[Azham] QRPTTF and the Day in Thunderbird Park. Epilog.

[Michael Baker]

Hey there fellow QRPers!
	Did you get out and have fun today at the park of your choice by
playing Ham Radio?
	I got to the park about 6:45am and was set up in about a half hour.
I put the PAC12 together with my 20 meter coil and my new homebrew expanded
base mount.  Think 1" square tube about 2' long making a sort of cross with
a 8" square of 3/32 thick Aluminum plate bolted to the top of the cross.  It
lays flat on the ground with the plate on top of the center of the cross and
the Pac 12 mounts in the middle.  It makes the base so wide the antenna
won't blow over.  I know, a dust devil tried to do that today at the park
and failed!  It blew every other thing I had all over the place but the
antenna stayed upright. Yeaaa!
	Got the rig set up no problem and only forgot the keying cable from
the MM-3 keyer to the rig so I had to use the keyer in the 703+. Oh well,
not that big a deal.  
	20 sounded good!  Some big signals on SSB and NO NOISE AT ALL, ZIP,
NADA, Ø, QUITE like a Church!  WOW, now if it would only get that quiet at
home. 
	The clock ticked past 8am and I started calling and hunting.  Worked
a few and made LOTS of calls but contacts were far and few between.  All the
signals were WEAK, not even moving the meter.  When you would get the rare
signal that your head would call 589 or 599 you would look at the meter and
it might be S3 to S5!  The entire day, I NEVER heard a signal past S9 and
that guy was on the FIST calling freq and was obviously running more power
and a much bigger antenna!
	Most all of the activity was between 14058.5 and 14063. I didn't log
a single contact outside that range nor did I here anyone calling CQ QRPTTF
outside that range. 
	There was a group of several "die hards" that were in there pitching
almost the entire time.  Lots of calling, not lots of working.
	Overall, I am not sure if I would have done better with a different
antenna (like my triband trap vertical mounted on 15 feet of TV mast with 4
ground radials, my Ole Standby) or if band conditions were just odd or if
everyone just had other plans but I was expecting stronger and more signals
than I was hearing.  I still had fun and will do it again when ever the next
QRPTTF event arises.
	The old Beatles song "You get buy with a little help from your
friends" was never so true as it was today.  First to drop buy and hang out
for chit chat and assistance was John Stevens K5JS and his wife along with
Israel PY ??? his friend from Brazil and his wife.  They helped me finish up
a few last minute detail and get on the air and then hung around to keep me
company while the keyer was busy calling CQ.  ;>)
	They left for breakfast and shortly thereafter Mike Todd W9UQB
dropped in to keep me company for a few hours and about 11am Floyd Smithberg
NQ7X dropped buy to say Hi.  The "Boys" took off after a couple or hours and
went to get a bite of late lunch and I continued to "fly the station" solo
until about 16:30 and finally packed it in.
	So, hot, tired, a bit hungry for hot food and in need of a shower
and perhaps an adult beverage I reluctantly drove home:  and I can't wait
for the next one!!  
	I have a suggestion for all of you who participated and those who
didn't get the chance.  
	If you went by yourself, next time take a friend and either operate
longer or add a second station and get "Radio Active".
	If you didn't get the chance to get out, look up the next QRPTTF
event and call up a fellow QRPer who also didn't get out and get out
together!  Share the Joy!  Bring along a friend!
	Member of a club but didn't get to participate today, follow the
lead of Nike shoes and "Just Do it!" next time!  GET RADIOACTIVE!
	What a "kick" it would be to hear the bands crowded and active
almost non-stop the entire available contest period!  Think "Field Day" type
of active for a Saturday QRPTTF contest!  Now that would be a Hoot!
	OK, my small novel is finished now.  ;>)  I am off my soapbox and
off to get ready for the sack.  My Monday starts at 04:30 on Sunday so I am
headed to the sack.  
	For you fellow ScQRPions, I'll see you next Saturday at Fudruckers.


Michael Baker  K7DD
k7ddmjb at qwest.net