Pictures

A view from the bottom of the trail leading to the Dow Lake Dam
A view about halfway up the trail leading to the Dow Lake Dam
A view near the top of the trail leading to the Dow Lake Dam
A view of Dow Lake from the Dow Lake Dam
Eric's K2 on the three-legged camping stool
Eric's K2 on the three-legged camping stool, with Vibrokeyer on his lap
Eric operating; photo by Miles McFadden
Eric operating, as viewed along the W3EDP antenna; photo by Miles McFadden
Eric operating; photo by Miles McFadden

Description

One member of the Southeast Ohio Radio Adventure Team participated in the 2013 North Georgia QRP Club Peanut Power Sprint operating event. Eric McFadden, WD8RIF, operated on the Dow Lake Dam in Strouds Run State Park as Peanut #105, in the "Salted" (QRP portable) class. Eric was accompanied by his wife Vickie, KC8MAJ, and his son Miles, KD8KNC. Miles helped Eric hang the antenna and photographed the operation.

Eric's chosen operating location, the Dow Lake Dam, required a short hike up a well-worn gravel path. The view of Dow Lake from atop the earthen dam was lovely, and several nearby trees were suitable for supporting antennas. Because several hiking trails converged very near the chosen operating location, Eric was careful in hanging the antenna so that it wouldn't be inadvertently pulled down by a passing hiker or mountain-bike rider.

Eric's station consisted of his Elecraft K2 and his K2 Travel Kit. Eric had brought both the 44' broad-side doublet and the W3EDP antennas and, given the location of the best tree, chose to deploy the W3EDP end-fed wire antenna. The line to support the W3EDP was thrown over a branch using a half-filled disposal water bottle found on-site. Since weight was of little concern during this junket, Eric had brought his Vibroplex Vibrokeyer paddle to key the transceiver. Power was provided by the K2's internal 2.2Ah gel-cell.

Eric had hoped to find a picnic table on or near the Dow Lake Dam but all the picnic tables were located near the parking lot, well below the top of the dam and very near the noise of the busy highway. Eric had brought along a three-legged camping stool to use as a table in case no picnic was available and pressed this stool into service as a table. This was Eric's first time operating the K2 without a genuine table. He found arrangement of K2 on the stool and Vibrokeyer on a clipboard to work well enough for this event although he had to be careful to not allow the W3EDP antenna to pull the stool over.

As can be seen in the log, below, Eric was about a half-hour late getting to the key. His first QSO was with Bob Patton, N4BP, in Florida who, as usual, produced a booming signal for most of the period of the event. Thereafter, stations were worked at a pretty good pace on 20m and 40m but no signals were heard on 15m the few times that band was checked. In all, Eric made twenty QSOs, of which six were the result of his calling CQ.

WD8RIF Log
Time (Z)	Freq	Callsign	RST (S)	RST (R)	SPC	Peanut Number / Pwr
2028	14060	N4BP	599	599	FL	143
2029	14062	AB9CA	599	559	AL	75
2039	7060	AD4SA	599	579	GA	13
2042	7061	K4BAI	599	579	GA	88
2047	7063	AA4GA	599	559	GA	99
2049	7062	KB9BVN	599	559	IN	193
2052	7061	WA8PGE	599	569	OH	145
2056	14061	N5GW	559	559	MS	93
2100	14062	W0UFO	599	579	MN	107
2111	7063	AA4GA	559	559	GA	99 (dupe)
2117	14062	N1AIA	559	579	ME	5w
2118	14062	N4KGL	599	599	FL	167
2122	14062	K4UPG	599	569	FL	96
2124	14062	K2WO	599	599	FL	106
2126	14062	W5WIL	559	579	OK	76
2135	7062	NO4GA	599	579	GA	1
2140	7063	AB9CA	559	339	AL	75
2148	14062	WB4MNK	559	559	FL	89
2155	7062	W4KLY	559	559	GA	3
2157	7061	WK4U	559	339	GA	73

Eric calculated his score to be 1290 points. (129 QSO points, 6 SPC on 20m, 4 SPC on 40m)

Eric greatly enjoyed the inaugural Peanut Power Sprint and is looking forward to participating again next year.

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