SOAPBOX: January 2017 ARS Spartan Sprint

KN5L
My first Spartan Sprint. Used a KX2, with internal battery, at 5W on 40 Meters.

W5ACM
Certainly not as bad as November! The ATS-3a was operating superbly with 3W out to the vertical, and my CW was acceptable. Conditions on 40M were pretty good, but the coverage was sparse and there were few takers. Conditions on 80M were noisy but I managed one contact there with WA7LNW, who was also one of my four 40M contacts. Hoping for better in February, but glad that we had something happening this month. Need more participants and better conditions! 72 de Andy W5ACM Houston, TX EL29eq

WA7LNW
First time to work SP in several years. Major thunderstorm in southeastern U.S. created heavy QRN and QSB. Thanks to everyone for the contacts. 73's de Jack, WA7LNW

K3RLL
Another tough night on the bands but while able to make very few contacts, it was encouraging to at least hear a number of Sprinters on 40m this evening - even if they couldn’t hear me.  Thanks to those skilled and patient ops who pulled me out of the noise this evening.  72/73 … Don and Happy New Year

W1PID
Nothing heard on 40. 1 station N0AR in MN on 80 meters. VY HNY Jim W1PID

K7TQ
I wish everyone had been as loud as P49X.  A very meager start to the year, but it should only get better. Thanks to K4BAI on 40 and WA7LNW on 80.

NØAR
Good nite to sprint in the new year. Snow and rain made 80 pretty ruff, 40 was the workhorse tonight. A total of 9 q's on 40 and 3 on 80 meters. At the start 20 was already shut down. Rig K2 and the 43' vertical over a lot of wire also used the 80 m. loop at times. 73 and HNY Scott N0AR nr. St. Paul, MN

K4BAI
Got in 42 minutes of operating between thunderstorms.  We had an incredible 6.78 inches of rain in the past two days after months of drought.  20M and higher were dead.  40M was in good shape with low noise, but a few old friends couldn't seem to hear me calling.  80M was covered with QRN from the thunderstorms and my only QSO was with WA7LNW in UT.  No other sprinters heard on 80 before the thunderstorms resumed. Happy New Year to all.  73/72, John, K4BAI.

KB1M
Another challenging sprint. Spent the first 20 minutes searching, only to hear bits and pieces of call signs. Three stations answered my CQ's in next 15 minutes, making three completed QSO's, states worked Ga, Fl, and Ms. Nothing heard in next half hour so decided to stop beating the 40 meter horse. Happy New Year to all QRP sprinters, 73/72 Walt

WB5BKL
K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M extended double Zepp.  Only 3 states this time - a dismal performance.  Conditions seemed 'fair' at best.  Best signals:  40M - K4BAI.  Happy New Year to all.  Had fun.