SOAPBOX: November 2017 ARS Spartan Sprint

K3RLL

Stuck with 40 meters this evening with highly compromised antenna situation back down here in Florida. Sure miss my PA “high and in the clear” wire antenna. (Sigh) It didn’t take long to work all those I heard working and calling throughout the first hour. Thanks for the the skill and patience shown by the capable ops who pulled me out of the noise this evening. Big signal tonight? I’m sorry but if there was one, I missed it. Conditions not the best. Maybe better next month. See you then.  72/73 … Don

NØAR

Hi Guys - Talk about the "cone of silence" being lowered! One contact and heard someone with a BAI in his call fade off never to be heard again. Maybe a deep coating of snow will help... 73 Scott Nr. St.Paul

K4BAI

Conditions were about as bad as I have ever heard them in a Spartan Sprint.  No signals on 20 M and no answers to CQs. Only two QSOs on 40 (ME and TX) and both were about 449 both ways.  80M seemed to be in good condition, but not much activity. Two QSOs on 80M (KS and TX). Total QRV time was 1:15.  Heard on 40, but he couldn't hear me:  NK6A. Heard on 80M but they couldn't hear me:  NØAR and W5ACM. Seemed I might have heard KA2KGP on 40M, but signal was too weak to be sure. Better luck next month. Note that the new season of QRP Fox Hunts starts on Nov. 7. Hope many will join in these fun QRP events.

N5EM

Only 1 QSO on 40M.  Heard zip on 20M. No antenna for 80M at the moment. I was hearing W1AW on 40M, but then they're not exactly QRP.

W1PID

Thanks to AB9CA and K3RLL for Qs on 40 meters. 73 Jim W1PID

WB5BKL

K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M dipole or a 40M extended double Zepp.  5 states this time. Difficult evening. K7TQ and K3RLL were weak when I worked them but much stronger later. Hear KB1M, but could never connect. Best signals: K4BAI on both 40 and 80M. Had fun.

KB2PLW

I was only able to get on for the last thirty minutes but I had a great contact with KØZK who was located in Maine – my only Q. Used a homebrew tube power supply and crystal-controlled 6L6 transmitter, Realistic DX-160 receiver, homebrew 6AH6 T-R switch from a 1961 QST article, homebrew antenna tuner, homebrew field strength meter. There was 200 volts on the plate of the 6L6, 5 watts output. Thanks for holding this sprint. Family demands prevented me from being on the whole time but I made one fantastic contact so it was worth it. I plan on using my Michigan Mighty Mite 1 watter next time. 72s, Randy

KD6L

No luck this time - only able to get 20 meter end-fed antenna deployed and nothing heard across the entire band. Hoping for better luck next month. 72, 73 - KD6L

K7TQ

I used my Wilderness Radio NC40A at 2 W tonight. Very tough going from northern Idaho. Called CQ most of the time without any luck. Caught Nick in TX and a local ham about a mile away for the only contacts.

KB1M

Five QSOs for four states, worked AB9CA on 20 and 40 meters. Best signal was KI4IO, (2 watts) from VA on 40 M. Propagation seemed to be north/south only for me. Thanks for the QSOs. Sprints are not always easy but always a lot of fun!  72/73 Walt

AB9CA

Long night. Prop was very poor. Worked only 6 total. 3 of  those in NH. One 2-bander, KB1M, on 20 and 40. Qs by band 20/40/80, were 1/4/1. RBN spots for the same band sequence were 1/15/24. Interesting that I had more spots on 80 than the others even though I spent less time there. But I am in a new locale, IN instead of AL. Not sure of the effect of that. Called CQ for the entire 2 hours and garnered only 40 spots total. Sometimes get that many with 2 calls. Hope others had better success than did I. Thanks to those that put forth the effort and made some Qs!! Maybe better prop next month . . . 73 de dave

ab9ca