So me be N4KGL Skeeter number 85 in the 2015 Skeeter Hunt. Easy, I will just head for the park in Lynn Haven Florida. Not quite, Mother Nature blessed us with a downpour almost a flood. It took the first hour to wait it out and get situated. I had chosen the KX3 and Alexloop as the gear of choice to deploy, operate, pack up, carry on my one kilometer walk and redeploy again. You won't understand the fun in this untill you try it. I also made use of a beach cart. I rolled it down the streets of the neighborhood to get my one kilometer done. This time I just returned to the same spot to operate.
So now the details. The first station I hear and work was Larry W2LJ the infamous Skeeter 13 in New Jersey. This was on 20 CW. The second station was buddy Craig NM4T in Alabama. He heard me but we did not complete the exchange. I finished out the first five with K9DAX NR 78, W3BBO NR 3, Wa0ITP NR 14 and KG3W NR 17. The first five only too 20 minutes. Now it was time to pack and walk.
Returning to the air after the walk I wanted to mix it up with some 20 meter SSB. I got two Maryland QSO Party Stations N3FJP amd WG3J. The latter was running 1500 watts Hi Hi! Back to 20 CW, I seemed to be out of sync but got WA8REI NR 26, N0SS NR 66, and AI4SV NR 63. At that point it was the last hour. So better get with it. I packed and repeated my walk.
Returning to the air it sounded like the Skeeter Hunt was over on 20 meters. That had me worried but kept going by heading to 15 meters SSB. I ran across a local testing his rig. Booming in of course, it was WA4AMT a few miles away. Down on 15 CW I got WA7NBG in Arizona working SKCC WES. Less than 10 minutes left. I admit it Bob KK4DIV had been sitting with me for a while he deployed in the park with his FT 817 and yes that was the last contact.
Well last year I was Skeeter portable in Dothan Alabama and only got a dozen contacts. This year if you are counting I got thirteen. Considering losing the first hour and about forty minutes on RaDAR walks it was not too bad for QRP on the Alexloop. I did work a few non skeeters and talked them into giving me their power. Of course, by the time this was over the sun was out and it finished as a beautiful day here in Florida.
If I lost you on RaDAR, it is Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio. Now if Larry W2LJ would go for a RaDAR category with 10X multiplier my chances in the Skeeter Hunt would be good.
 |
| The rain from Wendy's window. |
 |
| The beach cart I rolled my gear in. |
 |
| The Alexloop |
 |
| The KX3 |
 |
| Bob KK4DIV. He did me a favor and was my last contact. |
