01/29/2009 | W4RXR I ran a small portable QRP operation this contest near home in EM65. For many of the same reasons we all face from time to time I could not get too far from town to my best ridgetop locations. This left me in a much compromised location: trees, higher elevations within a mile or less in all directions, and high man made noise levels on 50 and 144 MHz.

Got the tent up Saturday morning and the antennas up by high noon.I borrowed a propane heater to survive the cold. I know it's down south in Tennessee, but it's cold enough to impair my CW! I'm sure Minnesotans, New Englanders and all of you up there are amused by what I call cold(28 degrees)!

I activated 4 bands: 50, 144, 222, and 432. The antennas used were a homebrew Moxon on 50, a recently acquired old cushcraft long boom yagi on 144, a 5/8 vertical on 222, and a homebrew 14 element yagi on 432. I ran the full 10 watts on all bands. My operating time was sliced and diced by various interruptions by the spouse, the kids, and the unforeseen.

I certainly did not score well but I had a great time getting out and trying. The QRP category is always a challenge, especially from a poor location. Everyone please remember to look for the little stations hiding in the noise! -- W4RXR