RESULTS: November 2022 ARS Spartan Sprint

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SOAPBOX: November 2022 ARS Spartan Sprint

 K3RLL

No luck being heard on 20m and not a lot on 40m but still worth every penny I pay for the right to play on the monthly Spartan Sprint. HIHI Big signal into Florida tonight was from 2 watts out of North Carolina. NC4RT must not be using my wet string antenna! 72,  Don

WB9HFK

Icom 7300 @ 5W, 40M - Hustler 6BTV Gnd Mtd with 60 Radials; 80M - End Fed Wire - 150 Ft.; Weight: 30lbs

AE4GX

Started on 40 meters and made my 5 contacts all on 40 meters during the first hour. Another contest took over the QRP 7.030 mHz frequency. All signals were 559 or weaker. I tried 80,20 and 15 but heard no one during the first hour. Used my ICOM 756  this time with EFHW on 20 , W3EDP  84 feet sloping north-south for 80/40 and attic fan dipole for 15 meters. Will try some lighter weight gear next time.

NA4O

I heard stations on 40M only, a noisy band with QSB. I pulled out 3 stations. My station running 2W from a KX2 with internal tuner powered by a 4.5Ah LiFePO4 using a CW Morse Micro Code Key weighed in at 2.375 lbs.

NC4RT

All contacts on 40m. I called a bit on 20m and 15m, but no joy (and my K1 doesn't have 80m). The Medium Speed Test folks were pretty numerous, so I hung it up after 90 minutes. 72 de NC4RT

K4BAI

Only QRV the first hour and took out a few minutes for a net in the middle. No signals and no callers on 20M; 40 and 80 were good, but only QSO on 80 before I went QRT at 0300Z was WB9HFK. So, 11 QSOs on 40 and one on 80. Must have called WA9AGG who was calling CQ SS on 7032 20 or more times. Someone else called him too.  Something wrong with his receiver probably. Too bad, as I was scraping around for any possible QSOs. 73/72, John, K4BAI.

W4NLT

That was tough. 20M was dead and 80m was very noisy so most action on 40M. Got two bands from WB9HFK and K9DRP.  New competition for band space is the MST event. See you QRPers down the line. 72, Andy

K9DRP

Tough night here tonight; very high noise levels on all bands. There were a few stations I just couldn't pull out. A VA3 station did his best to get in my log on both 20 and 40, but to no avail; my apologies. And the MST contest sure crowded the bands during the last hour. I had intended to work only S&P this month, as I was using a teensy little paddle (to keep the weight down) that somebody threw in the box with a radio I purchased. But I heard few stations calling CQ SP, so I went at it. And after using the itty bitty  paddle for the evening, I kind of like it. TNX fer the contacts! Have a great Thanksgiving. 72, Don, K9DRP

WA9TGT

Band conditions seemed really good last night. I first checked 20 meters but heard no stations so I immediately switched to my old favorite 40 meters. To my delight there seemed to be more stations participating in the sprint this month. My Spartan Sprint equipment was my 80~10 Mtr EFHW wire Ant, my Venus SW-3B, 12V 2000ma Lithium Ion battery, Whiterook paddle. My first hour was by far the most productive, however the second hour became a real nightmare! As soon as the new MST CW contest began at 10PM the second hour of the Spartan Sprint was for the most part eliminated! Is it possible going forward we could can change the start time to one hour earlier to avoid this major conflict? Donnie Garrett / WA9TGT

NØEVH

Wow, in mid-west it was quite on the bands.  I started on 20 and RBN heard me all over conus but there was no one on 20.  Mark me confused. After an hour I figured I had the wrong Monday or something! Guess it was mother nature just telling me she always wins! Thanks for the event and hope others had more success. - John NØEVH

WB5BKL

K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M extended double Zepp or a dipole. 6 states this time. - most of them Illinois. Best signals: 40M - KD5ZCQ, 80M - WB9HFK. Only one double - with Mark. Conditions were not good here in the Texas hill country, but - as always - had fun.

