07/20/2003 | K9FWH What fun! Perched atop the "penthouse" at my workplace in Madison, WI, using a FT-817 and a Cushcraft MA5V vertical about 40 feet above the local topography, NX9R and I managed a great run of about 40 contacts using 2.5 watts. The FT-817's batteries died out about about 2.5 hr into the contest so we retired to the back porch at the home QTH where we did pretty well until the bands fell out about 0300Z. Spent the next morning visiting other sites around Madison (including the first station we worked the previous day). First FD since I've been back on the air after a 20-year break, didn't know what I was missing! We'll be getting better batteries for next year! -- K9FWH