[PVRCNC] K4TMC SS SSB 2021 - SO LP Portable

[Henry Pollock - K4TMC]

CallSign Used : K4TMC
      Operator(s) : K4TMC

Operator Category : SINGLE-OP
Assisted Category : NON-ASSISTED
             Band : ALL
            Power : LOW
             Mode : SSB
 Default Exchange : A 76 NC
       Gridsquare : FM14PQ
Time: 9 hrs
     ARRL Section : NC
        Club/Team : Potomac Valley Radio Club
         Software : N1MM Logger+

        Band     QSOs   Sec
         3.5      72         7
           7     140         53
          14      10         3
       Total     222        63      Score : 27,972

Rig : Elecraft K3+ with Heil HC4 mic element
Antennas : 40M PAR EF-QUAD vertical on 62 ft carbon fiber pole with base 8
ft above ground; 80M PAR EF80 inverted L (40 ft vertical, 80 ft horizontal
at 30 ft)

Soapbox :
Another successful, but abbreviated, portable operation from Atlantic
Beach, NC (FM14PQ, IOTA NA-112, US Islands NC010S).  I did a few short runs
on 40 but mostly did S&P due to a dry throat from fall allergies. I was
happy with the quantity of QSOs and Sections based on my limited operating
time.  Worked a number of PVRC members.  So, even though I was outside the
PVRC circle and my score will not count, I at least provided an additional
contact for some members.
A last-minute weather-related decision had me again not getting the 3BMOX
tribander erected.  Got up Friday morning and discovered that the winds
were running 15 to 25 mph.  So went with the verticals again for 80 - 10.
Spent most of Friday getting the telescopic carbon fiber pole safely
erected to 62 ft above the upper deck floor in steady winds.  It took a lot
of back and forth up and down stairs adjusting two levels of guy lines to
get the feedpoint around 5 ft off the ground.  I still had another 5 ft
section of the pole to go, but the setup seemed too unstable to raise it
higher.  Next time I'll need 3 levels of guying.  After that ordeal, it was
on to the 80M EFHW and erecting 3 telescopic fiberglass poles.  So by
sundown the two antennas were up and SWR was good on all 5 bands. The winds
continued all night. Since I did not guy the tripod-mounted 30 ft pole that
held the end of the 80M wire, it fell over sometime in the middle of the
night causing the middle pole to telescope back down.  Luckily nothing
broke and no property damage occurred.  Hung a 30lb concrete block to the
center of the tripod - problem solved.
Now have to start planning for the 10M Contest in a few weeks.  I have a
few low profile yagis to try then.

73,
Henry - K4TMC