N4HAY

This was my first Spartan Sprint for many years and I really enjoyed it, bringing back old pleasant memories. My result was not too impressive (1 on 40m, 2 on 80m). I did not hear many SP  stations on either 40m or 80m so perhaps I need to think about antenna improvements and improve my weak signal listening skills hi. Both bands were quiet and there were some very big signals, especially on 40m. 40m seemed long and no local stations were copied. Working conditions as follows:  

QTH:  Home shack. Central NC.
ANTENNA: Trap inverted V for 40m and 80m up 34ft in my small suburban backyard.
RIG: A modified ATS3. (NR4E filter mods)
POWER: 2 watts output
BATTERY: 720mAh 7.4V LiPo. Initial oc voltage = 8.22V. End oc voltage = 7.76V.
KEY: Miniature paddles
EARBUDS: Koss
DUTY CYCLE: About 20 percent calling CQ.

Many thanks to all stations and KI6SN for a most enjoyable evening. 

72 Dick N4HAY

K4PQC

Everything was ready for the Spartan Sprint with a smaller battery this time.  And, after working in the yard most of the day decided to take a short nap and fell asleep . . . having a late start didn't help with making Qs.  Insead of starting at 0200z it was 0250z.  I was lucky to find K9DRP almost right away calling CQ SP.  After that I started calling CQ a few kHz above and N4NLT answered then N4NTO and then I started to get pounced on by the ICWC MST crowd. I changed frequencies and was lucky that Donnie WA9TGT was able to get through. One other station called but with all the higher powered MST stations that 2 station was lost in the QRM. So I closed up shop with my SP rig after making only 4 contacts and joined up with the MST. Next month I will certainly get an earlier start. 72 to all and thanks for the QSOs.

VA3SIE

I was running 2W from an Elecraft KX1 into an Alexloop. I could hear stations on 20m but very weak and lots of QSB. My 3 contacts were on 40m, and were hard work, multiple repeats. Temperature got down to 1-degree C. I enjoyed a pumpkin ale. 

AA9RK

I worked 2 stations in the Spartan Sprint on 40 meters: K4BAI and KF9K. Station weight: 1.1 pounds (QCX mini, CW morse travel paddles, Talentcell battery, etc.)

RESULTS: October '22 ARS Spartan Sprint

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SOAPBOX: October '22 ARS Spartan Sprint

 K3RLL

QRZ Propagation looked pretty dire for this evening and 20m was weak but skip was VERY long. Had trouble being heard stateside but strong into Europe and Africa. Where's the DX when you're looking for some? 40m was a lot hotter with good, strong signals despite the propagation forecast.  Like taking the Harley out on a cloudy; sometimes it pays to ignore the signs. Thanks to NØTA for 2fer and K4PQC's 2 watts was booming into PA tonight. What fun! 72/73, Don K3RLL

AA9RK

Station Weight: 30 pounds (IC-7300, Samlex power supply, MFJ 993B tuner, Ten Tec electronic keyer and iambic paddles, and a partridge in a pear tree, feeding the 40 meter doublet in my yard) I thought about going out with the QRP gear tonight, but now it's dark before 7 P.M. here, and after I got the kids to bed, I would have had to go out to a park, put a wire antenna in a tree in the dark, and operate by lantern light, and I opted for my shack instead. These were the best 40 meter conditions for a Spartan Sprint I can ever recall. Stations were loud and clear, and there was a lot of activity. I made contacts as slow as 12 WPM and as fast as 20 WPM. 80 meters and 20 meters weren't exciting. Thanks for the QSOs, all. 73, Michael AA9RK

NQ2W

Same score as last month. This month, however, I worked a couple QRO stations that aren't counted in the 13. Only QSOs on 20 and 40. One 2-bander with NØEHV. Nothing heard on 80. I put up a new tribander last week - a Mosley TA-33-JR-N at a whopping 32 feet! Seems to do better than the mini-beam, like it should. Thanks for the contacts and for the opportunity to participate. 72, Will, NQ2W

