Are Hobie Cats and Bees Compatible?
Got the Hobie Cat out and ran a 33-foot wire to the masthead because I was too lazy to drill the mast. The night before the event, a thunder storm came through and tipped the Hobie over, but the next morning it was flat a a freckle.
By contest time there was a little breeze so I got the rigs out through the surf (I plan on sending a story to The Sojourner to tell you how it was done) and after I got out, signals were next to nothing...about S-3 max. Could have been the lousy antenna whipping around in the rigging.
So I got the rigs out (photos will accompany the story) made one contact with a bee in Texas, and rolled around for about an hour, and then gave up.
I hereby apply for the following awards:
1. Most money spent to get to the BB site.
2. Most forms of transportation used (light airplane, auto, jeep, foot, boat, swimming, etc)
3. Most beautiful location (wait 'till you see the pictures).
4. Greatest risk to equipment (less than 1 foot between Pacific Ocean and very nice homebrew radios).
5. Fewest contacts made.
Anyway, I had a great time. I'll send the story to the Sojourner next week--as soon as I can get the pictures scanned.