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Equipment Setup
New and improved Bubba Box.
Setup inside tent 90 degrees off of previous setup if mattress will still fit.
MFJ 9020, feeding 20M dipole strung between two trees.
Ten Tec Argonaut, feeding 80M Dipole strung in trees.
IC2-AT feeding J-Pole.
Bubba Battery.
K1EL Keyer with Bencher paddle.
Start at 1600Z 2/7/98 operate until 0400Z 2/8/98.
Lighting - 12V.
Logging performed by Matt. (multi - op)
Two clip-boards, one for op, one for logger.
Computer Speakers with stereo-mono adaptor.
Lessons Learned from previous operations:
Low temp on MFJ 9020 causes rig to drift badly, and the TX/RX ofset to change drastically as evidenced by sidetone rising to about 1200hz.
Low temp on battery causes voltage to drop to approx 11.2v, and power output to drop to about 2w.
20M ok until about 2 hours past sunset, then must shift to a lower band or give up.
Need some method of "hanging" stuff in the tent. (done, will test this outing)
Remember to bring the string this time.
Power requirements (Estimated)
Inflate air mattress. .3 hr X 8.5 amp = 2.6AH
9020 for antenna tune. .5 hr X .77 amp = 0.4AH
9020 from 1600Z to 2300Z. 7 hr X .43 amp = 3AH
Argonaut for antenna tune. 1 hr X .57 amp = .6AH
Argonaut from 2300Z to 0400Z. 5 hr X .36 amp = 1.8AH
IC2-AT for 36 hours. 36 hr X .038 amp = 1.4AH
12V lighting 4 hrs friday night 4 X .315 amp = 1.3AH
12V lighting 6 hrs saturday night 6 X 1.35 amp = 8AH
Deflate air mattress. .3 hr X 8.5 amp = 2.6AH
Self-Discharge. = 2 days X 1AH/day = 2AH
Cell-phone 36 hrs X .18 amp = 6.5AH
Total = 30.2AH = 45% of total capacity.
Power requirements (Actual)
Inflate air mattress. 7min (2/6/98) = 1AH
12V Low I lighting from 1943L to 2300L (2/6/98) night = 1.1AH
9020 from 1015L to 1730L. (2/7/98) = 3.2AH
Argonaut from 1800L to 2135L (2/7/98) = 1.3AH
12V Low I lighting from 1825L to 2231L (2/7/98) = 1.3AH
12V High I lighting from 1830L to 2230L (2/7/98) = 5.6AH
9020 from 1837L to 1900L. (2/7/98) = 0.2AH
TV from 2137L to 2345L (2/7/98) = 1.3AH
TV from 0810L to 0904L (2/8/98) = 0.6AH
Deflate air mattress 4 min (2/8/98) = 0.6AH
Cell Phone from 2153L (2/6/98) to 0942L (2/8/98) = 6.5AH
Self-Discharge. = 2 days X 1AH/day = 2AH
Total = 24.7AH = 36.5% of total capacity.

