[Elecraft] Polar Bear Hunt, NK8Q Setup

[Mark Schreiner]

Well, I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to work any of the Polar 
Bears, either those who are already out on the ice pack (or in the case 
around here, mud muck due to the rain) or those who are still in their 
dens.  I slept in this morning since I was at "The Camp" visiting 
several new Polar Bears up there last night.  It was 
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRReat to meet some new ones! 

Anyway, I have my home station almost packed up right now.  I'll be 
heading out within the next 1/2 hour and I should be at the operating 
QTH in about 1/2 hour.  Plan to operate from near the Appalachian Trail 
near where PA-309 crosses, north of Allentown near a small town called 
New Tripoli, PA.  I haven't decided which antenna to use yet but if 
possible I'll use my dipole if the WX isn't too preclusive for me to put 
it up (and if my old lines are still in the trees so that it goes quick 
& easy).  Otherwise I have a 33' end fed sloping vertical I may try 
instead. 

My operating plans are to hopefully be on the air by about 1800 or 1900Z 
and should operate until 0000Z this evening.  I should be okay to 
operate on 80 to 17m and plan to do CW only.  Since the NAQP is going on 
I'll try to find frequencies that fairly well avoid it, but I would 
prefer to stay +/- 5 kHz of the normal QRP calling frequencies, or on 
40m around 7.109 in the much unused Novice band.  I would like to switch 
over to 80m (3.560) as soon as it starts getting close to getting dark, 
which would be around 2200Z around here.  I expect I should be on 30m 
quite a bit as well just to avoid more of the NAQP.  I already made one 
QSO this morning (from in the den) on 30m.

Well, 73 to all and hope to work many of you during the "Hunt" or before 
if I get the antennas set up in time!  

GGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! 
Gggggrrrrrr!  
ggrrrr 
(guess which one is QRP)

Mark, NK8Q
Polar Bear #4
K2 4786