[PVRCNC] CQWW SSB K4TMC SOSB10 Classic LP

[Henry Pollock - K4TMC]

Call: K4TMC

Operator(s): K4TMC

Station: K4TMC



Class: SOSB10 LP

Class Overlay: Classic

QTH: NC

Operating Time (hrs): 17.11



Summary:

 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries

------------------------------

  160:    0     0        0

   80:    0     0        0

   40:    0     0        0

   20:    0     0        0

   15:    0     0        0

   10:  358    30      102

------------------------------

Total:  358    30      102  Total Score = 137,280



Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club


Portable operation from Bogue Banks, Atlantic Beach, NC (FM14PQ, IOTA
NA112, USI NC010S).
Rig: Elecraft K3+ with Heil HC4 mic
Antennas: 6-element Rope yagi oriented to Europe, and 4-element yagi
oriented to
S. America



Wow, that was fun! A successful portable operation from the Atlantic Beach,
NC site. With all the recent good news about good openings on 10M, I
decided to just do a single band effort there. Arrived too late Thursday to
get any antenna work started. Spent almost all day Friday getting antennas
assembled and erected. Sadly, I ran out of time to get anything up for the
West. I did manage a lunch break to enjoy some fine beef brisket from one
of my favorite smokehouse restaurants. With steady winds between 10 – 15
mph and higher gusts, I managed to get a new version (lower wind load) of
my 6-element Rope Gun yagi up around 25 ft. oriented to Europe.  I was
happy with this since there is a 15 ft slope down 150 ft to a mile wide
saltwater marsh and the intercoastal waterway. It stayed up and suffered no
wild gyrations in the wind. For S. America, I got a 4-element low wind load
yagi up to 25 ft on an aluminum telescopic mast anchored by a 30 ft boat
trailer. The open ocean is South at 1000 ft away over some rolling sandy
lots and 3 rows of beach homes. Although Friday afternoon band conditions
showed promise; Friday evening was really lean with only a few SA stations
being heard above the band noise, only managed 1 QSO at 0041.  I was up
early Saturday morning (1100) and the band was not open.  So drove down the
island to my local coffee shop, filled the mug with some dark roast and
headed back to the beach house.  Made first contact at 1128 as the band
opened to Europe.  Started S&Ping up and down the band with a rate of
several stations per minute.  Around 1400 I heard a number of familiar East
Coast stations, and finally remembered, I should be running. I found a spot
above 28.600 and tried running.  It was slower than my S&P rate. So, I went
back to unassisted S&P.  That allowed me to take frequent 5-minute breaks
from BIC and not have to worry about losing a run frequency.



As for DX, with the fixed NE oriented yagi I managed to work Reunion Island
(my first ever Zone 39), Zone 37 and a number of Zone 21 countries.  And
with the fixed SA yagi, I worked VK, ZL and 2 KH6 off the side of the
antenna.  I could only barely hear the JA’s who were working the SA
stations, not strong enough to make out their calls…regretted not having
that West-oriented antenna. The only pile-ups I could not bust through were
HP1, 4L and 9K. Based on what others are reporting, it looks like I spent
too much time looking for Zones and Countries, instead of making basic QSOs
by running. Finally shut down at 1700 Sunday while the band was still open;
having to disassemble and store the antennas before the 3-hour drive back
home.



Hoping that conditions will be as good or better for the December ARRL 10M
Contest.


73,

Henry - K4TMC