[FQP] WN4AFP FQP Adventure

[Dave Edmonds]

Thanks for putting on an excellent QP!

Is there a single band category? This was a single band 40m effort for me
from
South Carolina. I never heard a FL station on 20M! I really missed those
multiple band contacts. So I didn't have to worry about number of band
changes
etc. I just tuned 40m SSB and CW endlessly. I operated this contest using an
IC-751 barefoot with about 75 watts to a 40m dipole at 10 feet. I also used
a
mic and keyer and logged contacts with my laptop. Needless to say, I
operated
completely "unassisted". I didn't even have a FL counties map on
my
desk this year. What fun it was to actually tune for stations and be
surprised
when a mobile hits a new county. I was probably the only guy on the contest
that kept asking the mobiles about their next county.

I started this contest with QRP in mind, but that quickly ended after my
first
attempt. I quickly reset to Low Power and started swinging. There was
several
mobile stations that kept me by the rig. Thank you mobiles for hearing this
weak signal from SC. Contacts included K4OJ 31, AD4ES 26, K4FCG 9, K8MR 8
and
K4ZGB 3 and several with KN4Y and K4KG.. K8MR made me crank up the speed
because if you're not fast he will
speed right by ya. The contact of the day occurred at the end of the race. I
worked K4OJ at 2132z in Orange county. I send "NEXT?" and he
responded with SEM. I worked a few more stations but I kept an ear on K4OJ,
listening for his last county change. At 2155z, I decided to leave the rig
tuned to K4OJ. At 2159z he entered Seminole and I worked him within a few
seconds on the first call. Thanks to the K4OJ team for that memorable
moment.
Special thanks to all the mobiles who consistently ran on 40m with kudos to
AD4ES for being a 40m almost only mobile.

The FQP was a ton of fun regardless of the band conditions. See y'all next
year! 73s Dave WN4AFP

-- 
Dave Edmonds
PK Ministry Webs
864.288.6678
dave at pkministrywebs.com
www.pkministrywebs.com