144 MHz Spring Sprint - 2023
Call: NV4B/R
Operator(s): NV4B
Station: NV4B/R
Class: Rover LP
QTH: GA
Operating Time (hrs): 4
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 37 Mults = 24 Total Score = 888
Club:
Comments:
I expected activity to be down again this year, but was I ever wrong.
Conditions couldn't have been much worse with QSB making several QSOs difficult
or impossible, yet I still improved on last year's score thanks to a great
amount of activity all across the Southeast -- VA, NC, SC, GA, and AL in
particular were well represented.
I operated from Raccoon Mountain, EM75ha above Chattanooga to start. That site
closes at 8:30 Eastern, so I tore down there at 8:10 and drove to an overlook on
Lookout Mountain above Trenton, GA, EM74gv, where I operated until the end of
the contest.
I got off to a slow start with an SWR problem on my 10-element portable Yagi,
followed by a problem with WSJT-X decoding. After correcting these issues, I
was finally QRV, although I didn't start working an appreciable number of
stations until about 30 minutes in. I made 12 FT8 QSOs and 1 SSB QSO from EM75.
Unfortunately, I was not able to work anyone from my home grid of EM64 during
this stop despite several folks being on; the site is just not good to the
southwest. However, strategically and geographically, it is a good site for
working the Eastern Time Zone stations in the hour or so before the park
closes.
During the 30-minute drive from EM75ha to EM74gv, I only worked fellow rover
K4NO/R, further reflecting how poor conditions were. After getting setup at
EM74gv, I rattled off 12 QSOs -- 11 of which were FT8 -- in 20 minutes,
including a surprise Q with W9FF in EN40tf (459 mi). Best DX of the contest was
Rick, W5EME in EM32ai (522 miles). Rick and I normally seem to be able to work
on any band from anywhere, but the QSO last night was a real struggle. After a
lull in the first part of the 10:00 hour, some of the stations in the Carolinas
came back on, and I was able to tack on three more mults in the final 20
minutes.
The score does not include one QSO made from the Central Time Zone in the 11:00
Eastern hour.
It was great to work Sprint organizers KA2KQM on SSB and NT4RT on CW. I
appreciate not only their work to run the Sprints but also the effort they put
in operating to promote activity.
The biggest disappointment of the contest was not being heard by the stations on
from FM06 and FM16 from EM74, and also missing out on a Q with a friend in EM34,
all thanks to the poor conditions. However, the final result was anything but
disappointing!
Mode breakdown:
FT8 31
SSB 4
CW 1
FM 1
Rig: ICOM IC-9700 @ 100W
Antennas: Efactor dual-band horizontal loop (in motion), Diamond 144S10 10L
Yagi (stopped)
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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