NØEVH

Twenty worked OK and 40 the best. My antenna poor on 80 so never heard anyone.  It was fun to play in the skinny division again. Been away for few years. Thanks for the event. Will improve station here and give it another go. - John NØEVH

WB9HFK

Rig: Icom 7300 @ 5W, Antenna: Hustler 6BTV Gnd Mtd with 60 Radials, Weight: 30 Lbs. Another fun QRP evening! 73, Mark WB9HFK

K4BAI

20, 40, and 80 in good shape. 4 QSOs on 20, 15 on 40, and 2 on 80. Lot more would have been possible on 80 if others had been QRV. Thanks for all QSOs. 73/72, John, K4BAI  (Time on air:  1:25).

NC4RT

All contacts on 40m. I don't have 80m on the K-1, and no luck on 20m. 72 de NC4RT

NØTA

Started with K4BAI and ended with K4BAI! Nice activity on 20m. Thanks for the Qs!

W4NLT

Most action on 40M. Things petered out on 20M and 80M was empty. Was a busy week with SKCC Sprint, SKCC QSO Party and the Peanut Power Sprint which I operated QRP in all events. Still surprised what 5 W will do, There were several under 5W operators in the SP that seemed to do OK. Hope to get a few days quiet to give the one good ear a rest, but I hear some oinking in the background. 72 and thanks for the QSOs.

N7RCS

Operated on 40m only as there was no 20m activity heard from my SFL QTH. 40M was quite noisy but had activity. I had brief Qs with K4BAI and K4PQC. Also made contact with Nelson, CM6SQ in Cuba, although QSB was quite severe. Rig was QCX-mini to an 80-10m EFHW up about 35 feet in a sloping horizontal L configuration. Key was a CW Morse. Battery was Bioenno 12V 3Ah. Went QRT after ab0ut 90 minutes.

K3JZD

All of my QSOs were on 40m. It seemed like 40m was doing pretty good considering that the event took place during the peak of a G2 Magnetic Storm.   Purpose built 40m QCX Mini, small 500mAH LiPo battery pack, small 3D printed key, and ear buds. 40m Dipole at 25'. 73 - Jody - K3JZD

K4PQC

Certainly more activity this month I'm sure as a result of more advertising.  A continuation of last month's quest for lighter weight and a little more power.  On the day of the sprint I received a package from Amazon that I had ordered a few days before.  In the September's SP I used a 9v ANVOW battery that is actually a 3.7 V Li-ion battery with a battery boost module. I was able to operate almost 1 1/2 hours at one watt and was looking to see if I could modify the module to put out a little more voltage at the expense of time.  Then I found a USB charging module on Amazon that is exactly what I was looking for....  a boost that is adjustable from 5 to 12 V.  The only problem is that the only single cell battery that I have is quite large and I didn't want to dismantle the ANVOW battery supply.  That supply didn't last 2 hours and if I used that battery at a higher drain it might not last one hour.   I needed a battery that would supply a little more voltage as well as last for up to 2 hours. This  module is said to provide up to 2 amps which is far more than I need to power the Steve Weber - KD1JV  AT Sprint III.  So, for this month, my station weighs in at a ridiculously high weight of 78 1/2 grams with a power supply weighing almost 34 g.  Does the battery boost make noise?  Well, I didn't hear any.  It is amazing that an increase in power makes this much difference.  Just 1 1/2 volt increase almost doubles the power output to slightly more than 2 watts which makes a big difference in the number of Qs.  Next month the station weight should be a little lighter at the same power level.  For October I used three band filter modules (20, 40 & 80 although I didn't make any contacts on 20 I included its weight)  plus a much heavier power supply. 72/73 & thanks for the Qs & I will look for you next month. Phil K4PQC

