[PVRCNC] W4QG SS Multi-Op (NFL)

[Chris Plumblee]

Hi Guys,

The short story - 507x80 - 81,120

The long story -

I secured an invitation for a Multi-op for SS phone from W4QG here in
Orlando. Paul has a 3-element SteppIR at 80' for the high bands, a
sloper for 40m, and a 75/80m dipole. The backup antenna on 40/75m was
a ground-mounted Butternut vertical with 24 radials.

The rig was an FT-1000MP MkV at 200w most of the contest. Paul's new
amplifier, a Henry 3k Classic, blew the keying relay in his MP about a
week ago, so I did most of the contest low power. On Sunday, in honor
of K3ZO's CQWWSSB operation, Paul and I rigged up a footswitch to key
his main amp, an Alpha 87a. Pileups became much more manageable with
1500w. Of course, once I worked the KL7 I was after on 20m, I worked
two Alaskans on 15m, but I consider those insurance contacts.

Probably the most interesting contact during the contest was my last.
Paul had to leave at 5:00, so the station was closing. At 4:45, I
still hadn't worked VY1. I saw a spot for VY1MB on 15m, so QSY'd and
spend about 5-10 minutes calling in a pretty unruly pileup. VY1MB
stopped everybody, and started calling by section because, in his
words, he was "pretty pissed off." He called for any VEs with no
answers. He called for PR and VI with no answers. He called for SB
with no answers. Then he called for NFL. There were two of us in the
pileup, but I managed to get his attention first. I logged him right
at 5:00.

Of course, this still doesn't equal my best SS effort (from W2DZO
multi-op in 2001 as KG4PQX). I think Henry and I ended up with
>100,000 points that year, along with a clean sweep and the Section
M/O title. Had Paul and I gone with the amplifier all weekend, and had
we been able to get the voicekeyer working in N1MM Logger, I think we
would have done a bit better. I did help out the PVRC effort by making
a conscious effort to work every PVRC station I heard. I worked almost
everybody in MDC and northern VA, but had a harder time with NC. I
worked W2DZO on 40m, but couldn't get KG4NEP to turn his beam south on
20m on Sunday. I saw K4QPL and NY4A spotted on Saturday and Sunday,
but mostly on 15m where I had no chance to work him. I called NX9T a
couple of times on 15m as well, but no dice.

I'll see you all in the 10m contest in a few weeks.

My hat's off to PVRC in their effort to wrest the gavel from NCCC.
Best of luck, and 73,

Chris
AI4MK
Orlando, FL
--
Chris Plumblee
Voice-407.898.2534
Cellular-919.426.6770