06/29/2006 | K WE REALLY ENJOYED OUR PILE-UPS ON 40 meter SSB that made it a Great contest, great time!!

Every band we operated was open with good propagation. It was so good we did little "band hopping." We never made it to six meters, and that was one of our big plans. We operated way into "dark time" and discovered you get more done if you BBQ after mid-night.

We live in Missouri's east central Mississippi River Valley, where higher elevation is in short supply. For the second year now, we have operated from Lindenwood University's SkyWay Farm, at a confirmed 1000 feet above sea level. We greatly appreciate Lindenwood University's (St. Charles, Mo.) public interest and service, in providing us with a really great Field Day site.

Also on site was our local school club K0KID, Clarence Cannon Ham Radio Club. It was their first Field Day. Fifteen meters is where they made most of their nearly 200 contacts.

K0KID is one of the 2005 ARRL Big Project Grant recepients. The club has many projects scheduled for next school year.

TWO SUGGESTIONS --> 1) add a school club classification to Field Day; 2) add "boat anchor" as a category for bonus points -- say where you have to have a minimum of X number of contacts using an all tube rig (boat anchor) to earn X number of bonus points. (if not do-able, then allow AM to be a non-traditional mode for bonus)

Our first two photo enteries are the classic "after" photo. I am sure many can relate to the first one, where Ed, KC0LKG, is power napping, after long hours of site set up, BBQing, trouble shooting and following ten hour of operating.

QSL - that is 2BravoMissouri - good luck in next year's contest - 73 -- K