This was my first Sprint. After the way things went in January, I had decided that for a single-band contest, I wanted more antenna than the 4-element 2m yagi we've been using. So, I splurged and bought a Directive Systems DSFO144-12 kit from Down East Microwave . As with the other K1FO-style antennas I've put together in the past, this went together pretty easily. Steve came up to the house on Saturday afternoon before the contest to help me get it put together and checked out.
I also decided that since my satellite antennas are still down from the house remodel, there was no reason not to snag the Landwehr preamps from the tower section so that we'd have as much receive performance as we could get.
Since rover rules were not part of the contest announcement, we didn't actually rove, but decided to drive out to "our spot" in the southwest corner of DM89. We couldn't have asked for better weather conditions. We had plenty of sunlight to get setup, and it was clear and the stars were beautiful in the lulls between bursts of contacts. The wind picked up a bit towards the end of the contest, chilling us a bit, but it wasn't bad at all! Since we weren't sure what the wind was going to do, we took the top two sections off the portapole, and put the antenna up maybe 20 feet, with the preamp on the mast as far down as the coax jumper from the antenna would allow.
For the first time in N3EUA contest history, we were ready to go at the start of the contest! We even took time to call CQ for a signal check before the contest started... Can't let this get habit-forming...
The highlights this time were probably the signal reports from our friends in New Mexico, and over in central Colorado... they all reported that we were much much stronger than in previous contests, which was gratifying since I spent money on the antenna to achieve precisely that result. There were only a few stations we heard but didn't work, so I have to feel pretty good about our setup this time. An amplifier would have been nice when I was shouting away the last of my voice trying to raise K7TNT near the end of the sprint...
Here it is two days later, and I still don't have my voice back... we must have had fun!
I'm glad I took time to make up a cable to power the light in the SWR/Power meter. It was very reassuring to know what was going on. I'm sorry we mashed the top of the Porapole with over-zealous tightening of the U-bolts on the antenna, but we'll fix that. Otherwise, things just worked!
We had a lot of fun!
N3EUA CONTEST LOG FOR: ARRL VHF SPRINTS =============================================================================== Name of Contest: ARRL VHF Sprints Call Used: N3EUA Call of Operator: N3EUA OPERATING LOCATION Grid(s) Activated: DM89 Location Name: Eastern Colorado ARRL Section: Colorado Entry Type: Single Operator =============================================================================== Valid Claimed QSOs Pts/QSO QSO Pts Mult Score 144 MHz 30 1 30 14 420 =============================================================================== I have observed all competition rules as well as all regulations for Amateur Radio in my country. My report is correct and true to the best of my knowledge. I agree to be bound by the decisions of the Awards Committee. Bdale Garbee N3EUA 13.04.1999 4390 Darr Circle Black Forest, CO 80908 =============================================================================== N3EUA CONTEST LOG FOLLOWS: column 1: frequency (MHz) column 6: complete exchange sent column 2: mode column 7: complete exchange received column 3: date (dd/mm/yy, UTC) column 8: indication of new multiplier '*' column 4: time (UTC) column 9: points claimed column 5: call of station worked note: Incomplete & Dupe QSO's in the log are listed with - 0 - points. N3EUA CONTEST LOG FOR: ARRL VHF SPRINTS 144 SSB 13/04/99 0102 W6OAL DM89 DM79 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0105 K0GU DM89 DN70 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0115 K0RP DM89 DM88 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0116 N0KQY DM89 DM98 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0117 N0NKG DM89 DM78 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0119 N0POH DM89 DM79 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0120 W0KVA DM89 DM79 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0124 K5RHR DM89 DM65 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0125 N9KUW DM89 DM65 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0130 N0KE DM89 DM69 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0131 N0SWV DM89 DM79 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0131 N0VSB DM89 DM79 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0142 N0LL DM89 EM09 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0146 KF4GMH DM89 DM78 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0153 KA0ULN/R DM89 DM89 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0155 KK5YY DM89 DM66 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0213 W0LD DM89 DM78 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0214 N9KC/R DM89 DM79 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0230 KC5SFV DM89 DM65 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0257 W0ETT DM89 DM79 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0301 KA0ULN/R DM89 DN80 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0313 NA0US DM89 DN70 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0314 W0AVV DM89 DN70 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0322 KC0ADT DM89 DM79 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0333 WD0BQM DM89 DN81 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0340 KC0FGK DM89 DM67 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0404 K0CL DM89 DM69 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0416 AB0GD DM89 DN71 * 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0425 KA0ULN/R DM89 DN70 1 144 SSB 13/04/99 0456 KC0COU DM89 DN70 1