QRP To The Field - 28 April 2001

For QRP To The Field 2001, the event "theme" was "2001 - A Space Odyssey" (see QRPTTF 2001 rules) I operated on my own from a location about 1900 feet elevation on SE side of North Pack Monadnock Mtn. at the base of a lone 100 ft pine tree in a large clearing - my "MONOLITH". I spent about an hour hiking the couple of miles from my house at the 1000 foot level up to the site here in Lyndeborough, NH. There were still a few patches of snow and ice in the shadows (2001 was a tough winter in NH). Once on site, I used the Sock-Rock-String method to throw a line over a branch on my monolith

and hauled up my Norcal Doublet to about 35 FT at the center. This was tuned with a Norcal BLT. Used a 15V 'D' cell pack from work for power (ouch, heavy!!). I probably carried too much, but the thermos of coffee was great in the cold, and the little folding beach chair fit right next to a big flat 1.5 ft high rock (hmm, altar?)

at the base of the "monolith" pine tree which made a fine operating table.

And results? The bands were not so hot! Nothing on 15 meters and lots of QSB. But, I had a GREAT time! Even though it was only about 50 degrees and blowing about 25 MPH up on mountain all afternoon! I would do it all again in a flash!