SOAPBOX: August 2020 ARS Spartan Sprint

K3RLL

40m was awfully quiet this evening. Signals were not loud here into rural PA but little background noise and no QRM so it was fun. Thank you ARS. Maybe it's time we start a GoFundMe page for sunspots.  Whatsa?  72/73 … Don

 

NØTA

Pretty slow. Quit after the first hour.

 

W5QLF

I had to wait until a line of thunderstorms had passed thru San Antonio before hooking up the antenna at 0130Z. The noise level wasn't that high on 40 meters but there were not many stations heard. WB9HFK had a remarkable lack of QSB on his signal and was the only consistent signal I heard for over 45 minutes on 40m. Worked NØTA, WB9HFK & K4PQC on 40 meters and AB9CA on 80 meters.

 

K4BAI

QTH: GA. QSOs by band: 40M: 6; 80M: 2. Lost the first one hourand 25 minutes to a power outage after an afternoon thunderstorm that brought down trees, power poles and lines. Had thought of using the car battery and sitting in the car in the garage and using the regular station antennas and a flashlight, but we decided to visit our daughter and her family a few blocks away where they did have power. Watched the Atlanta Braves lose badly to the New York Mets. Very thankful electricity came back on and gave us back air conditioning, ham rig, computers, TV, and outside safety lights. We have a battery back up for the burglar alarm, so never lost that. Thanks for all QSOs.  73/72, John, K4BAI.

 

WJ9B

Four contacts, nØta on 20m, plus three contacts on 40m (NØTA, NK6A, K4BAI). Elecraft KX-1 internal batteries and tuner, 1 watt measured output. Weight: one pound with batteries, ear buds, palm key. I used an 80m inverted V, apex at 80 feet fed with twinlead. I heard several others who could not copy my 1 watt signal. BTW, I purchased the kit to put 80 meters into the KX-1. Two months in a row, maybe I will remember: first Monday of the month!  73, Will, WJ9B

 

K9DRP

Even with nasty QRN I was able to log 1 on 20, 6 on 40, and 1 on 80. I heard WB5BKL on both 20/40, but not well/long enough to work him. K4PQC was the loudest on 40.  SPCs were CA, CO, GA, TX, IN, AL, and NM. Let's do it again next month! 73, Don, K9DRP

 

K5MUG

Using a KX3 at 5w into 20/40m fan dipole at 40 ft, installed N/S. Thunderstorm let up at my location (San Antonio) about 5 minutes or so before Sprint time letting me start up front, for what it was worth. Started on 20m with no stations heard, moved to 40m about 30 minutes in. Tagged AB9CA at 0136Z, with WB9HFK, K4BAI, N4SO, and K7PD following. Squeezed K7PD in the last minutes – thanks for your perseverance and patience. Tough night, heard a few that couldn’t hear or read my sig, lot of weak sigs and QSB, many repeats. Station of note:  K4BAI / John booming in at 599 plus from GA. Another enjoyable event, take care and 72, Cray / K5MUG / San Antonio, TX

 

W1PID

QSOs on 20M, 2. QSOs on 40M, 3. QSOs on 80M, 1. Thanks all. 73, Jim W1PID

 

KA5PVB

I was told about your group by Scott, W5ESE, whom I had worked last month in the 4 States QRP Second Sunday Sprint. I started out on 20 meters (14.060) at 8 PM last evening and called CQ for 15 minutes with no "takers"! Went to 40 meters (7.030) at 8:15 and called CQ for 45 minutes, again with no takers!) Gave up after an hour of listening to myself calling CQ. Questions: was I on or near the correct frequencies? (Yes: plus or minus 3.560, 7030 to 7040, and 14.060) My code speed here is only about 10-15 WPM, is this "too slow" for this group? (Not at all. Sprinters are always happy to slow down for other operators.) Equipment used: FT-817ND at 4 watts, 80/40 meter inverted V at 30 ft., MFJ-813 Pwr/Swr Meter, MFJ 949D Tuner, and headphones. Total weight of station is about 4.8 lbs. I enjoy working QRP levels for QSOs whenever possible and would enjoy trying again next month if speed is acceptable for the group! (ABSOLUTELY!) Best 73, Chuck Dobbins, KA5PVB, Alpine, TX. (Chuck, TNX for trying. Everyone has a night like your's once-in-a-while. PSE hang in there. CU in September - KI6SN)

 

W5ESE

Conditions weren't great, but it was much better than the July sprint. Used the Omni VI and a 300' horizontal loop.

 

K4PQC

Station weight: 90.70 grams = 3.2 oz. = 0.20 lbs.Terrible storms here in GA mostly from hurricane Isaias. Not so much the winds but lightning crashes that made making contacts very difficult. After moving to Bishop, GA this is my first Spartan Sprint in almost 4 years from my new QTH. 5 contacts on 40 meters and one on 80.  Rig: ATS 3B homemade PCB case and paddles <3 w using an 11.1 V LiPo 500 mah battery.  Ant: 160 meter loop @ 25'  Maybe next month will be a little quieter.

 

KB1M

20 and 40 seemed to be noisy with deep QSB. Best DX was with  N0TA (CO).   Thanks for the QSOs. 73, Walt

 

WB5BKL

K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M extended double Zepp.  One QRO QSO removed. Eight states this time - NH and IN were popular. Best signals: 20m - KB1M; 40M - K4PQC; 80M - AB9CA.  Heard but not worked:  WØITT, NØTA.  3-fer with AB9CA. Several regulars missing - hope they are OK.  Had Fun.

 

AB9CA

Ran the IC-7200 at 5w to wires. Was a few min late getting started. 20 did not seem to have many on. Worked 2 from TX and 1 from CA. Moved to 40 which was the main band of the evening. Logged 11 there - NC NH AL CO PA VA TX. Then went to 80 and found a few more: NH TX IL GA MO. Thanks to WB5BKL for 3 bands, W5ESE and W1PID for 2. It was a fun evening. Of course we could always use a few more participating. Maybe business will pick up if the sunspots return. 73, Dave, AB9CA