SOAPBOX: November 2023 ARS Spartan Sprint

 K3RLL

So glad to be back on the Sprint. Neighbor lady drove into my house, got all three of my cars and disabled my antenna and gear but back on the air at last. Whew!Condx not the best but thanks for the ‘good ears’ out there with my four contacts this evening and nice to connect with former neighbor and mentor back in PA, K3JZD. Big signals this evening?  I didn’t hear them. Did you?  72/73, Don K3RLL

WB9HFK

Rig: Icom 7300 @ 5WAntenna: EFHW @ 30 Ft.Weight: 30 lbs.

K4WY

First time on this sprint. Lots of familiar QRP calls. 72 Jack K4WY

K4BAI

All QSOs on 40M.  No activity heard on 20 or 80 in first hour and no answers to CQs on 20M. Nice to hear some new calls. Thanks for

all QSOs. 73, John K4BAI

K4PQC

I was working on my band filters and only had the one for 40 meters. Things started out a little slow plus this band was very noisy, some local... maybe the neighbor's electric fence. Lots of new players that I worked for the first time. So, as the evening wore on the activity picked up and this month is my personal best Spartan Sprint.  Thanks for your good ears and for sticking with me. For those who are new to the Spartan Sprint this is a description of my station: The transceiver is a lightened Steve Weber - KD1JV designed AT Sprint III with homemade paddles, lightened ear phone and a single cell 3.7V 820mAh LiPo battery with a DC to DC boost circuit bringing the voltage up to 11V. The receive drain is +/- 35ma depending on the receive signal strength. Transmit drain is about 750ma depending on the battery condition. The battery can last almost the full duration of the Sprint depending on S & P or Running, which drains the battery faster. I have an inline power meter to read my transmitting power. From the antenna connector which is a modified SSMB there is a 1' section of RG-58 with an SSMA adaptor on one end and adaptor connected to a Daiwa switch, inline power meter, another Daiwa switch, 4' RG-58 to a lightning arrestor, 25' RG-58, to a 1:9 balun connected to a knife switch, 35' 450 Ohm twin lead connected to a 160 meter full wave loop (570' 18 gauge green insulated stranded wire) at 35'. All together there is a combination of 15 mechanical connections made up of a combination of connectors and adaptors plus about 80 feet of feed line. 72, Phil K4PQC

WA9AGG

Thank you to the sponsors of this fun filled activity.  Your efforts are appreciated. I didn’t make contact with some of my regulars but made some new ones.  I was on 40 mtrs the entire time due to poor activity on the other bands.  Looking forward to next month. 73, Gerald WA9AGG

KE9V

Off to a bad start as I confused myself over the recent time change. Managed just three QSOs all on 40 meters. Band conditions not great. Hopefully better for the end of the year wrap-up next month. Thanks to all for the fun and the adventure! Jeff, KE9V

K3JZD

All of my QSOs were on 40m.  Seemed like maybe we had a little impact from the sun's recent activity. Or maybe just low participation this month.  Four watts with a purpose built 40m QCX Mini, small 500mAH LiPo battery pack, small 3D printed key, and ear buds. 40m Dipole at 25'. 72 - Jody - K3JZD

WA9CWE

The band conditions in Central Indiana were poor for the event this month. I stayed on 40 as 20 & 80 were dead to me, and I struggled to get contacts ending up with 9 in 7 States. Did not hear most of the regulars this month. I look forward to next month! Rig is an IC-705 and G5RV at 20 feet.  J38 Key.  The internal battery in the 705 holds up well for the 2 hour event.73,  Steve, WA9CWE

N8HWV

The band conditions in Central Indiana were poor for the event this month.  I stayed on 40 as 20 & 80 were dead to me, and I struggled to get contacts ending up with 9 in 7 States.  Did not hear most of the regulars this month.  I look forward to next month!  Rig is an IC-705 and G5RV at 20 feet.  J38 Key  The internal battery in the 705 holds up well for the 2 hour event.73, Steve N9HWV

N4HAY

The band conditions in Central Indiana were poor for the event this month. I stayed on 40 as 20 & 80 were dead to me, and I struggled to get contacts ending up with 9 in 7 States. Did not hear most of the regulars this month. I look forward to next month!  Rig is an IC-705 and G5RV at 20 feet.  J38 Key. The internal battery in the 705 holds up well for the 2 hour event.73,  Steve N4HAY