SOAPBOX: December 2019 ARS Spartan Sprint

* Footnote below

AK4JA
This was my first Spartan Sprint and I'm feeling a little porky. I need to lose some weight on the next go-around (I enjoyed this well enough I want to do it again). Worked NØTA on 40 and 80. Loudest signals were N5GW and WB5BKL. WB5BKL was a steady 589 signal here in the metro Atlanta area till near closing time. Nice to work AB9CA/7 in AZ, too. 6 contacts total with 1-watt power out (tried at 500 mw but wasn't being heard). Good fun! And like the Terminator said, "I'll be back." 73 de AK4JA

K9DRP
I thought 40 was going to work better this month as N5GW answered my CQ right out of the gate.  And it was good - for about 15 minutes, then zilch!  80 was working until the last half hour. I about quit 1/2 hour early due to lack of activity, but I keyed on. Should as well gone QRT for nothing was gained (I was able to hear WB9HFK in the last 30 minutes, but not able to log him). Worked K4BAI on both bands! Thanks much to AK4JA who had a difficult time getting me to copy his call correctly. And greetings to N4SO and K1QO on their first appearance in my log. I hope to work you many more times in the new year.  Happy Holidays to all, and special thanks to KI6SN for gathering up our results to make this fun for us. 72, Don, K9DRP

K3RLL
40m was pretty quiet here except for the lulling sounds of all the nearby S-5 electronic hash that does such a superb job of covering up QRP signals.  Experimented back and forth between two different antennas - both highly compromised - and feel fortunate for my two contacts. Many thanks to John and Jim. Spartan Sprinters have the best ears going!  72/73  de  Don K3RLL

NØTA
6 Q's on 40, and 6 on 80. Worked the first hour. Thanks! K3 @5w, doublet at about 25 ft.

K4BAI
5 QSOs on 40M. Heard several there who could not hear me. 40 in poor shape. Best DX on 40 was AB9CA/7 in AZ. On 80, band in very good shape. 10 QSOs. Little noise. QSOs from NH to CO. Need more activity! 73/72, John, K4BAI.

N5EM
Running KX3 here on internal batteries.  7 Q's on 40/80.  Again, nothing heard on 20M.

WB9HFK
Rig: Icom 7300 @ 5W. Antenna 40M: OCF Dipole. Antenna 80M: 150 ft. random wire.

K9DRP
I thought 40 was going to work better this month as N5GW answered my CQ right out of the gate.  And it was good - for about 15 minutes, then zilch!  80 was working until the last half hour. I about quit 1/2 hour early due to lack of activity, but I keyed on. Should as well gone QRT for nothing was gained (I was able to hear WB9HFK in the last 30 minutes, but not able to log him). Worked K4BAI on both bands! Thanks much to AK4JA who had a difficult time getting me to copy his call correctly. And greetings to N4SO and K1QO on their first appearance in my log. I hope to work you many more times in the new year.  Happy Holidays to all, and special thanks to KI6SN for gathering up our results to make this fun for us. 72, Don, K9DRP

KB1M
Only heard 3 calls in the first hour, K3RLL and 2 others, and was spotted only by one station on Reverse Beacon. 73, Walt

WB5BKL
K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M extended double Zepp. 1 QSO on 20M, 5 QSOs on 40 and 10 on 80M. Removed one pleasant QRO chat (TNX KI5AL) and one dupe from score. Best signals: On 20M - AB9CA/7; On 40M N5GW; on 80M - K4BAI. Seasons greetings to all. CU in 2020. Had fun.

AB9CA/7
On the road and the antenna will not do 80. Made one Q on 20 and 9 on 40. Only 2'fer was WB5BKL. Prop seemed a little short. Nothing further East than IL and GA. Yet AK4JA from GA made the trip with only 1w. Prop can be a little hard to figure. Thanks for the Q's! 73, Dave, AB9CA/7

* HONORABLE MENTION: K1QO
Contacts 4 (not valid due to ...see below) so actually 0. My sincere apologies to K4BAI, WB9HFK, N5GW and K9DRP! I checked at 9 pm on 20, didn’t hear anything, checked 40 didn’t hear anything, checked on 80 and didn’t hear anything then I called on 3562.30 for awhile and got no answers. I went to 160 in case anyone might be there and heard C6AGU . . . who I just couldn’t resist trying to get so I turned my power up to 95 watts to get him.  Then I went back to 80 and heard K4BAI. I was so excited to hear him! Unfortunately, I failed to turn my power back down to 5W. I actually woke up in the middle of the night and had to check the radio and was crushed when I checked! I’m so sorry to all! I’m back on the radio after a couple years hiatus (I was a full time caretaker for him until he passed away). Again, I’m so very sorry I promise I won’t fail everyone next time. 72/88 K1QO, Ann

* FOOTNOTE: In the spirit of the holiday season, all stations who worked K1QO/QRO are still credited with working her. No worries. Honest mistake. Spartan Sprints have always been based on the Honor System. We roundly applaud Ann's honesty - and that of every SP operator over the years. Best community in amateur radio. - KI6SN