Here is my story.
144 Sprint: Turn on the 144 MHz gear for the first time on the 144 Sprint.
The 12 volt supply craps out and puts 23.6 volts into my K3, my DEMI
transverter, sequencer, and Teletek solid state amplifier. Stuff really hit
the fan that time.
222 MHz Sprint: At 2230 UT, I turned on the 222 gear for the first time
this Spring. No 12 volts anywhere. Discover the 12 volt regulated supply (a
different one) has no output. Find blown fuse. Replace fuse. 2nd fuse blows
too. Went home and found some stuff to rewire a new power supply into the
shack. I got on about 2330 UT and operated until about 0200 UT. This morning
I turned on the laptop to check the distances for my 35 QSOs and find that
the IBM laptop has died. It won't even beep at me. All I hear is a fan
noise. So I don't have a log! I give up.
I found conditions very poor with very high winds. At times the line
noise was ramping up to about S7. No good DX heard. I worked only 14 grids
with no local activity to my northeast at all. Missed FN33 FN44, FN54, FN53
etc. Many local grids were empty. Nothing worked past FM29 to the SW, and
FN12 to the west. I spent a lot of time with the beam west too. Very
discouraging. I finally got FN32 when KJ1K went back home around 10 PM. He
was my only FN32 contact. I did find VE2JWH in FN35 though. Around 10PM I
heard K1TEO working KO4YC. I had the antennas aimed right at KO4YC but heard
nil at any time. Activity was either really bad, or my antenna is busted!
End result... no log and no score! Winter can be harsh on an unheated
shack. At this point I should probably skip the 432 Sprint to preserve what
little sanity I am still clinging to.
73
Dave K1WHS
-----Original Message-----
From: Zack Widup
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 10:02 AM
To: VHF Contesting Reflector
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] K1DS/R 222 sprint
I was planning on going to a hilltop to operate but a line of
thunderstorms went through here all night. Rained out.
I forgot about the 144 MHz Sprint till it was over. The VHF contesting
season is not starting out well for me. Hopefully the 432 Sprint will
be on a dry night.
73, Zack W9SZ
On 4/17/13, Rick R <rick1ds@hotmail.com> wrote:
Things were quite slow last eve to start, but then they seemed to pick up
after the first 30 mins. I forgot to raise the antenna after getting on
site--but remembered after those first 30 mins! Operated in FN20 and then
after an hour went to FM29. Totals were 24 QSOs and distance of 4325 Km.
Tnx
to all were on the air.
The newest versions of the W3KM loggers do automatic distance scoring for
the Spring Sprints. 73, Rick, K1DS
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