signals, during the tough times
they stuck with me and I finally got it. It was that way with many Qs.
There were a few carriers and some other QRM, but I just ignored it and they
went away. I missed my ole buddy than always sends "LID", wonder what happen
to him? Two years in a row that I have missed him!
Nevertheless, thanks for all the Qs, I hope that I was able to give another QSO
or a multiplier in the 9 counties that I visited. Next weekend the warden will
be back home and I will be back at those chores.
The Alabama QSO Party in coming up the first Saturday in June. We hope to have
full county coverage again this year. Hope that you can join us!
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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