Soapbox Comments: January '12 Spartan Sprint

N4BP
Quick three QSOs on 20M, then nothing.  40M condx were good, but sparse activity.  Finished with K4BAI 2nd band QSO on 80M. Happy New Year to all!


K3RLL
K2 to indoor dipole - Tough sledding tonight with all the digital noise on 40 and didn't hear anyone on 80, but it was all fun.  C.U. next month.


KS4L
ATS-4a at 3w, 11.1v, 1320 mah LiPo battery, 80m inv. vee.  2 contacts on 40m, rest on 80m.  Best DX was VE3EDX and AA5B (NM on both 40 & 80). Sigs ranged from real 599 to almost ESP!


WBØOEW
2W to 3 ft mag loop


WB4MNK
The little KX1 got a good work out to night. Band was good here in FL and I had another great time working the Spartan Sprint. Thanks to the stations I worked tonight and hope you had as much fun as I did. See you next month.


NY4G
Good Sprint tonight.  Rig was a pared and stripped down K2 (without internal battery and autotuner) - connected to a small external  SLA and Palm Paddle.  20m was dead and 40m and 80m had the only signals.  Tough operating under the QRM of PSK and other digital signals although 80 was trouble free. Antenna was a G5RV up 40 ft.  Happy New Year to all.


W5ACM
My ATS-3a is still on the workbench, so I continue to use the heavier ATS-3 in the Altoids box (with a new lid). The two 650 mAh LiPo batteries in the ATS-3 were replaced (getting "puffy") 90 minutes prior to the event with three 300 mAh LiPo batteries. I got a reasonable charge on them and had 5W out this time! I even had enough "juice" for some "CQ" ops. The new pair of earbuds (JVC RIPTIDZ model HA-FX8-A) seem to be doing well. They fit in the ears, are sensitive and were inexpensive. TNX to KI0I for contacts on both 40 & 80. Hoping for better conditions next month!


KB1OOO
K1 running 5W into ZS6BKW.  All contacts on 40m.  Thanks to all for putting up with my sloppiness.  I was forgetting to give pwr for the first few contacts.


AB9CA
Rig was K2 at 5w to 100' dipole. Could only spend 30 minutes. 2 Q's on 20 and 17 on 40. 20 seemed to be very long and 40 seemed to be in good shape. Was a fun evening. Thanks to all who stopped by and see you next month.


NQ2W
An OHR 100-A running 5W to a mini-beam at 25 ft for 3 Q's on 20 meters and a Ten-Tec 1340 at 5W to an inverted vee at 40 ft for 10 Q's. Things quieted down quickly on 20 meters but was able to work from FL to TX to CA. 40 was crowded...am looking forward to getting my K1 done, up, and running...from what I understand the filtering will be much tighter than the 1340's...I'll comment on that after I put it on the air...but was able to work stations as close as NH and as far away as NM. Overall a FB sprint. Worked N4BP on two bands. K4ORD was loud on 40. Thanks to all that participated and thanks to the organizers. Hope to hear you all next month. Happy New Year! 


K4BAI
FT1000MP, 5W, dipole, inverted vee.  No sprint signals heard on 20M.  40M was great for the first hour.  37 QSOs on that band.  Only 12 QSOs on 80M.  80M seemed good with QSOs from TX to PA and NY, but very little activity.  Great to hear so many sprinters on 40 at the beginning.  Thanks for all QSOs and Happy New Year to all.


W1PID
Wow... not much heard, not much worked.


AA5B
I keep thinking that I'm going to catch this event on a night when I have enough time to operate the whole thing, but I guess that'll have to wait. Spent the first few minutes on 20 meters, calling CQ and searching for anyone, but made exactly zero QSOs. Moved to 40 meters and had 29 contacts in the next 37 minutes. Then had to run some errands. Came back for 10 minutes near the end and worked several more, including my sole 80-mtr Q with KS4L.


K4ORD
I made 31 contacts in the Spartan Sprint 21 on 40M and 10 on 80M conditions were pretty  good on both bands except they were a bit noisy. My rig was K3@5w ant's were 40 & 80M dipoles. The weight of my station was 30 pounds.


WB5BKL
K3/10 @ 5w to a 20m wire delta loop or a 40m extended double Zepp.  Most of my Qs were on 40M.  Tried 15m briefly. No three-banders, but worked K4ORD, NY4G and K4BAI on two.  WB0OEW was the lowest power station I heard.  HNY to all.  Had fun. 


VE3EDX
1 QSO on 20, 3 each on 40 and 80.


K5JHP
K3 with a 20mtr edz. All contacts on 40mtrs. Got in late - not much activity. Hope more next month - HNY to all.


VE3XT
First SS in a long time and had a great time, used my K1. Need to go and find my ATS3 and Bulldog paddle to make a try next month.