ARRL 2018 Grid Chase EL79 New Years Day Activation

The 2018 ARRL Grid Chase is a year-long activity focused on working grid squares. The goal is to work as many unique grid squares as possible. Contacts must be uploaded to Logbook Of The World by both parties to get credit. The scores are available on International Grid Chase web page. Scores are reset monthly, but totals for the year will be kept. It is not necessarily a portable event. However, you can generate some interest in your portable ops by activating grid squares with fewer hams. My home QTH in Panama City is EM70. Our neighboring grid square EL79 is mostly salt water. That makes it a good candidate. 

The van with the loop antenna behind it

Dennis WA6QKN and I decided to activate Grid Square EL79 on New Years Day. We chose to travel to St. George Island State Park about 70 miles from Panama City. The park is KFF-0635. The temperature was in the 30s with some wind. To pull this off, we operated Sonic style (ala the TV commercial) which was Dennis and me in the front seats of the van. We used the Icom 7100 with its own battery. The antenna was the 100 ft loop supported by three poles. EL79 is sought by satellite operators who routinely chase grids. So I brought my portable satellite gear. We had a special request from K6FW for a contact from California.

Dennis and escaped the cold in the van."Sonic" style

We planned to start with a SO-50 Sat Pass. Then we allocated two hours on HF followed by a SO-91 Sat Pass. So here is how it went.

• 4 contacts on SO-50
• 23 contacts on 40 meters
• 60 contacts on 20 meters
• 7 contacts on AO-91
• 94 contacts total 44 have been confirmed on LOTW
• According to the Grid Chase page, we had 30 unique gids.
• There have been 151 QSO for EL79  in Grid Chase

The satellite setup with a Kenwood TH-D72a HT and an Elk antenna.

It started slowly on both 40 and 20 meters. The spots eventually kicked in. On 20 meters it was a monster pileup. So I am calling it a success. The loop antenna has been a winner every time I have used it. Dennis WA6QKN was a great buddy and a big help with antenna setup and logging. So expect a return sometime this year. I also plan to do some activations of EM61 in Alabama. There are not many hams in that grid.

Here is a video covering my portable satellite gear.