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
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