Soapbox: ARS October 2015 Spartan Sprint

WB5BKL
K3/10 @ 5W to a 20M delta loop, a 40M dipole or a 40M extended double Zepp. (Tap-tap-tap...  "Is this thing on?") This may be my worst score ever. Spartan Sprinters I could find were mostly at the noise level here in the Texas hill country.  NQ2W found me - but I lost Will in the noise.  We did connect successfully later. I heard a consistently strong NC4RT calling most of the evening (with few takers), but not much else.  7 QSOs and 7 states. Best signals:  20M - K7TQ, 40M - NC4RT, 80M - K4BAI (and John was my only QSO on 80).  I sincerely hope you did better than I did.  Looking forward to a better November sprint. Had fun.

K3RLL
A terrible dark cloud of invisible RF-blocking dust must have descended upon little Redbank Valley PA for the October Spartan Sprint as nobody was heard on 20m and only managed four contacts on 40m – and I feel very fortunate for the patience of those four ops. Thank you. Maybe conditions will be better next month back in FL. (It’s getting cold up here!)

NØTA
Super slow in Colorado - quit after the first hour with 1 Q on 20, and 6 on 40. Testing MTR 5B, which appears to work just fine. John, N0TA.

N9WAY
All but one contact on the noisy 40m band.  QRP is always amazing.

N5BGZ
Well I made two contacts.  The bands were very noisy here in North Texas, but I managed to contact one on 20 and one on 40.  I heard  in the sprint.  But it was a nice (although cool) evening in the yard at the picnic table.

K4BAI
Started on 20. Could hear K7TQ, but Randy couldn't hear me calling. Went to 40 and W7OM called and suggested we QSY to 20, so I did. Didn't hear W7OM on 20, but called and worked K7TQ and NQ2W. Heard KK4BNC working NQ2W, but he didn't answer my CQs.  NK6A as calling CQ, but Don couldn't hear me calling him. Back to 40 where there was very little activity. In next 50 minutes, worked WA8MTI, NQ2W, K2YGM, N0TA (on 7033), K3RLL, N9WAY, and AD0HQ all with good signals. Then to 80 for K2YGM with a good signal.  Since no one else was calling, I went to 3549 kHz and was NCS for the late GA State Net (GSN) and had a short chat with my college roommate from 55 years ago, K4QPL.  Then back to 5W on 80 and worked N4SX and WB5BKL. Tried to QSY to 40 with WB5BKL, but no signals from him on that band. Back to 80 for the end with a QSO with W5ACM. Conditions weren't too good, but we could surely use some more activity next month!  73/72, John, K4BAI.

NC4RT
I made 0.00 qsos on 20 meters.  I tried calling CQ several times during the Sprint on 20, but never heard anyone, and never heard a reply.  Apologies to Don NK6A: my key chose the moment of your call to me to gunk up.  It took 5 minutes and some Flitz to put it back in service.  Your signal was good and strong here; I was sorry to lose you ;-) I made a total of 6 QSOs:  4 to TX, 1 each to WA and WI. I made 2 QSOs during the 1st hour, 4 during the 2nd hour.  Maybe next month!

K7TQ
A tough night for 1 W on 20 m only.  I was trying to add to my worked 30 states total with 1 Watt. Band was good for about 1/2 hour and open for another 1/2 hour, but by then most had moved to 40m. Thanks to all who stopped by. Catch you all 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. Conditions weren't that great and I think activity was down...Two banders with K4BAI and KK4BNC. I had the best RBN spots on 80 but had no contacts there...I think I heard K4BAI but he was way down in the QRN. Tnx for the Qs and hope to hear you all next month, hopefully, with better conditions. 72, Will