[Elecraft] K6DGW - Flight of the Bumblebees

[Fred Jensen]

Total QSO's: 15
Bumblebee QSO's: 12
Score: 540 pts, I think
RIG: K2 #4398
ANT: Buddipole
PWR: 12 Ah solar charged gel cell
QTH: Overlook Park, Auburn CA [38+53+22.6N  121+04+05.3W] 1,510 ft AMSL
WX: Clear, sunny, about 98F [36C]
OPR TIME: 3h 45m [battery finally got too low]
CONDX: El Stinko

I set up on the edge of the American River canyon [about 1,000 ft deep 
at this point], looking NE across it.  It's called Overlook Park because 
it used to be the Bureau of Reclamation's viewing and info site for the 
now defunct Auburn Dam.

Signals were whisper weak, nothing heard on 10 and 15, heard WA7LNW very 
weak on 40, nothing else.  Only one signal actually indicated on the 
S-meter.  My K2 is very quiet [guess they all are :-) ], and I had the 
AF up to "afterburner roar" to pick signals out, and then I tuned across 
N7OU who was 20 over from OR.  That creates interesting intermod in your 
head.  Fortunately, I'm already nearly deaf.

I don't know what has happened to 20m recently, but the last couple of 
weeks, Kevin has been S9 or better on ECN, whereas he was barely if at 
all readable prior.  He's about S9 right now calling ECN.

Since my contest rate wasn't even close to 100/hr, I got time to mess 
around with my new Buddipole, and also made some Vitamin D for my body. 
  Had several visitors.  I had made up an explanation page since I 
thought I might be ripping Q's off fairly fast.  That not being the 
case, I had time to give them a chance to listen and talk to them a little.

Fun outing with the K2.  The Buddipole is a huge step up from the 27' 
wire I was using.  Had the KX1 as backup, but decided to pack-it-in with 
only 15 min to go.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2007 CQP Oct 6-7
- www.cqp.org