Soapbox: September 2015 Spartan Sprint

VE7GM
My first Spartan Sprint. Propagation was poor so I didn’t expect to hear anyone, but listened during a break and was surprised to hear about three. I only had about 15 minutes left to play, and only one was strong enough to work in that time. Thanks to WA7LNW for sticking with me to get my call sign and exchange! My KX3 is about as light as I can get it, but next time I’ll use ear buds instead of headphones and knock a bit more off my total weight.

N3QE
My first time submitting a log for the Spartan Sprint. My station weight included a car battery. Was impressed with the 1-watt stations!

W1PID
Ran MTR 3 W to OCF dipole. Worked Calif. NK6A and NM AA5B for best DX. Thanks all for the contacts. 73 Jim W1PID.

K3RLL
Struggled along on 20 meters for too long as it seemed like only three of us were up there: NK6A, WA8ZBT and myself.  So gave up and slid down to 40 where lots of Spartan Sprinters were apparently lurking as conditions seemed to pick up quickly in spite of the dire propagation report on QRZ.Com this evening.  Thanks for the nice contacts this evening and for the continued monthly fun of the A.R.S. Spartan Sprint.  72 … Don

AC8AP
I had a fun time and glad to hear the folks running 1 or 2 watts.  I was inside at the big rig tonight. Only  20 and 40 meters contacts tonight, nothing heard on the other bands. Alan AC8AP

VE3DTI
For this Spartan Sprint I dusted off the KX1, charged the Novuscell "Fredom E" tiny battery and  added a pair or cheap Sonny earphones and the small and light Palm-Radio mini single paddle, for a total weight of 1.5 Lbs. The antenna was the endfed 43' vertical with single 1/4 WL elevated counterpoise wire. The power was reported at 2W (actually, for 20m the Elecraft Wattmeter was indicating 1.8W). In the few initial minutes I completed exchanges with Dennis WA8ZBT in TX, Gene N5GW in MS and John K4BAI in GA, but then at mid-time the band seemed to shut off completely. I switched to 40m (the other alive band in the KX1) but did not hear station calling CQ SP. Nevertheless, a QSO/Weight score of 2 is likely my highest ever in a Spartan Sprint... 72 to all, Jose VE3DTI.

WA4AAK
Delighted to hear all the activity on 40M.  Heard nothing on 20M.  Rig was LNR Mt. Topper, 6 AAA NiMH batteries, Whiterook paddle, approx. 3 watts.  Some weaker signals had strange fast QSB flutter.  'Thank You' to KI6SN and all participants!

NC4RT
20 meters seemed to evaporate at 02:00z.  Lots of strong signals on 40m though, from ME to TX.   Special congrats to 1w stations WA4ZOF, K7TQ, K7KO, N4SX, and to several others at 2w and 3w.   For a night of such lousy propagation, it was an active night. 72 de NC4RT

N4SX
Well ding dangeys, I would not have bet you a plug nickel that I'd make 15 contacts the way the night started out.  It was s-l-o-w, yeah that means really slow.  The first station I tried on 20 was NK6A, but he could not copy me at all(I got him later), then I started calling CQ and the first station that called me, I could not copy . . . payback right? Hi Hi  Things picked up a bit after 20  minutes or so, and by switching back and forth between 20 and 40, I had 20 QSO's by 0210Z.  I wound up with 7/20, 20/40, and 3/80.  I was wondering what in the heck was going and thought maybe there has been Ham kidnapping in New Hampshire.  I usually get 3 or 4 QSOs from there, but I did finally get 1 . . . but no K1QO.  I worked K7QO and WA4ZOF, both running 1KMW (thousand milliwatts) and N5GW and K7TD (two banger), both running 2W, along with several 3W stations.  Lots and lots of fun tonight . . . and for the two or three station whom I absolutely could not copy . . . thank you for trying!  It is always a pleasure folks.  See y'all next month.  Randy N4SX

N5GW
I had the K1 on the 800 mAh LiPO at 2W to the CFZ. Both 20 and 40 were pretty good. The K1 doesn't cover 80 which is probably still noisy this time of year. I was tickled to work WA2FBN who was running only 700 mW. Also I worked W2SH who was in both the SS and the overlapping MI QRP contest, so I gave him my old MI QRP #. Lots of familiar calls also heard and worked. It was fun. Maybe I'll try 80M next month.

NQ2W
K1 at 5 W to a 2-element mini-beam at 25 ft for 10, 15, and 20 meters, an inverted V at 40 ft for 40 m, and a homebrewed, near-bottom loaded, ground mounted vertical for 80 m. 9 QSOs on 20, 8 on 40, and 2 on 80. Better than expected results considering the posted solar-terrestrial data/predictions. Two banders with AB9CA, N5GW, WB5BKL, WA8ZBT, and K4BAI. Tnx for the Qs and hope to hear you all next month. 72, Will

WB5BKL
K3/10 @ 5W to a 20M delta loop, a 40M dipole or a 40M extended double Zepp. QSOs on 20, 40 and 80M - 18 S/P/Cs total. 40M was very noisy here - sorry if I had difficulty copying you. Worked 9 stations using less than 5W - and two QSOs were at the 1 Watt level. Gudanya!  (VK-speak for nice job)  Best signals overall:  20M - WC7Q, 40M - N5GW and 80M - K4BAI. This is always an enjoyable evening.  My thanks to all.  Had fun.

K7TQ
Tonight was a 20 m effort with a meager 1 Watt.  Added 5 states to my Worked Fifty States QRPp total.  Thanks to all who stopped by.

AB1AV
ATS-3 and homebrew Z-match to 88' doublet.  Late start after traffic nets, got 2 on 20m, 6 on 40m, 3 on 80m. Conditions seemed fair to poor, but fun as always.

NF1R
Operated for only about 15 minutes in the second hour of the contest, using my KX3 at 4W operating on internal batteries.  Pulled in 5 regional contacts on 40M, and never heard anything on 20M or higher.  My antenna was a stealth LNR end-fed wire at 18', fed from the condo balcony.  Sorry to everyone for the poor sending.  I used the sprint to practice sending with the special portable key that WGØAT graciously sent me as a memento of our recent SOTA activation.  I am sure my keying will improve as I get used to it.