[PVRCNC] K4TMC SS Phone SO LP

[k4tmc at aol.com]

K4TMC SS Phone SOLP

Call: K4TMC
Operator(s): K4TMC
Station: K4TMC

Class: SO LP
QTH: NC
Operating Time (hrs): 12 hr 9 min

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     0
   80:    46
   40:  146
   20:      0
   15:      0
   10:      0
------------
Total:  192 QSO’s,  Sections = 58,   Total Score = 22,272

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Rig: Elecraft K3/100 with Heil HC4 mic
Antennas: tree mounted wires (40M flat dipole at 40 ft, Par EF-40 
vertical, 80M end-fed half wave Inv.-L)
Software: N1MM

With the XYL recovering from hip replacement surgery, the family 
situation this weekend did not allow for extended periods in the shack. 
  So this was a 100% S&P effort just to make score.  Took Friday off 
from work to get the antennas, rig and software ready.

Thanks to encouragement from Guy, K2AV, in lieu of a too low dipole, I 
put up an 80M end-fed halfwave in a sloping Inv-L configuration, 80 ft 
vertical and 52 back down at 45 degrees in an oak tree.  This played 
well, allowing me to work every 80M station I called.  Also, thanks to 
Chet, N4FX, I added a raised reflector wire under the 40 ft high 40M 
dipole.  It was not pretty - 2 outdoor extension cords stretched 
between the trees with various vertical supports to reduce the sag, but 
really seemed to work well.  For comparison, I had a Par end-fed EF40 
which in the past was equal to the dipole in receive signal strength of 
most stations.  During the contest, there were only a few stations that 
were not louder on the dipole.

Here was an interesting Sunday morning exchange:
Run station: “QRZ contest”
Both W3TMC and K4TMC call (neither of us hearing each other)
Run station: “ending Charlie”
Both W3TMC and K4TMC call
Run station: “ending Mike Charlie”
Both W3TMC and K4TMC call
Run station: “station ending Tango Mike Charlie”
Both W3TMC and K4TMC call
Run station, frustrated: “the Kilo 4 station”
Then we all realized that there were 2 stations with the same suffix 
calling at the same time.

See ya next year!

73,
Henry - K4TMC