April '09 Spartan Sprint soapbox comments

WA3FAE

Nice to be on the Sprints again, this time with my K3 turned down to 5W. Lots of stations, including some on 80M as well as 40M. Good to see the CW speeds slowed down from regular contests. Seems the average speed was 22, with some as low as 15 wpm. No need to be in a hurry with no mulipliers!

W5ESE

AT Sprint 3 at 3 watts. Whiterook MK-44 iambic paddles. 300' horizontal loop, fed with open wire ladder line. Good conditions on 40 meters, and a lot of atmospheric noise on 80 meters. It's great to hear an increasing level of activity in this event.

K4BAI

20M was open at the beginning, but some didn't check it out. 40M and 80M were good. QSOs were slow by the end. QSOs by band: 80M: 13; 40M: 31; 20M: 9. Stations worked on all three bands: K5JHP, WB5BKL, K9IS, WD0T, KE0G. WA9TZE heard only on 20M, but worked on the other two bands. Thanks for all the QSOs. Next weekend, April 11 and 12, please check out the Georgia QSO Party. KU8E and I will be mobile on Saturday in many GA counties as W4AN/M. There are QRP awards for every state and category. 73/72, John, K4BAI.

W5ACM

It was a delight to find 20M open for the first part of the event! There was a bit of QSB requiring a few repeats, but it was like a homecoming. Activity on 40M was brisk, with a reasonable noise level. Activity on 80M was also good, but my ears are still ringing from the noise level. The AT-Sprint 3a did well, even with the built-in homebrew key. Power output was drooping below a Watt toward the last minutes, but the two LiPo, 200 mAh batteries came back without any problems when they got on the charger. I guess I called CQ a few too many times on 20M. The antique multi-band vertical continues to perform! 72 de Andy W5ACM

K6CSL
Wow! Minnesota on 20M - My 22nd State, QRP and #14 on 20CW QRP. My log is on GenLog.326:

20m CW 04/07/09 0134 KEØG 599 CA 599 MN 5W
40m CW 04/07/09 0242 W7OM 599 CA 559 WA 5W
40m CW 04/07/09 0256 K7RR 599 CA 599 WA 100W

Bert, K6CSL

KFØN

ATS-3B at 4 watts to a 200 ft vertical loop antenna. Good conditions tonight with higher than normal participation. I heard a few stations on 20M early but I wasn't able to raise anyone. Worked both coasts on 40M though which has been a rare occurrence here for quite some time. N0EAX had a nice one-watt signal from MO on 80M. Thanks to all who responded tonight! Hope we can make it again in May. Larry, KFØN

KK5NA

Only worked about an hour. Rig: Elecraft K3, Ant: EDZ @ 50'. Joe

WØPQ

5 Watts, Elecraft K1, G5RV, Home Station. Operated on 40M only, conditions were good up to last half hour.

NG7Z

Better condx on 40M made it worthwhile to stay in the chair. WDØT had a huge signal all evening. Even made 4 q’s on 80 this time. See you next month. 72 Paul NG7Z

ABØCD

First Spartan Spring in a while, and first at new QTH, using a K2 and a "loaded" rain gutter.

W5TM

K3 at 5 watts. 80 meter dipole at 110 feet, fed with W7FG open wire. Johnson KW Matchbox. Thanks for the QSOs.

K5JHP

Bands in best shape in a long time. Had contact with K4BAI and WA9TZE on 20,40,and 80 mtrs. Be back next month.

KD3DF

Glad to return after a few years absence. Rig was my trusty K2 at 5w and despite the major QRN, it was great to snag IA, OK, and SD into MD on 40m. Only one qso on 80m due to the S9+ QRN.

KD2MX

K1 to 600' loop. This was the best sprint for me in a long time even though I only worked the first hour. Didn't hear anything on 40M to start so I gave 80M a try. It was pretty quiet, only 3 QSOs. Gave 40M another listen and that was the place to be. There were some pretty strong signals from mid-America but I had to do battle with digital mode QRM. I'm enjoying my new K1.

N8WE

3 contacts on 40 and one on 20.

AI3G

KX-1, Indoor vertical antenna. Thanks to K9IS and WA9TZE for responding to me. Doug AI3G

WA9TZE

Happy Easter to all. The rig here is a Kenwood TS-870 turned down to 5w. Ant's are a pair of Alpha-Delta DX-A's at 40ft to ends at 12 ft up[e/w-n/s] on a 50' ft tower with a beam on top. Had 51 qso's-nothing on 10-15m, 20m had 4 qso's, with 36 on 40m and 11 qso's on 80m. Had 8 contacts with Texas-all 599 plus - rest were 229 to 579. Best 72's to all and see you next month in May.

W1PID

Operated for the first half hour with an Icom 703 and Windom OCF Dipole. Best DX was WDØT in SD on 40 meters. Thanks all.

NØEAX

I enjoyed the sprint this month. Thanks to WDØT, KFØN, and KEØG for finding my 950 mw signal. Rig is an OHR 400 with an inverted vee antenna.

KEØG

Ran 5 watts with a K-3. Ant is two 50' wires at right angles, fed at 60' with ladder line and a Matchbox tuner. Biggest Sigs: 20M: N5KIP, 40M: W5TM, 80M: NØEAX.

AKØM

Participation seemed up from last month. Quite a bit of QRN here in Iowa. FT-817 at 5w, Palm Paddles, Butternut HF6V vertical - Steve AKØM (IA)