Soapbox Comments: July '11 Spartan Sprint

KD2MX

Have not played in a sprint in too many months.  Broke out the K1 for a good time.  Not much on 20M but did ok on 40M.  Could not stay around for the entire two hours though.  Ran K1@4W to my zig-zaggy ~600' loop up about 25-30'.

KH6B

Worked WB5BKL on 20 at 0255 utc  He was 559 into Hilo HI. His signal was 589 just before the end of the SPRINT. WB5BKL was the only station I could read 0100-0300. Others were heard very weak 0230-0300 with much QSB. I was using my K2 at 5w

and a R5 vertical. Aloha.

WB5BKL

K3/10 @ 5W to a 20M wire delta loop or a 40M extended double Zepp. Called on 10, 15 and 80M but only made QSOs on 20 and 40.  Only worked K4BAI on both bands. Also had a QRO QSO, but didn't count that in the total.  Final contact was with Hawaii - that was pleasant.  No fireworks here due to the fire danger, so it was

a nice end to the 4th.  My thanks to all.  Had fun.

NQ2W

Went back to the homebrew Ten-Tec 1340 to a 40m inverted vee at 40 feet. This limits me to one band but reduces my weight by a factor of four. All in all, always a lot of satisfaction out of making contacts with a homebrew key, keyer, rig, antenna supports, and antenna. No complaints from this station. Thanks to everyone that made it into my log. Hope to see you all and more next month...maybe I'll have my OHR 100-A for 20 meters done by then.

K4ORD

Started on 20M had 8 qso's there from GA to WA, on 40M where the QRN was rough made 26 qso's with best dx AB0CD in CO. A few stations I was unable to copy in the QRN on 40M, nice to work John, K3WWP  in the closing seconds of the sprint.  looking forward to next month, tnx to all.

W5FBQ

4 contacts using HW-9  and 1 contact using FT-817  Butternut vertical w/radials.

K4BAI

FT1000MP, 5W, TH6DXX, dipole 40, inverted vee dipole 80.  Low bands were very noisy from local thunderstorms.  20M was fair, but needed more activity.  40 signals were strong with no skip zone. Worked two other stations in my state (GA). 80M: worked only N4DU on a QSY from 40M.  Hope for more activity next month. Thanks for all QSOs.  I will be W4AN in the IARU contest this weekend.

K1YAN

Thunderstorms, about 60 miles away, provided S9+ QRN on 80 and 40, limiting things to 20 meters. Propagation was not great but I managed to add 2 QSOs to my previous total. FT-817 @ 5 watts to a G5RV @ 30 ft.

W1PID

Operated about 20 minutes with HB-1A OCF dipole. Thanks all for the QSOs.

WB4MNK

20 was nice and quite but 40 was noisy so sorry if I was unable to copy you call but maybe next when 40 is not as noise. Had fun and was able to work K3RLL Don in PA who is responsible for getting me interested in this QRP CW stuff.

WD8KRV

Got in for the last 45 minutes on 20 meters.  Lots of local QRN due to storms.  Worked 1, but heard 3.

K3RLL

Limited time but nice to hear so many familiar calls tonight with pretty good conditions on 40 meters. Nothing heard here on 20 or 80.

K5JHP

K3 TO 20 METER EDZ  DIDN'T FIND TOO MANY STATIONS ON.  20 METERS WAS GOOD.  1 CTC ON 40 HERE ON THE TX COAST.