The (K1T) Special Event Station count down to July 23, 2017

And that's all she wrote!!! K1T is now in the history books.... very lackluster band performance I gotta say - but I'm very happy with my 648 contacts in the log. Many of them became very nice long QSOs, sharing old Heathkit stories and even a few "Former Hams at Heath" along the way.

Worked 47 states (never got DE, RI or VT) and a measly 7 DX entities. Band conditions just stunk for this event, following the big solar storm the weekend it began - it just never really got better until this last Thursday, when I had over 100 contacts in just a few hours. That only happened once.

But I got LOTS of my QRZ friends in the log in both CW and SSB - that was really nice! I'm glad I was able to get some long-time friends logged for the event.

Also had lots of technical glitches along the way - still need to fix the AGC issue on the SB-101 and some other niggling things that crept in. Overall though, I consider it a success.

NOTE: QSL cards will go to the printer once I know about how many to print - only about 100 SASE requests so far, and only about 10 for the certificate. So I'll need to wait probably 2 weeks before ordering so please be patient until I get close to a final count.

Thanks to all who were able to participate!!

LoTW and QRZ uploads later tonight... gotta get outta the shack!!!

Dave
W7UUU (The ham formerly known as K1T)

 

Thanks Steve - sorry it didn't work out to get in the log - but JUST GOT HOME from a nice dinner out with Anne N7ANN

And thanks too for the several Skype calls getting lights and camera angles right for the Ham Nation show.

This was a really fun event, despite the lackluster propagation gods. I have no regrets.

Dave
W7UUU

 

My wife Anne N7ANN got the honor of being the very last contact of K1T on 2m FM

Dave
W7UUU

 

Well, at least in this case she "got the last word"

Dave
W7UUU

 

Final breakdown by mode:

SSB > 540
CW > 92
FM > 13
AM > 3 (two on a Twoer! Third on the DX-60b, with SB-301 receiver - didn't spend much time on AM needless to say)

I really wanted a lot more on CW, but the double whammy of losing AGC control on the SB-101, and losing LMO stability on the SB-401 really put a damper on my CW aspirations in this event.

Really fun to at least have had two really fun contacts on the Twoer!! That thing works REALLY well!

Dave
W7UUU

 

Sorry it didn't work out Roger But it was just rough sailing almost the entire event due to horrible "fast action QSB" - I've seldom seen such weird QSB, where single syllables would drop out. At times I'd hear just one letter "Juliet" at S9 and never make out the rest of the call! But the kicker was it ran that way almost every day, with the exception of this past Thursday and Friday, where I actually had some pileups and could copy everyone well.

But that's the way it goes. Thanks for trying anyway

73
Dave
W7UUU

 

Thanks so much Jim - it truly was a pleasure working your station including VOICE!!! I'm honored, actually. I know you very seldom get on SSB.

And there's the 63rd anniversary aspect - 63 years ago July 23 Howard E. Anthony died in a plane crash of a Dehaviland Dove - that's the date I chose for the start of the K1T event, in the same month that 70 years ago saw the first ad for a Heath Co. kit (By September that year first called a Heathkit). The new antenna, as noted in my log (below) was AMAZING!!! Really nice signal here despite the conditions.

Anyway, I'm very pleased to have you in the log yet again my friend.

VY 73,

Dave
W7UUU