NAQCC June 2006 Challenge

Call    Nr - States - Category
K3WWP   31 - AL CA CO CT FL IA IL IN KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO NC NH NJ NY
             OH PA RI TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV - Home
W5YH    34 - AR CA CO CT GA ID FL IA IL IN KS KY LA MD MI MS MT NC NH NJ
             MN MO NV NY OH PA RI SD TN TX VA VT WA WI - Portable
KD2MX   35 - AL AR AZ CA CO CT FL GA IL IN KS KY MA MD ME MI MN MO MT NC
             ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK PA TN TX VA VT WI - Home
W1XH    24 - CA CT DE FL GA IL IN MA MD ME MI MO NC NH NJ NM NY OH PA RI
             TN VA VT WV - Home
WB9DLC  33 - AL CA CO CT DE FL GA IA IL IN KS KY MA MD MI MN MO NC NE NH
             NJ NY OH OK PA RI SD TN TX VA WI WV VT - Portable
KI4DEF  28 - AR CA CO CT FL GA IA IL IN KS MA ME MI MN MO MT NC ND NH NJ
             NV OK PA RI TX UT WA WI - Portable
N4UW    47 - All but AK DE HI - Portable
VA3RKM   7 - KY MA MN MT NC NJ WI - Portable
W2TI    17 - DE IN MA MD ME MI NC NH NJ NY OH PA RI SC VA VT WV -
             Portable

Portable Winner: N4UW
Home Winner: KD2MX

Soapbox:

K3WWP - I put in about 2 hours in the challenge. I decided to just go for states and I only made 31 QSO's to get my 31 states. I wanted to put in some more time and get at least 40 states, but circumstances didn't permit (see the diary on my web site - http://k3wwp.com/). I predict that someone will send in a report with all 50 states worked or if not that, then in the upper 40's. There was a lot of activity, but when I was on I was hearing almost no activity from W5 land, although I'm sure it was there and it was just propagation keeping me from hearing it. I'm just thinking as I write this, and I can think of at least 12 other states I heard, but didn't work.

KD2MX - I just took what came along and didn't chase states, although I did hunt (unsuccessfully) a bit for Alaska. Lots of activity and conditions were pretty good. Ended up with 152Q's. Especially enjoyed 15M. It is amazing what a contest can do for a "dead" band.

W5YH - I operated 1B-Battery for Field Day using an automotive battery and a Yeasu FT-897 @ 5 watts. The antena was a G5RV at 35 feet. This was my first NAQCC challenge but it wont be my last. I stayed on QRO ssb too long. The switch to QRP cw has been a ball.

W1XH - Rain Friday and Saturday prevented me from putting up the antenna I wanted to try. Ran 1/2 watt output to random wire antenna. Still got replies on first or second call. This is getting too easy. CA and NM on 15 meters were a pleasant surprise.

WB9DLC - Just ran my HW8 (max 2w) with a Radio Shack DSP audio filter and a Butternut Vertical. Mostly 40 and 20 with 15 q's on 15 (that was a nice surprise!) Could only operate part time (as usual) but had a great time. QRP and the Butternut never cease to amaze me. Thanks to all the QRO stations (as if they're ever going to read this hi hi) for digging me out of the QRM. 73 Mike

KI4DEF - This field day was a bit unusual for me. I joined two friends from the FISTS Club of North Carolina and we operated from the field at a site near Midway, Davidson County, NC (EM95vw). We operated all QRP, Class 2A-Battery, on four bands (80 40 20 and 15). They operated the main xcvr, a K2 at 4.8W feeding a full-size G5RV up about 60 feet strung between two oak trees. I operated my AT Sprint II at 2-4W (depending on the batteries I was using), feeding a 44-ft doublet up about 40 feet, also strung between two oak trees (at right angles to the G5RV). I operated my rig from 1800Z until dark. Afterwards, I took turns with them operating the K2 and logging off-and-on through the night (sleeping a few hours here and there). All told I had 60 contacts (a new record for me), and 28 states (plus three provinces, a station in the Virgin Islands and my first-ever station from Poland--SP4--with whom I had a nice chat). As a group we had an overall total of 320 contacts, with 47 states (only missed WAS by three states--AZ, DE and MS--yes, they got both AK and HI on 20m with the K2). Lots of fun was had by all, although I think we are all still recovering from the lack of sleep!

N4UW - After winning last year's FD Challenge, I knew I had to make an effort to defend my title, HI. Took the same approach as last year, and rented a secluded mountain-top cabin near Pigeon Forge, TN. The XYL and I combined a weekend retreat with FD, and had a great time. Was able to dodge the heavy rain and T-storms for the most part. Used the K2 along with gel cells and a laptop. Strung up an OCF 80-mtr invert-V in the trees at about 40', and also made use of a 20 ft aluminum flag pole mounted on the deck of the cabin as a vertical fed with twin lead along with 4 radials. Worked great, especially on the higher bands. Worked a total of 19 hours as 1B-Battery, and ended up with 473 Q's. Missed DE, HI, and AK- never did hear any stations from those states.
On a more somber note, I would like to dedicate this operation to the memory of our good friend Dan, N4ROA, who became a SK just a few days before FD. I'm sure that most of you would find Dan somewhere in your logs, as he was very active in contesting, Fox Hunts, and all things QRP-related. I always enjoyed our QSOs over the years, radio and otherwise. Dan will be sadly missed by all. 72, ole' buddy. 72/73, Luther

VA3RKM - Martin VA3SIE and I worked Field Day under the Ottawa Valley QRP Club call for an afternoon in a local park in great sunny weather. We used an FT 817 on 6m and a K2 on 20m. We tried out a 15W solar panel for the first time, after using taped wires to get the proper connection from the controller to the battery. Six-metre SSB was booming for our QRP and portable dipole, but we did not claim those non-CW QSO's for this challenge.

W2TI - FD is always fun, last few years tried QRPp, but this year went QRO at 2 watts on 40, but was at about 375 mw on 80 and 20, but no QSOs there.

PREMISE:
The 2005 FD Challenge was one of our most popular challenges so far according to the number of logs submitted. Thus we offer the challenge again this year with some slight modifications. You work as many different states as you can in field day, either from your home station or out in the field.

TIME FRAME:
Jun 24, 2006 1800Z through Jun 25, 2006 2100Z

RULES:
You must use QRP and the other station can be using any power. You can use any antenna you want.

If you are part of a multi-op FD, only the QSO's made by you personally count even if your call is used as the group's FD call.

AWARDS:
A certificate goes to the highest state total from a home station and to the highest state total from a station in the field. If you happen to work all 50 states, we'll send you an NAQCC WAS certificate free of the normal $3.00 charge. However for the free WAS certificate, you must have been using only simple wire antennas.

PARTICIPATION AWARD AND WEB LISTING:
Anyone submitting a report gets a Participation Point and a web listing, even if you work just 1 state.

LOGS:
For your report, just list the states worked alphabetically by 2-letter state abbreviations.

Please preface any soapbox comments with "SOAPBOX:" so we will know what you want posted and what is private.

Send your results to KB3LFC at:

E-mail:

You must type that address into your email program.

Subject must read: (your call) NAQCC (month) Challenge

For example: K3WWP NAQCC June Challenge

No attachments - keep the log in the body of the message.

Postal mail:
Tom Mitchell, KB3LFC
RD6 Box 122A
Kittanning, PA 16201

All entries must be postmarked or email dated before Jul 10, 2006.