SOAPBOX: June 2018 ARS Spartan Sprint

K3RLL

Once again, I was beginning to think I had forgotten to connect the antenna, but then RBN was giving me fairly reasonable spots.  Okay, antenna must be connected (this time).  Well, maybe I have the wrong evening?  Nope, my buddy from NH, KB1M answered my plaintive CQs at 01:15.  Whew! Well, if we’re getting to NH, all is well.  And then, ever so slowly, bit by bit, things started to pick up until there were (count ‘em) EIGHT contacts in the log!  Wahoo! Thanks to the extensive, hard-working staff of A.R.S. and for the patient and skilled Spartan Sprinters, we had another enjoyable night here in low sunspot country.  Hope to have the good fortune to hear you all again next month and, ... bring a friend! 72/73 … Don

K4BAI

Missed the first 20 minutes and most of the 20M activity.station in MD,, but never his call and no answers to CQs on that band.  40M seemed quite good, but ran out of stations to work after 15.  CQs on 80M produced no QSOs. Next month I hope to do better. 73/72, John, K4BAI.

KØEAP

This was my second sprint and once again I had a great time. I seem to be stuck at two contacts since that is what I had in May as well. I was calling CQ using 1W and had no takers. But I did get picked up by the beacon and I had coverage coast to coast so that was good. I thought the bands were a little tough last night. 40m was very noisy for me. So honestly I was happy with my contacts in Indiana and Iowa. Can't wait for next month. 73 de KØEAP

WB9HFK

Rig: Icom 7300 @ 5W. Antennas: 40M - Gnd Mtd Hustler 6BTV with 60 radials. 80M - 150 ft. random wire. Lots of fun as always. Sorry to those I may have missed down in the noise.

72, Mark WB9HFK

W5TM

Thanks for the QSOs. Nothing heard on 80 or 20, no answers to CQs. Using K3s running 5 watts. Low dipole. ED GILLILAND

KD3FG

It's been a number of years since I've been active in these sprints.  It was a static filled challenging evening but I persisted for 10 S&P contacts in 7 states.  I started with a couple of Texans on 20m, moved down to 40m and worked 7 Qs, then finished on 80m with 1 Q.  Highlights were: a hat-trick with WB5BKL, working a very loud KB1M in NH on 40 (true 5nn!), and stumbling onto J32FIFA special event station on 40m (did not count this in my total and I spent too much time trying to grok that callsign!).  I was uber-tubby with my K3/P3 combo and my 150m horizontal loop.  Next time I'll try calling CQ and maybe skinny ops on the back porch.  72, Jon, KD3FG in MD.

KFØN

Used an ATS-3 and T-1 Tuner. After a rather slow start, things picked up about 0122 Z.  It was nice to work Eric, KØEAP. Nice signal from that K-3, Eric. I hope to see you often in the coming months. 20 meters seemed to be open to parts of the US but no activity.  The beacons on 14.1 MHz indicated good openings to both coasts but I guess everybody assumes the low flux numbers mean no propagation.  40 M was the place to be. Conditions were quiet here for June, but July and August may be another story. Many thanks to the “regulars” who passed through my little ATS-3’s front end. I hope to see all of you in July. Larry, KFØN

N5GW

I was using my K1 at 2 watts with internal ATU, 800 mAh Lipo battery and CFZ. Started out on 20M but didn't hear any sprinters. Moving to 40M, things picked up a bit but the skip was rather short. Couldn't try 80M because I had the 40/20 board installed.

KB1M

On 20 only heard a few letters but no complete call signs. QRN on 40 was a steady S3-4, not optimum conditions but a lot of fun just the same! 10 QSO's for 10 states. 72/73, Walt

WB5BKL

K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M extended double Zepp or a 20M wire delta loop. Only 8 states this time. Best signals:  20M - KD3FG, 40m - W5TM and 80M - KD3FG again. Jon was not only my only multiple contact (3X) but also my only contact on 20 and 80M. As always, my thanks to all. Had fun.

AB9CA

Had only 30 min tonight. Started on 20 and got 1 RBN spot and 2 Q's. Moved to 40 for the remainder of the time. Got 3 spots and 9 Qs there. Only 2-bander was W5QLF. SPC's on 20 were TX MN. On 40 they were IA MN IL TX NH MI MS GA GA. Nothing further away than TX. The bands did not seem to be in very good shape. I had worked some SOTA stations during the day and they were very weak. Just poor condx it seems. Rig was K3 at 5W to 56' Inv V at 40 ft. No wire for 80 right now. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and hope to hear all of you plus more next month! 73 de dave  ab9ca

NW2K

9 on 40 and 1 on 80. 9 states.  Dipoles on each band, up 40'.  Kenwood 590s at 5w.  72, Dean