11/20/2008 | AA4Q Sweepstakes occured the same weekend as my hunting trip, I kinda enjoy operating QRP on camping trips and thought this would be fun. In fact it was operating SS 2007 during last year's pre-hunt camping trip that renewed my interest in Ham Radio and QRP.

So I brought the IC-703 and batteries and during daylight, strung a 40m dipole 30' up a pine tree and the 20m wire ground plane from a Jackite pole bungeed to a bush with the radials starting about 6' above the ground. I was at 8360' in Northern Arizona, north of the grand canyon, DM36VP - 36deg 38.754' north, 112 deg 14.058' west. Surrounded by tall pines.

The Rig and paddle were set up on a food box inside the test and I pretty much had to kneel on the ground and operate by lantern light, log with a pencil, dupe by scanning down the log real quick. kinda like Field Day only less comfortable.

I was only able to operate about 6 or 7 hours total, mostly after dark. I was hoping to get 100 QSOs but only got to 99. QRP is tough with limited antennas and time.

I didn't think I'd be able to re-rig an antenna in the dark, that's why I put up 2 before dark, I should have strung an 80m dipole off the same coax as the 40m and I wonder if a dipole on 20 wouldn't have been better than a vertical in amongst tall pines (whose sap-filled trunks are also vertical). I had planned to put the 40m vertical wire up on the fiberglass pole but decided on the dipole for that reason.

if you're curious as to how I did in the other "test" that week see: http://bill.poole.com/deer08.jpg

73, AA4Q -- AA4Q