QRP To The Field '99!
 

QRP TTF is a Norcal QRP Club sponsered event which encourages QRPers to trek out to the field and operate.  This year's theme was 'Run to the Borders' so operating from state borders gave a multiplier (based on the number of states your border has). The extra twist this year was to count a Taco Bell restaurant as a 'border.'

I went to the border of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia for a great 3x multiplier.  On the Maryland side of the border is Maryland Heights in the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park.  I was able to get some height (~300m) while having a great view of the Potomac river and Va & WVa.

Hiking up to the site took a bit more time (and effort!) than I had hoped. I finally made it to the site around 16:30 utc.  I pulled out my trusty sling-shot to get a line in the trees but then realized that I forgot to pack the low weight string!  I tried to tie the antenna wire to the fishing weight, but I was only able to shoot it about 20 feet.  So, I was reduced to tying a rock at the end of the antenna and hurling it into the trees.  I did pretty well and got an end about 40 ft up.  I then laid a counterpoise on the ground, hooked up the tuner fish, battery, headphones, and paddles to the Sierra and was ready to go in 30 minutes.  So, I missed the first hour of the contest.

I operated for about 4 hours and logged 25 contacts.  What fun!  20m had some major qsb/fading, 15m was weak, and 40m provided the bulk of the qso's.  I worked stations all over the US (heard EG1AN but no joy).  I packed up when I ran out of Fig Newtons and my butt had had enough of sitting on the portable stool.

The qso count is a bit low, but I had too much fun to let that bother me -- and I now have a number to surpass next year.  At least I worked the 4 corners (KK6MC) and one Taco Bell station (K8IQY).

I like the Maryland Height park so much that I may go back there for the Flight of the Bubblebees in July (I am bee #29).  I wonder what the other bug situation will be like in July in the woods...



The log:
KD3FG QRP to the Field!
April 24, 1999
Maryland Heights -- MD/VA/WV Border
Harpers Ferry National Historic Park (x4 Multi Field Location)
time call rec/sent state(s) freq
17:15 W4DEC 559/559 AL 14.059
17:32 N4DD 559/559 TN/NC/VA 7.043
17:36 AE4IC 229/559 NC 7.040
17:50 AA8PJ 439/559 OH 7.045
17:54 K1CL 449/559 MA/NH 7.041
18:15 K8IQY 519/539 MI/TB 7.038
18:23 WB0WQS 579/559 MO 14.060
18:28 W5ON 559/559 AR/MO 14.059
18:36 KC0M 449/579 MO 14.058
18:52 N5OE 559/559 MO 14.061
19:15 N7KE 559/559 WA 21.061
19:20 W7TAO 339/539 AZ 21.060
19:30 W3BTN 559/559 PA 7.041
19:40 KO4WX 559/559 GA/SC 7.040
19:45 KT4KS 559/559 VA 7.040
19:50 N1PWU 559/559 RI 7.043
19:55 KE4IZH 559/559 VA 7.043
19:57 K1EYY 569/559 CT 7.043
20:04 W8TIM 549/549 ME 7.043
20:09 AE2T 579/559 NY/VE2 7.043
20:35 W5ON 559/559 AR/MO 14.060
20:43 KD7AEE 599/599 UT 14.061
20:55 KK6MC 559/539 CO/NM/AZ/UT 14.060
21:07 K8CV 559/559 MI 7.044
21:11 N0UR 599/559 WI/MN/IA 7.043

Total: 195 (QSO Points) x 4 (Field) x 28 (Unique SPCs) x 3 (MD/VA/WV)
       == 65,520

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