Actual materials consumed:
3 large cans of Sterno
2 big cans of MRE (Never Again bring Spaghetti-O's with Meatballs)
4 pots of coffee
2.5 gal water
2 light sticks (could have done without these, ambient light due to overcast was high)
2.5lbs sunflower seeds (great idea!! but bad gas!!!)
4 rags (clean dishes 3 times + 1 coffee spill)
6 pkgs instant oatmeal (great idea,,, 6 pkgs/morning)
2 power bar's (found in Bubba Box, leftover from BUBBA97)
2 big trash bags (could have used 1, but 1st one tore)
1 plastic grocery bag (trash)
1 1gal ziplock bag (trash)
2 propane bottles (heat)
Lessons Learned:
RG-8A/U MUST be replaced with mini RG-8
J-Pole is too heavy and is not well matched, replace with ground plane
20M Dipole is too big & heavy - build smaller
Smaller Coax!!!!
Bubba Box needs wheels
Need a switch on the pole light
Use pre-packaged coffee filter thingy's, grounds don't work.
Bring Coffee Creamer
Reduce size of cables for High I 12V light - 12Ga is just too hard to work with
Smaller Coax!!!!
Need some method of power cable connectors through the top of the battery compartment on the Bubba Box.
Get more of those really expensive tent stakes.
Install a second hanging line in the tent, 90 degrees off the first one.
Bring some clothespins
Smaller Coax!!!!
Plan for either 2M or Cellular ops, not both. (note: local 2M is annoying)
Bring more than 2 antenna weights. Both stuck in trees, lucky I brought the golf balls!
80M is much easier with a smaller radio
80M is much easier when I have half an idea as to what freq i'm on
Smaller Coax!!!!
Propane heater worked GREAT!, but throttled down too early saturday night. Start it later, and run it at a higher setting.
Gotta get a real antenna tuner/SWR meter combo
Reducing the power on the 9020 was great! reduced power consumption, and didn't make a bit of difference!
Never take the Argonaut into the field again. too delicate.
80M antenna took only 20 min to tune to < 2.5/1. Good deal! but must improve center connection/mount method.
Must use something other than RG-8/U!
Set up Bubba Box in it's normal position. NOT under the window.
Need more operating time on 80M if I'm going to be effective there.
Some kind of chair in tent will help a LOT
Mummy bags worked good, but need to bring extra socks, one pair per day (P.U.!)
Use computer logging as long as plenty of power is available.
Why did I stop????? got frustrated with Argonaut, that's why.
QSO Rates:
1600-1700 20M = 8
1700-1800 20M = 5
1800-1900 20M = 6
1900-2000 20M = 8
2000-2100 20M = 5
2100-2200 20M = 2
2200-2300 20M = 4
2300-2400 20M = 3
0000-0100 80M = 2
0100-0200 80M = 5
Summary
Location: Winton Woods State Park, OH.
Rigs: MFJ 9020, TenTec Argonaut
Ant: 20M Dipole, 30ft up, 80M ZigZagpole 15ft up
Highest Pwr: 2W (80M)
Lowest Pwr: 0.8W (20M)
Highest Temp: 82F
Lowest Temp: 40F
Environment: Tent, on 8in packed snow, Bubba Box, PETAQ-Mobile
Total Time on site: 42hrs
Power Source: 12v 67.5ah Deep Cycle
Total AH used: 24.7 (37%)
Ops: Rick (WB6JBM) & Matt (logging)
Mults: AK AZ BC CA CO CT FL ID IL MA MI MO NC NH NJ NM OK PA TX UT VA WA
Soapbox: Tried for almost 10 minutes but couldn't get W3FAF to send PWR/TEMP! Gotta get on 40M!
(48-2)qso * (23-1)mult * 4field * 2power * 3temp = 24,288pts

