Station: K4TMC
Mode: SSB
Category: Single Op Low Power Phone only
Time: 19.5
QSO QSO Pts. States/Prov. Countries
525 1050 45 61
Score: 111,300
Club affiliation: PVRC
Soapbox:
Things started off sort of slow Friday evening with a few West Coast
stations making it through. I did manage to work FK8HC. By 0200 only
had 20 QSOs. Worked several local PVRCers, then went inside to get the
kids to bed. Got back to the shack around 0230 and all of a sudden, the
band was full of S. American and Florida stations. S&P?ed till 0400 and
finished the evening with 85 QSOs. The new 6 element "Rope Yagi" fixed
on S. America really paid-off. Went to bed thinking that things were
finally off to a great start over the past several years.
On Saturday morning at 1200 when I got to the shack, the band was already
open to the Caribbean. Worked a few stations there, then switched to the
Rope Yagi fixed on Europe and proceeded to S&P, and run a little, until
1658, when TM1W was the last European station contacted. It was great to
hear 10 finally open to most of Europe at the same time, even though it
made running very difficult with all of the crowded loud signals. There
were a lot of weak (S1-4) stations that I just could not make out with
the splatter from the 20 to 40-over stations every few kHz. And this was
with IRCI 2.1 kHz filters in both IFs of the 850. Spent the rest of the
afternoon working West Coast and Mid-West stations and S. Americans until
I had to stop for my son?s ice hockey game, which as luck would have it,
was a 45 minute drive away. When I returned to the shack at 0200, the
band was dead except for a few New England KW stations.
On Sunday morning the band seemed to open more to Western Europe and
Scandinavia; worked more UR, UA, and SMs than on Saturday. I even
managed to run stations a little better than Saturday. Missed 1 and ½
hours in the afternoon due to my daughter?s attendance at a friend?s
birthday party, which was a 30 minute drive away (last weekend another
party was just down the street!). Got back around 1800 and managed to
run some Mid-West stations until the band opened to S. America around
1900, which only lasted about 2 hours. Finished off the 2200 hour by
working my only single VK and JA stations, and second of only two KL7s.
And these were with the 3 element yagi I had, as a last minute item, hung
from a tree limb at about 45 ft. Friday afternoon.
Other thoughts:
Being able to quickly switch between 4 different antennas was a great
time saver versus having to wait for a rotor to move a single array.
When running Europe, several times there was a weak Mid-West station
calling, so I was able to just turn the RCS-8V switch and, Bingo!, there
he was at S9+. A quick exchange, and back to Europe.
Where were the Africans? I did get called by a 4X during one of my short
European runs, and worked 3V8BB. I even had a 4 element yagi at 40 ft.
fixed on Africa but never heard anyone.
There are still a lot of DX stations "running" that do not identify
frequently enough.
Overall, a great contest that will get even better over the next few
years! My best effort since the early 90s.
Station Description:
Kenwood TS850SAT (IRCI filters)
Heil HC4 on Radio Shack headphones
6 element Rope Yagi fixed on Europe at 45 ft.
6 element Rope Yagi fixed on S. America at 35 ft.
4 element yagi fixed on Africa at 40 ft.
3 element yagi fixed West at 45 ft.
(all antennas supported by trees)
Software - TRLog
PC - 486/33 "dinosaur"
Thanks to everyone for the contacts; see you next year...with more
antennas!
73 and Happy Holidays,
Henry Pollock - K4TMC
Raleigh, NC
(Trees are not for wire antennas only!)
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