[MiQP-Mail] N8KR/AirMobile

[Ken Rogner]

Just finished entering the handwritten log into the computer. This was a real learning experience!  We departed Smith Field in my Cherokee 160 at 11:35 and hit the MI border at 12:00!! The Alinco dx-70 head was attached to the panel and the rig and tuner were in the back seat.  I set the power at 50 watts which fed the vee antenna (19 feet per leg).  I had a foot switch and added a heil mic to the airplane headset.  I also threw in a J-38.  Logging was done on paper on a clipboard on my lap. Jerry, flew the plane and navigated all of the waypoints. We started at 4500 feet, went to 5500 feet, and ended at 3000 after landing in Ionia for a pit stop. We arrived back in Fort Wayne at 5:00, covered 600 miles, 18 MI counties and burned 35 gallons of fuel.

No doubt, I had the most scenic route of all the mobiles!  Flying up the Lake Michigan shore was beautiful - or over the  vast forests in Osceola - seeing 35 plus miles in all directions! We flew over K8XXX at N8CC's, and worked K8OOK/M while passing directly over head (he said he saw, what he believed was a red tail hawk - actually, I think he saw me as the plane has a red tail).  The air was smooth until we turned east out of Lake County. We picked up a 30 knot wind and lots of turbulance. Finding smoother air was impossible so we rode it out, stopped at Ionia for a little rest, and continued at 3000 feet.

I made 92 total contacts: 75 ssb, and 17 cw. (sorry for the rough cw - a straight key with turbulance!) We were above Michigan for 4 hours.

20m    ssb: 74    cw: 17
40m    ssb    1

Counties worked: 14    States/Prov worked: 15    Countries: 1 


Summary
1. My antenna was too directive - mostly to the rear
2. I was told the band was very crowded, yet I didn't hear that many people
3. I had my best rate in the last half hour - perhaps I should have delayed departure.
4. I need to go back to some earlier experiments to be able to get on 40 meters.
5. All equipment, including extra GPS and power pack, worked well.
6. Look forward to OHQP

If anyone wants to see pics of the plane and operation, let me know.  I don't believe I can post them here because of size.

Ken - N8KR
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