WA9CWE

Another good time at the Sprint. Didn’t hear folks that I had worked in the past, but did make a few new friends, all on 40 meters and a total of 7 States  Looking forward to next month with the hope of making some contacts on 20.  Station is a Xiegu X5105 with straight key and G5RV at 20 feet.  73, Steve, WA9CWE

KK4ITX

Kinda quiet here this time around and only had a short time to operate too. John, KK4ITX

REPORTS: 2022 ARS Flight of the Bumblebees

2022 FOBB Scoreboard https://tinyurl.com/47ky5432

2022 FOBB Soapbox https://tinyurl.com/5n7jyvre

2022 FOBB Pictures https://tinyurl.com/3mexdhac

2022 FOBB Roster http://tinyurl.com/2p9xy9em

SCOREBOARD: September 2022 ARS Spartan Sprint

 

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SOAPBOX: September 2022 ARS Spartan Sprint

K3RLL

Considering the dismal propagation forecast on QRZ, just stuck with 40m this evening. Signals were good but just not many heard (and fewer heard me).  Something on TV tonight?  Big signal heard tonight was from K4PQC.

Thanks for the fun and nice SP contacts.  72/73 … Don

NC4RT

Nothing heard on 20m.  I CQ'd on 20 several times, but no joy.  40m seemed to be doing OK though.  My K-1 had not been on the air in a few years; it felt good to stretch its legs.

WVØH

The solar indices were SSN:62, SF:130, A:32, K:4 and had some pretty deep QSB due to the solar storms and some great Aurora photos on the internet coming out of the north country. Didn’t help HF propagation though. Outside of SP, I could only muster 1 QSO on 30m this weekend with W9EBE.ARS: Thanks for putting up with us and poor conditions each and every month!

NA5N

We need some rain in NM, but only got a dry thunderstorm for some close QRN during the Sprint. Sigs varied from 229 to 589. Got one station to go from 100W to 5W. Always neat when they do that. Fun as always working old friends and a couple new ones. 72, Paul NA5N

K4BAI

40 and 80M in excellent condition. Good activity, probably aided by simultaneous running of the MiQRP Club Labor Day Sprint. No signals on 20M. Thanks for all QSOs.  73/72, John, K4BAI

NQ2W

Nothing on 20m at the start. QSY'd to 40 where the signals for the most part were way down just above the noise. 80m wasn't too bad and allowed for 3 of the 13 QSOs. Thanks for the contacts and thanks to KI6SN, for bringing us together. 72, Will, NQ2W

WB9HFK

Rig: Icom 7300 @ 5W. Antenna: Hustler 6BTV Gnd Mtd with 60 Radials. Weight: 30 Lbs.

K4PQC

An interesting experiment to find the lightest possible rig. Especially after last month's journey to Asheville, NC.  I was trying to operate from a vacation home in the mountains. In the early evening I ran an End Fed Halfwave antenna out of a second story window and heard a few stations calling CQ SP but I could never make contact nor even when I called CQ SP. In the morning I found my antenna had pulled loose from a tree and was laying on the ground and when I looked around I saw that I was in a deep valley. I made Zero contacts for August. So, this month I was on another adventure. Looking for a lighter source of power.  I think I am on the right track. In the May issue of QST there is an article on Pg. 36, about power measurements. Although the article doesn't describe Lithium chemistry, I am using this technology to make my own tests.  I found a 9 volt rechargeable battery that is sold by Amazon called a ANVOW 9V 1000 mAh (3.7V Lithuim (Sic) Cell. Hmm, I noticed that not only is the spelling wrong but there isn't an 's' in cell. How could this be?  The batteries cost about $5.75 each for these magical batteries. When I ran a test I found that, just like almost all previous measurements, this battery doesn't live up to the manufacturer's specification. It says it is "true" 9 volts and it is. I measured just under 500 mAh which is much better than most. (Most of the batteries that I have measured are much less than half of what is advertised.) The curious thing is that there is no power curve in the discharge! What? I am using Steve Weber's AT Sprint III that he says will work down to 7 volts.  Although this battery started out weighting a little more than the "250" mAh LiPo battery I was using, when I shed the case and connectors off of the ANVOW battery it is lighter by 1.5 grams and has a little more measured capacity than most. In September's Sprint, I ran the contest on one band and divided my time with more 'run' than 'S&P' so that I would use more mAhs. The battery died at 0140z. Although, the power is now down to 1 watt and I made fewer contacts but I am satisfied that I am getting closer to Zero gravity (HI). The temperature is 78 degrees F, light mist after raining all day and there are some nearby storms causing lots of static crashes. The Rig is a modified Steve Weber - KD1JV  AT Sprint III,  lightened earphone, homemade paddles and a ANVOW one cell Li-Ion battery with a power boost and charging module. The antenna is a 160 meter horizontal loop @ 35 feet. 72/73 to all and thanks for the QSOs, see you next month. I hope this gives you some insight as to what I am doing and will encourage more experimentation. - Phil, K4PQC

