2019 IOTA de W4KAZ From Cape Lookout NC

2019 brought another solo operation for IOTA, but return to Cape Lookout for the event.  Weather was much better than 2018, the only WX challenge being the winds.  Normal for the islands on the NC coast, and very agreeable for comfort, but it caused the only bit of trouble for the antennas.

Antennas were set up on Friday.  This year two folded dipoles were used, one for 40m and the second on 20m.   A hy-gain AV-18VS vertical was set up in the unlikely event 15m or 10 would open. (Neither did for me)

Checking the tuning on the antennas had me chasing shadows for too much of Friday afternoon.  After sorting out the feedlines, there was still an SWR problem on the 40m folded dipole.  These had been tested at home before the contest, but had been tugged on quite a bit trying to straighten the mast in the high winds.  So as a fallback measure I hoisted the 40m/20m trap dipole, and tabled the folded dipole problem.  In the end it turned out to be a problem with the antenna analyzer rather than the antennas.  Since it was already in the air, I just re-positioned the trap dipole to be at right angles to the folded dipoles.   But that was after all too much walking from shack to antenna several times looking for problems.

The remainder of Friday evening was spent relaxing.  It was more of a vacation than an operation, so time for beverages and a nice cigar was available.  A nice spot for stargazing was found on the front steps to the cabin, and several nice meteor streaks crossed the Milky Way.

One of the best moments was a visit by Chris, WX4FLY. Really enjoyed meeting Chris,  learned a lot of info in our chat.  I also got an eyeball QSL card that may be one of the best custom cards I have run across.  Thanks Chris.

Radio conditions at the start of the contest were poor.  Radio conditions in the afternoon were poor.  Radio conditions in the early evening were poor.  Radio conditions overnite were poor.  Interest in operating the contest was low, so it was all done in a series of segments lasting 30 to 60 minutes.   After a decent hour or so on 40m after it opened, I received a final distraction in the form of a phone call from a long lost acquaintance.  Also a cold beverage and a nice cigar.

I included an extra day on the end this year to allow packing up to be more relaxing, allow more relaxing, beach side relaxing, and to allow a bit of relaxed operating in an activation for Parks On The Air.  The parks hunters were a lot more plentiful than IOTA contest QSO’s, so I handed out 60 or 70 Qsos for Cape Lookout Seashore, a successful activation.  For that I used the vertical antenna on SSB, just to give it a shakedown of sorts.  All of the antennas and outdoors kit was packed before sundown, and another enjoyable evening of looking for a good fireball followed.

The island was hit pretty hard by hurricane Florence in 2018, and again by Dorian in September 2019.  It had changed since 2018 IOTA, and I imagine it will have changed again.  Hopefully damage was not as severe as the cabin area to the north, which had a new cut that ran directly through the cabin area, plus lots of other cuts and beach erosion.

The stiff breeze helped keep the islands indigenous obnoxious life forms under control until almost time to leave.  Win. Win. Win.

More interesting than the IOTA contest……The lack of decent 20m conditions had me out experimenting with the camera instead. 

And that, a sprinkling of meteors across the Milky Way,  combined with the mild weather to make the trip a winner..