FYBO (Freeze Your Butt Off)
February 2015

Tim W3ATB, John KC1AAG, and I went out at the last minute this morning to
operate in the FYBO sprint. The sprint is an annual winter event sponsored by
the Arizona ScQRPions Club. The colder it is at your operating position, the more
points you get per QSO. It was plenty cold in Bristol at 21F. We weren't prepared
to stay very long, but we were all set for some fun. We managed to work 5 stations
in a little more than a half hour. Here I am warming my hands
between QSOs over a little alcohol stove.



We had lunch and arrived at Profile Falls in Bristol shortly after noon. Just down the
road, several dog sled teams were getting ready for a practice run up the trail toward
Franklin. We were in good company. We set up in a little picnic shelter by the Smith
River.



We put up a 20 meter dipole as a vertical and sat down at the picnic table. I used the KX3
and Tim was running an HB1B. We passed the antenna back and forth after each QSO.
First we worked Mike KS8M in Ohio.


Here's Tim W3ATB working KS8M in OH

Next we worked John in New York, KB2HSH. He gave us each 579.

We didn't hear too many FYBO stations, so I went down the band a bit and worked
Dan K0FVF in Minnesota.



It didn't take long for our toes and fingers to start feeling the cold. Time to pack up and
head for Dunkin Donuts for a hot cup of coffee. We had a nice outing, made a few QSOs
and John KC1AAG got a chance to see what outdoor radio is all about.