2013 Arizona ScQRPions Freeze Your B___ Off February 2, 2013 by Eric McFadden, WD8RIF Description Two members of the Southeast Ohio Radio Adventure Team operated the 2013 Freeze Your B___ Off, an operating event sponsored by the Arizona ScQRPions. Eric McFadden, WD8RIF, and Mike Hansgen, K8RAT, each operated the event from their home QTHs in Athens and Iberia, Ohio, respectively. FYBO at WD8RIF: Saturday's weather in Athens was perfect for FYBO--continuous light snow and a high temperature just around 30°F--and Eric had planned to operate FYBO outside the Athens Public Library as he had the previous two years. Unfortunately, Eric was recovering from pneumonia and wasn't able to participate in FYBO outdoors. Instead, he operated from his comfortably warm (67°-69°F) hamshack, using his Elecraft K2, 135' doublet, 4-BTV vertical, and Vibroplex bug. Eric found 20m to be most productive. Early in the day, no FYBO stations were heard on 40m and later in the day, only FOC stations were heard on the 40m QRP frequency. Eric didn't listen very long on 15m. Stations Worked by WD8RIF 20m CW: N4BP, WV0H, WA5BDU, K1USN, W5HNS, VA3RKM, NE5DL, KX9X/4, KB0PCI, WA8ZBT 80m CW: K8RAT The lowest temperature Eric copied from a station he worked was 15°F. However, he heard a station whom he didn't work report a temperature of 1°F. FYBO at K8RAT: Mike set up his station in an unheated breezeway attached to his house in Iberia, Ohio. Mike's station consisted of his battery-powered Elecraft K2, an MFJ antenna tuner, and 88' doublet. Mike keyed his K2 with his steak-knife cootie-key (photo). Mike worked seventeen stations on 15m, 20m, 40m, and 80m. He recorded a temperature of 29°F at the key, good for a score multiplier of x5. Mike worked NQ7RP on two bands, for 200 bonus points.

site built and maintained by wd8rif