CQP 2005 - what an adventure, and TNX to all for the QSOs. It appears you helped me to set a new SBEN (San Benito County) CQP Record with a claimed score of 192,808 points - 1,334 QSOs in 56 sections (missed RI & HI). 775 CW Qs & 559 Phone Qs.

The official NCCC CQP clothing helped my QSO total :-)
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A special TNX to Dr. Louis Rayas, WU6Y, and his wife, Colleen, for letting me letting me operate from his FB QTH. Although I hauled my own equipment down and operated from a small 5x8 trailer parked under a tree in the driveway, I could not qualify as an official "CQP County Expedition" since I used an existing tower as a support for a 1/2 40m sloper (end at 5ft AGL), a 160/80m Carolina Windom Inverted Vee (ends at 8ft AGL) and Louis' A4 tribander on a separate mast at 30ft AGL. Extension cords into the house provided the A/C.

I unfortunately had horrific QRN from some type of electrical device or possibly switching power supply most likely at the next door neighbor's house. This caused a major problem on 20m SSB and some other band/modes, and my apologies to those stations I simply could not copy. About 15% of my QSOs were a real struggle, because signals would fade down into the noise after I sent my exchange and took a lot of time. Tnx to all for your patience in asking for multiple repeats.

I had finalized my setup on Friday evening just in time for the NCCC CQP "Practice Session" at 0230 Zulu. After the post-practice NCCC 3830 Net, I decided to drive back home in my SUV and finish laundry and other chores. Unfortunately, I stayed up too late, and slept through two alarm clocks on Saturday morning. As a result, after also having to stop for ice for my ice chest, I did not get back down to SBEN and on-the-air until 16 minutes AFTER the CQP had started ;-( That was pretty major "Operator QLF".

Part way into the 2nd hour, I got stung by a bee! (AD6E: Did you have anything to do with this via remote control from Kure???)...I didn't have enough time to install netting over all door openings into the trailer. There were some other kind of MONSTER flying insects (wings about 1.5" long) that kept pestering me. The portable battery-operated bug zapper did help some, but this part of the SBEN QRV was NOT fun!

I had purchased a "Porta-Potti" and had PVC cut to make an enclosure framework, but Louis & Colleen talked me into using the "indoor plumbing" which was MUCHLY appreciated and enjoyed :-) They kindly offered me inside sleeping accommodations as well, but I opt'd for my sleeping bag on a folding cot inside the cramped trailer. This turned out to be major freaky with the doors closed, as I felt like I was in a "coffin", and with a moth inside continually making noise attacking the power strip light, it took a while to get to sleep. When the alarms went off after 3 hours, I was soooooo tempted to go back to sleep...and almost did several times before finally getting up and back on the air :-)

For 1/2 of the event I had no SSB voice-file operation, but after periodically unplugging and plugging back in cabling and connectors, finally got it working for a least some partial DVK type voice-saving on SSB. Although ALWAYS having to watch my head getting in and out of the 4.5ft high trailer, it was almost like climbing into an airplane cockpit and pretty cool once I was in front of the rig! I can't tell you how much a love my Kenwood TS-480S...it's one of HF radios "best kept secrets" for home and portable operation. Being able to tilt the control head for just the right angle and feel is extremely important, and the display...the display is awesome (especially at night :-)

Some CQP 2005 observations:

1. 10m was a dud. No, make that a "MAJOR DUD" ;-(
2. K6XX and other NCCC stations were working stations on 15m I simply could not hear.
3. Too many stations had their XIT or RIT controls wayyyyyy off frequency when calling ;-(
4. Why ANYONE uses "/QRP" in a contest or QSO party is simply way beyond my comprehension.
5. Hauling a bunch of equipment anywhere and setting up/tear down is a real major effort!!!
6. The CQP or any other contest/operating event is always more fun when K4BAI and N4PN show up :-)
7. All in all, in spite of some "Murphy" events, the planning/preparation, work and lack of sleep were worth it.

Tnx again to all for the QSOs, and CU in CQP 2006 !!!

73...

Rick, K6VVA * The Locust
NCCC Co-Founding Member

The official K6VVA Locust "CQP-Mobile" ready-to-roll
My CQP 2005 SBEN operating "Shack"
QRV in CQP 2005 (Note the Bug Zapper which helped)
I loved pushing the buttons on my X-Keys :-)
CQP 2005 SBEN "Dinner" (a la KJ6RA :-)
Of course I ate MUCH more than this!!!
The bottom end of my 1/2 wave 40m sloper !!!
My CQP 2005 SBEN "Sleeping Coffin" (Photo from INSIDE the sleeping bag :-)
K6VVA SBEN & WU6Y's broken 4el 40m yagi helplessly QRT on top of the big 70ft tower.