Flight of the Bumblebees is one of several QRP events that draw a big following. I decided to go to St Andrews State Park which is one of my favorite spots for portable ops. I chose the North Side of the park by Grand Lagoon. I have even a specific picnic table I like right on the water. This was a big outing for Suzy our seven month old basset. I was a little concerned with the heat.
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| Suzy |
First off my favorite picnic table was occupied. So I picked another further away from the water. The shade was good as it is under a good stand of trees. So I used the pine trees tho do an inverted L with the 60 foot wire that comes with the Chameleon Hybrid Micro. I got the vertical point about 25 feet high and the rest was sloping some what. I was 20 minutes behind the start. It turned out some adults threw a water bottle not at Suzy but in her direction. That got her a little skittish. So I heard a buddy Bobby AK4JA but Suzy decides she will feel safe on top of the picnic table right in front of me. I sent the worse code. It really took Suzy a while to get comfortable with the scene. I had a nice string of twenty on 20 meters. The 11th contact was KS4L randy who I met at the Huntsville Hamfest.
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| Elecraft KX3 |
The 21st contact was on 40 meters it was Jim K4AHO who I have met at the Orlando hamfest. He is in the QRP group there with Kelly K4UPG. My 25th contact was Larry W2LJ. It just would not have been a QRP event without Larry. Larry blog is
http://w2lj.blogspot.com/ Two contacts later was Craig NM4T booming in from Huntsville. Craig is know as the Huntsville QRP Guy. He sets up the Monte Sano event on the Saturday night of the Huntsville Hamfest. My 32nd contact was Sandy W5TVW who I met on the air on Saturday during the RaDAR Meetup.
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| Chameleon Hybrid Micro. I used two 25 foot radials on the ground. |
All together I had 39 contacts. 30 on 20 meters and 9 on 40 meters. I did not have much trouble being heard. So I think the Chameleon inverted L was a good choice as well as the Elecraft KX3. Suzy eventually discovered that under the table was just fine. She had a good time overall. So I was pleased and enjoyed the many familiar calls. It is pretty amazing what QRP to QRP can do. Now how about that Skeeter Hunt August 9th!
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| Picnic area under a stand of pine trees. |
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| The view toward Grand Lagoon with a pirate ship in the distance. |
