[ILQSO] N9JF/M mini-disaster

[n9jfcountyhunter at gmail.com]

My....aren't YOU a ray of sunshine!  😊.

Yes, I think we're looking at that, too.  Will try to cover well enough to protect the interior....

<sigh>

-----Original Message-----
From: ilqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net <ilqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Eric Lorenz K9LGE
Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2020 6:05 PM
To: Illinois QSO Party <ilqso at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ILQSO] N9JF/M mini-disaster

Hey Jim,

I don't know about the rest of the state, but up here in Northern IL there's a good chance of rain tomorrow. I didn't see what your route is, but let that guide your cover/no cover decisions accordingly.

Eric K9LGE

On Sat, Oct 17, 2020, 2:33 PM <n9jfcountyhunter at gmail.com> wrote:

> "Never let the perfect become the enemy of the good."  Confucius 
> BY1ZZZ
>
> (If he didn't say it, he should have....)
>
> I've not been particularly happy with the signal I put out as a mobile 
> during ILQP.  Finishing "back in the pack" doesn't bother me since 
> part of the reason is no doubt operating skill.  However, I've been 
> told I'm "not very loud" compared to other mobiles.  The usual 
> arrangement here (lately) has been three Hustler resonators on a trimount and short mast on the van.
> Lately, I've played with a super-long mast under a single resonator 
> when parked and putting out parks/refuges during Earth Week as N9G.  
> The difference on RBN has been remarkable compared to the old system.
> Obviously
> I can't drive with that much mast (10-11 feet) on the car!  However, a 
> compromise presented itself:  a 5-foot mast with three resonators 
> mounted horizontally.  I know some mobiles who have used this with 
> considerable success.
>
> I mounted this on the rear portion of the van roof, using a 4-magnet 
> mount and a quick-detach at the bottom of the mast.  Since I hoped to 
> run one more park as N9G, I put on 40, 30 and 20 meter resonators.
>
> I got 10 miles from home, and the mast flipped down, smashing the rear 
> glass on the van.
>
> I have never had a 4-magnet mount flip before.  You can barely pry 
> them off.
> But that's not what happened.  The 1/8" pin on the quick detach simply 
> sheared off, and the mast departed.  Of course, it only went a few 
> inches before the coax stopped it and the resonators went careening 
> gleefully into the back glass.
>
> Lessons learned:
> 1) Guy the mast. I knew this and for some inexplicable reason did not 
> do it.
>
> 2) Lessen the wind load.  There was no reason, with the QSO party 
> coming up, to put the 30 meter resonator on the array.
> 3) Look for weak points.  Obviously (duh) the 1/8" pin was a weak point.
> 4) Marry a woman who won't look at you like the idiot you are, who 
> will sympathize and offer to help clean up the mess.
>
> I have everything back on the van (yes, and guyed....).  I don't know 
> if we can put plastic or something over the back window or if we'll 
> try to get along with an open-ended vehicle.  The high temperature 
> tomorrow is supposed to be only in the low 50's.....
>
> We'll try to hit the counties on our list and see what happens.
>
> 73, Jim N9JF
>
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