2M SPRING SPRINT 2016
N2SLN FN22
ANTENNA SYSTEM
pair of Directive Systems and Engineering 6-el Rover Special yagis
RADIO EQUIPMENT
Icom IC-7000 at 2 percent power (about 1 watt)
TE Systems 1452G amplifier at maybe 100 watts plus receive preamp
DESCRIPTION
The new VHF contesting van is nearing completion. Even though I could not launch a full effort for this sprint, it was a good
test of some of the changes: Early on sprint day there was still no transceiver installed on the passenger side
(the 144 / 432 MHz station) and no power cables had been run to anything. I tried tightening battery terminals on the posts
of the auxiliary battery, but either the terminals were too large, or the posts were too narrow, because I couldn't get the
terminals to grip the posts. So I was going to have to use just the starter battery / alternator for power with no second
battery in parallel, and that means not driving the 300w amplifier to full working range without first testing it all in the
driveway at home. By 5 PM I had the transceiver remote-mounted and power run to it and the amplifier, but not enough time to
put a meter on anything, so I would have to take a risk and run the new equipment untested on the first try. I tried using a
headset / footswitch system, but the headset was sent with the wrong adaptor, so I used the headset for received audio, and
the stock microphone for transmitting. The passenger-side transceiver is mounted so far from the remote head that the CW key
doesn't reach the cockpit anymore, so I had to forego the CW contacts. I didn't have enough time left to run power to the
external preamp, so I would have to use the amp's built-in preamp. At 6 PM I was still looking for a combination of feedlines
to get a bandpass filter inline, but that wasn't going to happen either. With no external preamp or bandpass filter inline,
it was now a longer distance for the transceiver's feedline to reach the amplifier. I was just lucky enough to find two
jumper feedlines and a barrel connector to make it happen. I had no PTT line with the modular plug needed for these new style
amplifiers, so I was forced to take another risk and use RF-sensing. I got to my FN22 hilltop and was set up by 7:10 with
two 6-el yagis at 2000 feet above sea level. At this point I was glad just to be on the air at all, but the amazing thing is
that everything worked! Many signals were strong and the activity level was good. Despite not knowing exactly how much power
I was running, I did at least manage to work North Carolina station NG4C FM16 at 427 miles / 687 km as my best DX (2nd year
in a row).
POINTS SUMMARY
BAND QSOs UNIQUE
GRIDS
---------------------
144 20 13
--- Claimed score = 260 ---
LOG
UTC CALLSIGN GRID
----------------------
2325 W9KXI FN12
2327 KE2DN FN12
2334 WB2JAY FN10
0009 KA3FQS FN20
0018 WA1MTI FN41
0023 WA2FGK FN21
0025 WA3NUF FN20
0032 N2DCH FN22
0116 K1TEO FN31
0042 KA2LIM FN12
0054 NG4C FM16
0057 WA2CP FN20
0113 N2FKF FN30
0122 WZ1V FN31
0143 KA1ZE/3 FN01
0152 VE3ZV EN92
0157 N2YB FN12
0204 W3IP FM19
0206 WA2ONK FN20
0224 W2SJ FM29