|
Fred (KT5X) & Steve (WD9FJL)
(contest call W5YA) take FIRST
PLACE in ARRL Field Day!
Fred Maas and his partner, Steve Keithley, operating
as W5YA, nailed a first
place this year in the 2003 ARRL Field
Day Event in the QRP - CW category (1B2B) with 753 QSOs,
195 QSOs more than the nearest contender.
Fred says: "Conditions were much worse this year
than last, and poor conditions have a
big impact on QRP operations. Our antennas seemed more
effective, however, and we equaled our score from 2002
when we placed second nationally. We knew we had done
well, but place is another matter.
Antennas:
80 meter full wave loop
40 meter Moxon array aimed east
40 meter wire array aimed west
20 meter Moxon array aimed east
20 meter wire array aimed west
15 meter Moxon array aimed east
G5RV omni-directional
10 meters, G5RV omni-directional
Station:
Elecraft K2, back-up K2, electronic keyer, full computer
control and automatic logging, memory keyer, automatic
antenna tuners, computer memory tuner configurations.
B category requires that all set up, all housekeeping
(cooking), and all operations be performed by just two
individuals. The WD9FJL/KT5X partnership setting up
on the ranch of Mel W5INB and Paula KD5DKH began in
2000 with a third place finish. We were first in 2001,
and second in 2002.
We are VERY indebted to Mel and Paula for their incredible
hospitality and letting us set up on a ridge on their
ranch."
|
Fred, King of the Jungle
Steve
making log entries
Fred
racking up QSOs
Left
– WD9FJL, aka Stumpy
Right – KT5X, aka Indy or Gran Poobah
|