NK6A

Conditions! 20M was quite dead for me on the left coast. One station is all I heard. Thanks Dave, AB9CA. Decided to try 40 early. Still light here at 6:30 p.m. but gave a listen and found only two other stations. The heat and the poor conditions had me call it quits after an hour. = Don, NK6A

N7RCS

This was my first Spartan Sprint. Really enjoyed it! Stuck with 40m as no activity on 20m and too late for 15 and 10m, too early for 80m here on the east coast. Rig was MTR5B at 4w to an 80-10 EFHW up about 35 ft. Key was a Palm Pico. Battery was a 6-year-old Bioenno 12v/3AH. I operated from the pool deck in my backyard on the Atlantic coast of Florida with no lights, just the dim glow from the tiny MTR5B display and my iPhone mini used for logging (HAMRS logging app worked great). Furthest contact was NA5N in New Mexico who was running 5w. Ran S&P for hour 1, then switched to calling CQ during hour 2. - Jim, N7RCS

WB5BKL

K3/10 @ 5W to a 40M extended double Zepp or a dipole. 9 states this time. Tried 20M with zip results. Best signals:  40M - N7RSC, 80M - K4BAI. Only one double - with John.  Two QRO QSOs removed from score. Pooped out after a little over an hour, but - as always - had fun. - Nick, WB5BKL

W4NLT

Worked the Michigan QRP event before the Spartan Sprint and worked several of the faithful QRPers in both events. Most QSOs on 40M and one on 80M. Best distance was Paul, NA5N. Thanks for the QSOs. 72/73 Andy

WA9TGT

Once again I stayed on 40 meters the entire night. The band seemed to be in decent shape but was long by contest time. My contacts started off slow and stayed that way all 2 hours. Seemed like there were fewer participating this month. Station setup was the same as my prior Spartan Sprint contests: Light-weight transceiver,  Antenna 80~10 meter EFHW, 12v 2000mAh Li-ion, Apple Earbuds. - Donnie, WA9TGT

K3JZD

All of my QSOs were on 40m. Band was pretty long with QSB, limiting my QSO count. Purpose built 40m QCX Mini, small 500mAH LiPo battery pack, small 3D printed key, and ear buds. 40m Dipole at 25'. 73, Jody - K3JZD

WA9WCE

Had another enjoyable Sprint experience. Band conditions were poor and quite different than in the past with 40 meters long path to the west and nothing heard east/northeast. Worked a couple of new stations, but didn’t hear folks that I have in the past. Look forward to contacting you all next month. 73, Steve, WA9CWE

AA9RK

Contacts: 5. Conditions were pretty good on 40 meters for the Spartan Sprint this month.  I went to the neighborhood park again and put my Spark Plug EFHW about 35 feet up into a tree, running to my QCX mini.  Max, KD9NZB couldn't join me this month - it was a school night - but I went from about 8 until 8:45 local time, and made 5 contacts. - Mike, AA9RK