Laitf 2004 Results and Soapbox

(Thanks to Randy, K7TQ)

Contest Manager's Comments

Look Around In The Field (LAITF) was held May 22.  This operating event added the dimension of having to do more than simply operate your radio.  We gave points for seeing then sending the name of wildlife you observed.  You could also get points for each different wildlife that you copied from other participants.  Finally we included the first letter of the name of the other operators you contacted.  To score high you had to do more than just operate the radio.

There were categories for both home-based and field-going operators.  Each of these were divided into single op and multi-op classes.  No one reported having operated from home.  N5IB, KD5UDB, and WA5TCZ operated Field-MultiOp from Louisiana State University using the call K5LSU.  Everyone else who reported was single op from the field.

Just out of interest, I divided the animals seen into amphibians, birds, insects, mammals, and reptiles.  Birds lead the way with 38%, followed by insects and mammals with 25%.  The most noteworthy in the insects was a cicada who must have known we were looking for wildlife!  Armadillo and black bear caught my eye from the mammals list.  A gecko made the reptile list.  He must have been seen at home since I think they are not native to the US!

As in any contest those who make the most contacts finish close to the top.  The multi-op team of N5IB, KD5UDB, and WA5TCZ made 27 QSOs and claimed top score honors with 28,728 points.  The best showing by a single op was WA8REI/P who made 14 QSOs and scored 5,400 points.

LAITF Results

                                               1st

Rank    Callsign        State   Category QSOs   letters SPC     WNSent  WNRcvd  Score

1       K5LSU           LA      F-M     27      15      19      14      22      28728

1       WA8REI/P        MI      F-S     14      11      8       13      14      5400

2       AD6GI           CA      F-S     13      7       7       2       12      1960

3       AA7EQ           AZ      F-S     10      8       7       5       9       1764

4       K7TQ            KY      F-S     7       6       6       7       7       1092

5       W2AGN           NJ      F-S     6       4       5       6       6       600

6       N6IZ            NV      F-S     5       5       5       1       5       300

7       N0EVH           MO      F-S     2       2       2       1       2       24

8       AK1P            CA      F-S     2       2       2       1       2       24

9       K2EKM           VA      F-S     1       1       1       1       1       4

1st letters = Ops name copied

WNSent = Wildlife name sent

WNRcvd = Wildlife name received

Animals reported seen:

frog, wren, barn swallow, sparrow, sea gull, robin, road runner, mallard duck, pheasant,

canada goose, red winged blackbird, cattle egret, dove, raven, turkey, quail, osprey

grackle, meadow lark, bumble bee, ant, cicada, butterfly, wasp, lady bug, dragon fly,

daddy long legsgnat, mosquito, red ant, tick, armadillo, rabbit, deer, dog, cat, bulldog

bull, black bear, cow, bat, horse, xyl, snake, lizard, gecko, turtle.

Types of animals operators saw:

Amphibians       2%

Birds           38%

Insects         26%

Mammals         26%

Reptiles         8%

LAITF Soapbox

N6IZ - Operated from Boundary Peak, NV @ 11000 ft.  Too windy on top to put up antenna.  Moved below ridge and used bristlecone pines as cover.  Very quiet perch, but not too many on the air.  40 m seemed void of contesters, 20 was the only active band.  Stunning views of desert and Sierra's in spring. K2/2lb vert-all band.  Only saw a lizard and lichen.

AD6GI -Wow!  Fun contest; however, should have read the rules earlier and in more detail. Dah!

K5LSU - K2 & K1 with 44' doublet and BuddiPole.  Ops were Jim (N5IB), Chris (KD5UDB), and Darron (WA5TCZ).  Operations from the grounds of the BREC/LSU/BRAS Highland Road Park Observatory.

K2EKM - Listened for activity several times.  Heard only 2 and worked 1.  Bands seemed poor.

W8REI/P - QTH: Whiting Overlook, Midland, MI about 80 ft. above tabletop-flat terrain...manmade hill made from excavation of power plant cooling ponds; op'd out of my Winnebago Rialta motor home.  RIG: FT-817, 5 watts, ANTS: 20 m. inv. vee 30/15 ft;  Hustler 4BTV Vertical gnd mtd on MFJ-1904 plate in wet soil no radials.  Bad QRN from t-storms; 15 m. dead; one 40 m. QSO; all others on 20m.  Still, fun!  I liked the exchange!  Wx: 55-70 F./scattered T-storms/overcast/SE wind 8 mph.  Picked a tick out of my hair (side of balding head) for one animal sent.  Hi Hi..  Saw 11 BIG wild turkeys!

AA7EQ - Equipment was a K1, PAC 12 short vertical, Palm paddle, 4ah gel cell with a 5w solar panel.  The PAC 12 worked well getting contacts on both coasts.  I operated from Rucker Canyon campground, in the Chiricauhua Mountains of SE Arizona.  The solar panel kept the battery fully charged through a 4 hour period.

W2AGN - VERY LOW participation in this contest. Propagation not to blame as

Doc, K0EVZ was solid the whole time.  6 QSOs in LAITF vs 60 in QRPTTF!

Did give me a chance to compare AT Sprint, AT Sprint II and KX1 side by side.

N0EVH - Operated mobile from graduation ceremonies with FT-817 at 5 watts to hustler on the truck.  Sri cud not play more.  Thanks for contest.

K7TQ - I operated for an hour during a break from work while at Land Between the Lakes, KY.  I had more wildlife names to send than I had contacts to send them to.  The K5LSU gang sure was going strong.