01/30/2003 | N0JK I agree with W9GKA 3830 post that "QRP Portable is a challenging experience in winter!"
Just getting a portable station set up and runnning in January out in the heartland is a challenge.
It is amazing how cold it gets out on the prairie when the sun goes down. :-)

Here in Kansas had a cold windy Saturday, freezing fog in the evening and a
mild sunny Sunday with 50 deg. Saturday evening had some winter tropo
to the south. I worked W5LUA, WA5TKU and WW2R/5 all EM13 in the Dallas/Fort
Worth metroplex on 2 Meters. They are about 400 miles away from my QTH in the
Flint Hills. I ran 10 watts and a 4 element yagi on 2 Meters. Heard WEA DM79
for over an hour on 144.205 but no QSO.

I duct taped a 432 quagi to the antenna mast. The duct tape wouldn't stick well
because of the cold, but the antenna stayed up long enough to work 4 grids with
it. Mostly local stuff - EM16, 17, 18 and 27. Sunday evening WT EM49 answered
my CQ for another "DX" QSO on 2M.

The 6 Meter Es opening Sunday afternoon between the east coast and midwest
in the VHF Sweepstakes was exciting, but I missed most of it.

I went out to lunch with my wife ~ 2:30 pm(2030 utc) Sunday afternoon - (usually
a slow time for the Jan.contest) and got back home around 4 pm. I loaded the
radios back in the car and drove back out to the "Cattle Pens" where I was
operating single op port. It takes about an hour to make the drive. I listened
to 6 on the way, but only some very weak stations heard.

Arrived at the 'Pens around 2300 utc and while getting the 2 el 6M yagi up I
heard NG4C and KN4SM on the mobile whip. No luck getting them to answer. Once
the yagi was up they disappeared, but I heard N3DB FM18 with a good signal on
50.180. I worked N3DB at 2325 utc. Thanks Dave for the contact! This turned out
to be my only 6M Es QSO for the contest. While I was working Dave; Steve,
K0UO/rover pulled up. He could not hear N3DB at all on his whip antenna. The 2
element yagi made the difference.

Heard N3DB and another station in FM18 until about 2335 utc, then the band
folded. Kansas appeared to be on the western edge of the contest Es opening.
NL EM09 reported 25 Es QSOs, WT EM27 Parsons, KS made about a dozen.
Both Larry and Rick said the Es were mostly weak. Stations further east (KZ
EM37 MO), northeast (KA EN10 NE) and southeast in Oklahoma and Arkansas had
louder signals and more contacts with the east coast. After analyzing this opening, I don't believe
I missed too many contacts... but another 10 or 20 QSOs and new grids would have sure
helped my score.

I was pleased to make one 6 Meter Es QSO in the contest. Catching an Es opening
in the January VHF SS is a rare treat, more so for a QRP Portable station. -- N0JK