[Elecraft] Field Day 2012 with K2-7006

[Michael Babineau]

aj4tf <aj4tf at arrl.net> wrote : 
>Date: June 24, 2012 4:32:54 PM EDT
>To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: [Elecraft] Field Day 2012 with K2-7006

>If you have W4UA in your field day log on either 15m or 75/80m, then you
>heard K2/100 #7006 on the air.  It stayed powered for about 23 hours
>straight.  Unfortunately *I* could not stay powered up for 23 hours
>straight,  so I had to relinquish command to another operator last night.   

>15m was really open to California and Texas from our location (NC), we made
>many contacts there.

>73,

>de AJ4TF


I operated Field Day as Class 1E from my cottage in QC using K2/10 #5995 running 5W.

It was a pretty casual operation for me, mostly CW, but it was also the first contest that I have
participated in since recently building / installing the KAT2 and KSB2.   I decided that 
in spite of the fact I was only running 5W, I should also try to make at least a few SSB QSOs
to get a feel for how the SSB option was working.  I was very pleased to get an unsolicited
comment on how good my SSB audio was (I am using a Kenwood MC-43S hand mic).
I am certain that the station on the other end had no idea I was QRP. 

I was also very pleased with the operation of the KAT2 tuner. I normally use an external LDG autotuner.
Having the internal tuner was very slick and made band changing and switching between
my two antennas (a 204 ft doublet & an inverted-L W3EDP) very painless. 

The K2 was an absolute joy to use for Field Day, which I guess is not too surprising, as it was designed by 
Eric and Wayne to be "the Ultimate Field Day rig". 

Michael VE3WMB / VA2NB