Flying Pigs Blast off to Saturn

Our operators for this event included myself KM6NN, N5HOT-Terry, NV4T-Doc, KF4WK-Lewis, KT4FQ-Jim, and N3BQ-Jack.

We all met up at the local McDonald's and chowed down for the cold morning event. As we made our way to the operating area I checked the Weather Bug for any bad forecast.... other than cold and cloudy we were in the clear for a great outing.

After circling the vehicles to break the wind we went about setting up the antenna (OCF Off Center Fed Dipole, made by Terry) into the trees. We actually put one leg over a light pole in the parking lot of the college but don't tell anyone. The antenna went up real quick because of our many outings that gives us lots of practice putting up antennas. While Terry and I put up the antenna the gang got out the table and other items we needed for operating. By the time I go

    We looked long and hard to find a good spot and at several meetings regarding this operation we finally decided on this location. We set the wheels in motion over coffee and chow at our local hang out (McDonald's) and posted the plan on our local ham clubs Yahoo group web page. For those of you who missed this event I would like to tell you that you missed a great outing. Except for the cold it was one of our better contests.

t back from tying off my side of the antenna Doc was sitting in the operating seat and connecting the antenna on the K3. I can't say enough about the K3 so I will stop here.

First call we heard was OH2XX-Kari in Finland he was booming in and Doc jumped on him like a bird on a bug.... Bam and he was in the log. Next up I took the key and R

Greetings from the Flying Pigs of North Central Tennessee.... Yep we are out and about again and having more fun than is legal.... This outing is the CQ World Wide DX contest. We normally do this contest mobile on the way to the Hamfest in Evansville Indiana. But this year the hamfest was canceled.  Not letting that small factor get in our way,  we decided to operate from one of our favorite spots here in Clarksville. A  location known only to a very few dedicated ham radio operators...... A cul-de-sac behind what used to be the local Saturn dealer on Wilma Rudolph Blvd. Now the building is the proud home of the Nashville State Community College here in Clarksville.

T5G-The club station in Lipetsk Russia was in the log. A little movement on the dial and F6IRA/P-Gilles from France was in the log.....When you work this contest you hear a lot of strange calls..... M2G-John from England was a cool call and on the first try he was in the log. Another cool call M2X-Steven from West Yorkshire England was booming in down the band so naturally he made it to the log... We were having a ball and we didn't have to even change bands. All and all we made 23 contacts ranging from Canada, Sweden, Italy, Russia, France, Spain, Lithuania, Germany, Finland, Isle of Man British Islands, and two United States calls. During the event I noticed Doc was wrapped up like a bug in a rug.... It was then that I noticed my hands were numb..... When you are working CW often you loose track of what is going on around you. I started looking around and noticed that everyone was obviously cold... that was my hint to call it a day.... We were having lots of fun but enough is enough.... I might add that this year it seemed that a lot of stations were really moving.... sometimes up to 35 words a minute.. A few took several moments to get their call right. It would be no problem if they would send it the same time more than a couple of times...... That just makes me want to train myself to send good code at a moderate rate of 18 to 20 words per minute..... only time will tell..... Thanks for reading my tale of Flying Pigs blasting off to Saturn..... by the way QRP radio Rules..... oink oink

See you on the air 72 from John and the Flying Pig Gang....