The Night Before
We got there
The Tent
Operating
Matt

WB6JBM FYBO 1998 Multi Op Field RST/OH/RICK/PWR/TEMPF

#DateTimeZBandcallsignRX rst/spc/name/pwr/tempTX rst/pwr/temp
12/7/98160220MAF5Z569/TX/BOB/4W/44F559/0.8W/52F
22/7/98161320MWA2OCG/7569/WA/???/5W/65F559/0.8W/52F
32/7/98162120MN5JI449/TX/DICK/5W/70F559/0.8W/52F
42/7/98162420MWA6NAE559/CA/DWIGHT/0.9W/50F559/0.8W/52F
52/7/98163020MKA5DJI559/TX/ART/5W/70F559/0.8W/52F
62/7/98164620MWA1QVM579/MA/JOEL/4W/62F579/0.8W/62F
72/7/98165120MK0SU559/CO/RICK/5W/72F559/0.8W/63F
82/7/98165420MAC6KW559/CA/JEFF/5W/60F579/0.8W/63F
92/7/98170420MWB0CGH559/TX/BRAD/1W/58F579/0.8W/61F
102/7/98171320MN7XM579/CO/JOSH/4W/70F579/0.8W/66F
112/7/98172120MK1OJ559/TX/OJ/5W/70F559/0.8W/66F
122/7/98173220MKK6MC/5559/NM/JIM/5W/66F559/0.8W/69F
132/7/98175120MKD0C599/CO/JERRY/5W/75F579/0.8W/75F
142/7/98180920MKO7X559/UT/ALAN/5W/37F559/0.8W/75F
152/7/98181320MW1VT559/CT/ZACK/4W/70F559/0.8W/75F
162/7/98182220MAA1IK559/NH/ERNIE/5W/70F599/0.8W/77F
172/7/98182620MKX7L579/WA/CHARLIE/5W/54F599/0.8W/80F
182/7/98184520MKL7JAF449/AK/BRUCE/5W/70F559/0.8W/77F
192/7/98185820MAD6AY539/CA/DAVE/2W/52F559/0.8W/80F
202/7/98191620MW6OQX559/CA/PHIL/4W/48F559/0.8W/80F
212/7/98193020MW3CD439/CA/BOB/5W/66F549/0.8W/80F
222/7/98193520MWK8G559/NJ/IM/1W/70F449/0.8W/80F
232/7/98194420MW1WQM559/NH/PAUL/80W/65F559/0.8W/80F
242/7/98194820MKB0SZF549/CO/STEVE/5W/55F559/0.8W/82F
252/7/98195220MKA5T449/TX/LARRY/2W/70F549/0.8W/82F
262/7/98195520MKO6KA449/CA/ROB/3W/63F449/0.8W/80F
272/7/98195720MAB5UA579/OK/CLIF/2W/50F599/0.8W/80F
282/7/98200120MN5LU599/OK/BILL/2W/55F599/0.8W/80F
292/7/98201020MKE4ZUN599/FL/JOHN/100W/55F599/0.8W/80F
302/7/98204520MKI0II599/CO/RON/5W/42F599/0.8W/60F
312/7/98204820MN0QT559/CO/JAN/5W/43F599/0.8W/64F
322/7/98205320MNQ7RP559/AZ/FLOYD/5W/70F599/0.8W/66F
332/7/98211820MK5OI/7549/AZ/KENT/5W/56F339/0.8W/69F
342/7/98215720MAB7TK559/ID/RANDY/5W/68F599/0.8W/60F
352/7/98220320MN7XJ559/UT/BOB/5W/60F559/0.8W/60F
362/7/98220920MWB7AIV559/WA/BOB/90W/60F449/0.8W/60F
372/7/98221120MW7XNL569/ID/JACK/5W/60F579/0.8W/60F
382/7/98222420MN7VE559/AZ/DAN/1W/70F449/0.8W/70F
392/7/98234120MK1EQA559/CO/JAY/5W/68F539/0.8W/44F
402/7/98234520MKD6VIO559/CA/BOB/2W/20C559/0.8W/44F
412/7/98235320MVE7CQK559/BC/PAUL/5W/60F559/0.8W/44F
422/7/98001280MKQ2P459/NC/GARY/100W/75F599/2W/44F
432/7/98004380MK0LVW449/MO/LARRY/5W/64F559/2W/40F
442/7/98010180MK8ZAA579/MI/RANDY/5W/72F559/2W/40F
452/7/98010580MKB9IVA319/IL/KEVIN/5W/34F559/2W/41F
462/7/98011580MN4ROA559/VA/DAN/5W/72F579/2W/42F
472/7/98012280MW3FAF549/MN/JOHN/??/??559/2W/40F
482/7/98013380MK3WWP579/PA/JOHN/5W/70F599/2W/40F

If your call is listed, and you would like to have it link to you, please send me e-mail!
© 1998 ripowell@mpna.com