[Elecraft] N4BP Guano Reef Bashful Pervert's Field Day

[Bob Patten]

N4BP  Guano Reef Bashful Perverts  1A Battery

Operators: K4PG, N4GM, N4BP

Station: Elecraft K2 @ 5W
    110A/H Marine battery, solar charged
    N1MM Logger for computer control, CW, and logging
    4BTV, 40M dipole, Wilson tri-band Yagi

Also:    Demo packet radio station
    Satellite station

Location: Fiesta Key KOA on Long Key, FL at MM70 (AKA Guano Reef)
      Narrow key bordered by the Atlantic on one side and Gulf of Mexico 
on the other (our campsite was just
      a few feet from the Gulf and surrounded about 270 degs by salt water)

For many years, we've used a homebrew four-band vertical (the "Ugly 
Vertical") with various QRP rigs
(FT-7, Argo 509, TS-130V).  For the past four years, we've used the K2, 
and for the past two, a 4BTV. 
Last year, we added a 40M dipole and found that many east coast stations 
were stronger on it, while the
west coast was better on the vertical.  This year, we added a tri-band 
beam on a push-up mast for the first time. 
Besides violating the KISS principle that I strongly believe in, I was 
betting that the vertical would outperform it. 
In most cases it did!  Signals on 20M were almost always stronger on the 
vertical.  On 15M, a few of the
west coast stations were better on the beam, but the majority again were 
stronger on the 4BTV.  No activity
was heard on 10M, so no comparisons could be made.  Surprisingly on 40M, 
the vertical outperformed
the dipole, even for east coast contacts - and the dipole was oriented 
exactly as last year..
This year, the K2 was upgraded with the DSP module.  K4PG and N4GM were 
amazed at how signals seemed to jump out
of a seemingly dead receiver.  The noise reduction really works (I hate 
the term "de-noiser" that Elecraft uses for it).  The rig
and computer performed flawlessly, but the new version 4.0 of N1MM 
Logger needs a little touching up to properly handle the
K2.  It doesn't quite know how to deal with the two VFO's, apparently 
thinking that they can split band and/or mode.  The first
time I made a SSB QSO, N1MM logged it as CW and on the other VFO's CW 
frequency.  Since we made only 13 SSB QSO's, this was not a major problem.
I've seen a lot of discussion over the past two days about CQ vs S&P 
with QRP.  All three of our ops spent the majority of
their time running.  The exception was 40M.  When I first switched to 
40, I could not get a run going, so spent several
minutes doing S&P.  But later I hit the F1 key, started working 
stations, and never looked back.

Last year, K4PG overturned his SUV on the return trip from Guano Reef.  
This year he rode with me while Grant drove his
van with satellite and packet stations inside.  But...  When we got near 
the point of last year's disaster, we were again
diverted from US1 on to the Card Sound Road to get from Key Largo to 
Homestead.  We found out later that there had
been a seven car pile-up with a fatality!  We were very happy when we 
arrived safely home after a very lengthy drive!

Summary:    40CW - 351 QSO's
                   20CW - 461 QSO's
                   20SB  -  13 QSO's
                   15CW - 211 QSO's
                   ==============
                 TOTAL 1036 QSO's    10,295 + 950 bonus points = 11,245


-- 
73,     Bob Patten, N4BP                Plantation, FL

E-Mail: n4bp at arrl.net                   Website: http://www.qsl.net/n4bp
QRP ARCI #3412    SOC #1    ARS #799    Whiners #6   FISTS #7871