Sorry I can't make it tonight.
Here are a few random thoughts that have been rattling around in my
head:
Had a great time, none of these are complaints, just some possible
tweaks for next year to make it even better...
Big white tent worked great! Just have to remember to bring enough
opaque tarps to cover the top. 3 or 4 strings of red christmas
lights would do a great job of lighting up the inside, and would be a
lot less of a load on the generator.
Need to have a good antenna up for 80 meters before dark :)
Hopefully Roger and I will have the phased verticals worked out by
then. If not, maybe a full wave wire loop? We have lots of room for
one.
If we are going to run 6A again, we need a contingency plan if 10 is
dead like it was this year. Maybe having that station set up so that
it could run data on 20 or 40 during the day? If we use the Gap
verticals, we should be able to set it up so that only one of them is
connected, and then could be used on all bands. Or, that full wave
loop on 80 should tune up on 20 and 40... Just a thought, as that
staion was basically useless for several hours.
We need to figure out how to use the voice keyer feature of WriteLog
if we are going to call CQ. I'm willing to work on this one if
someone can help me get setup with a copy of the program to mess
with. An added plus to this would be that all the stations would be
sound card interfaced to the PC's, so switching to data would be
pretty easy (see comment above).
As several others have mentioned, more robust power would be a good
thing. I would suggest getting 250' of #10 romex from HD, and making
a couple long runs with an outlet box on the end. Total cost of
about $30, and would help the voltage drop considerably. Also, the
UPS's don't seem to like being run on a generator very much. I have
a power line conditioner that I can bring to help make the power a
little cleaner. Each tent should have a line voltage monitor of some
type.
Suggest we find a ham with a crane...
Need to put an N4N sign out by the mailbox for people like me who
can't quite find the place.
Wish 6 would have oppened. Last couple of days have heard or worked
about half the US, and worked Grand Cayman Island today at lunch.
Maybe next year...
Hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th. I'll try and pull all of the
bonus point materials that I have together sometime tonight before I
leave town.
73 de KF4JVD
