SOAPBOX: June 2021 ARS Spartan Sprint

WB5BKL

K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M extended double Zepp.  6 QSOs on 20M, 3 on 40 and 1 on 80. 6 states this month. Best signals: 20M - NØTA, 40 and 80M - K4BAI.  Remarkable signal:  K4PQC @ 2W! Gave up after an hour and a half, but still had fun. Holding a good thought for Andy, W5ACM (SK) . . .

W1PID

4 Qs on 40M. 1 on 20M. Thanks all.

NØTA

4 on 20m, 6 on 40m. Worked the first 45 minutes. K3, Doublet, GenLog.

K3RLL

Started out on an empty 40m band, wondering where everyone was.  Yep, 20m was open (in and out) and that's where the party was tonight. At last, there is hope for improved propagation in my lifetime!  Thanks for the nice contacts this evening and for the Spartan Sprint .  72 ... Don

K4PQC

Terrible weather here in Bishop, GA with severe lightning storms approaching.  I couldn't hear many stations so I decided to just call CQ and go as long as my battery would last.  It only lasted for one hour and this was OK as I had to shut down my station anyway because of the lightning.  Using a modified Steve Weber design ATS-3B and 160 meter loop at 25'.

WVØH

Another fun night with the little red radio. I shaved off some ounces and got my station down to 0.606 pounds using a different battery, ear buds and paddle made with some smaller wood.

K4BAI

3 QSOs on 20M; 13 QSOs on 40M; 3 QSOs on 80M.  Only one heard and not worked was WVØH on 20 and I worked Myron on 40. Thanks for all QSOs.  73/72, John, K4BAI.

K9DRP

Set up my mcHF rig for the sprint.  The LiFePO4 battery I use with it outweighs the rig! The contacts were great for the first hour But activity disappeared during the second.  K4PQC was sounding FB with 2 watts! TNX to AB9CA for 2 bands.  Worked 2 on 20, 2 on 80, and the rest on 40.  SRI to the couple stations I couldn't pull out due to QRN. 72, Don

WB9HFK

Celebrating my 50th year as an amateur radio operator.

W4NLT

Very frustrating evening. Started on 20M with 5 qsos, then shifted to 40M and 80M. That's where things fell apart. Local noise was high and although I could copy them none of the stations I called heard me. Heard WA9TGT, K4BAI and WVØH on 40M; K4BAI, WVØH and AB9CA on 80M. 73/72, Andy, W4NLT.

WA9TGT

40 meter band seemed rather noisy again, all my contacts were made on 40 meters except for 1 which was on 80 meters. I was using my KX2 with a 12v 4000 mAh 12v Lithium-ion battery. Participation in the Spartan Sprint seems pretty low again this month.

AB9CA

Ran the K3 at 5w to the usual wires. This is the first time in a looong time that 20 has been the main band. The band breakdown is 11/9/3 for 20/40/80. Total of 23. The noise seemed to be pretty bad on 40 and 80, made it tough to hear. Was hearing stations on 20 who were east of the Mississippi. Been a while since hearing that. Thanks to all for the Q's. Hope to hear everyone, and a few more, next month. 73 de Dave, AB9CA

WA4AAK

Many thanks to the unknown heroic operator who worked so hard to cut through my local QRN - wish I could have completed that contact! Made one contact on 20m, 6 on 40m, and then K4BAI and AB9CA for a second time on 80m. Always enjoy listening to such highly skilled CW operators! 72, Evan - Huntsville, AL