[NLRS] 2011 432 MHz Fall Sprint report - K9JK/R

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

I heard and worked a grand total of 1. Made the sprint a slog.
73, Jerry, K0CQ

On 10/6/2011 12:18 AM, John (JK) Kalenowsky, K9JK wrote:
>
>
> For a third Fall Sprint attempt in the CoROVERolla, it turned
> out be another positive experience. Equipment was my old
> faithful FT-100D driving a TE Systems Brick to a KU4AB 432 MHz
> Loop -OR- to an Diamond 10-element yagi atop a painter's pole
> that extended to about 16 feet when I was stopped.
>
> An different equipment challenge occurred that the Brick was not
> reliably keying and folks were not hearing me unless the Brick
> was keyed. RX Sensitivity seemed a bit down, too.
>
> Since I had a spare BNC-BNC cable, I initially tried replacing
> the cable between Transceiver and Brick but no difference. Later
> I noticed that the positioning of that cable seemed to make a
> difference, especially at the Brick 'end' of that cable AND I
> realized that I had 'spare' BNC to N adapters with me so I
> swapped that on the Brick...and Voila! solid keying of the
> Brick. NOW to be sure that I remember to MARK that adapter as
> bad! (Probably ought to just toss it.)
>
> The air temperature was great and winds very light but the
> atmosphere was very dry, not conducive to any enhancement so
> I'll call it "flat".
>
> Even though I made 46 QSOs (2 MORE than in last week's 222
> Sprint), SIXTEEN were from doing the full set of Rover-Rover
> possible QSOs with WB8BZK/R leaving 30 QSOs with fixed
> stations...last week's 44 QSOs on 222 only included EIGHT
> Rover-Rover so more QSOs (36) were made with fixed stations on
> 222 than on 432.
>
> I think this was  "record" for the number of stations that found
> me from all 4 Grids I visited - K0PG, KC9BQA, KO9A, N9LB, N9UM
> and W9GA. Mike, WB8BZK/R and I made 16 QSOs as we traversed the
> Grids so it WAS a full grid dance between us and it again
> appears that we were the only stations on FROM EN51 and EN62.
> Double QSOs were completed with K2DRH and WB9WOZ and single QSOs
> were completed with K9IJ and N9QZD (probably my best DX from the
> EN61ax stop).
>
> Eight different Grid Squares were contacted (also lower than the
> 15 worked in the 144 Sprint and the 10 worked in the 222) -
> EN41, EN51, EN52,
> EN53, EN54, EN61, EN62 and EN63. It was either 6 or 7
> grids worked from the individual stops, though.
>
> Scoring Summary:
> Grid    Qs    Ms  Grid Score (with 2 Points per QSO on 432 MHz)
> EN62    11    6    132
> EN52    11    7    154
> EN51    11    7    154
> EN61    13    7    182
> Total   46    27   622
>
> Individual Grid Scores comparably balanced to the 222 MHz
> Sprint.
>
> Thanks to ALL who were on but especially to those who did the
> 'heavy lifting' with their antennas to hear my mostly
> non-directive (or minimally focussed, a.k.a. "weak") signal and
> to the Southeast VHF Society for their continued sponsorship of
> the Fall Sprints.
>
> Two weeks from this coming weekend for the Microwave Fall
> Sprint, 73, JK
>
>
> _