SOAPBOX: June 2019 ARS Spartan Sprint

K3RLL
Three contacts, thanks totally to three very skilled and capable operators. Thank you Jim, Walt & John.  Tried bigger radio tonight; got less contacts. Gee, that's just not right. Conditions were abysmal, or maybe worse here in N-FL tonight.  Hmm..., maybe I should go out and see if my wire antenna is still up over the garage? Thanks to the entire staff and associates of A.R.S. for continuing to provide this monthly gathering of the faithful. See you next month.  72, ... Don

AB9BZ
1 contact, 64 oz. Heavy Case on the QCX. thanks for the contact, glad to get my QCX on the air. 72, Dave

K4BAI
20M very good. QSOs TX, FL, CA, KS, NH, MS. 40M: Pretty good. QSOs about same as on 20 plus IL. 80M: Not bad. QSOs to IL TX and FL. Totals per band: 80:3; 40:13; 20: 8. Thanks for all the QSOs. 73/72, John, K4BAI

K4FB
My first Spartan Sprint in several years.  Band conditions were pretty good. N5GW with 2 watts was loud here in Central Florida. Two band QSOs with K4BAI (40 and 80) and WB5BKL (20 and 40), thanks! KX3 @ 5 watts into a ground mounted Hustler 6BTV vertical.

W1PID
I ran the K2 at 5 watts. Best DX NK6A in CA. Nice to work some old pals. 73, Jim W1PID

K9DRP
20 started out great but the band fizzled out after 30 minutes. Lots of noise on 40 and even more on 80. TNX to K4BAI and K3ESE for two bands. I got to try out my "new" Argonaut V (it's a keeper!). Used a cootie tonight to lower the station weight (thanks guys for copying my fumble fist). I think the propagation gods have set my contact limit to 12. Logged 4 on 20, 5 on 40, and 3 on 80. Let's do it again next month.  73, Don

W5ACM
The ATS-3a was remarkably cooperative this month. My CW was pretty good thanks to the keyer contacts. I didn’t need any burnishing or maintenance. The batteries appear to be running well. I use a pair of 170 mAh LiPo cells. It makes 3W out, so it is good to go! I got good 20M CNDX and hope for more next month! VY FB to work K4BAI on 20M AND 40M. The QRN was BAD on 80M – i.e. no contacts down there. 72, de Andy W5ACM, Houston, Texas.

WB9HFK
Icom 7300 @ 5W - OCF Dipole and 150 Ft. Random Wire.

K3ESE
the bands were noisy, but functional. I was wondering if there was just a low turnout? I had fun, though, as always! 10 of my 14 QSOs were unique SPCs.

KB1M
8 QSO's for 6 states. After a fruitless weekend of trying to log a museum ship, the sprint was a  needed boost to a deflated ego. I am always amazed with the many great ears of QRP ops that I've worked during sprints. Thanks for the QSOs. 72/73, Walt

N5GW
My K1 with internal ATU was powered by an 800 mAh Lipo battery at 2 watts to a doublet. It was nice to hear 20M open again for about half my contacts.