CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB - 2021
Call: KA1IS
Operator(s): KA1IS
Station: KA1IS
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Maine
Operating Time (hrs): 38
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 43 9 25
80: 172 15 51
40: 159 73 93
20: 337 26 81
15: 708 24 89
10: 211 20 55
------------------------------
Total: 1630 114 374 Total Score = 2,277,008
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
Wow. That was amazing after years of no sunspots.
I operated again from a tent on Witt Hill in Norway, Maine. I mention this
because the weather late Saturday through Sunday morning was kind of terrifying.
High winds and torrential rains buffeting the tarps above the tent and
generator. It was so loud I couldn't hear the generator. Somehow the antennas
survived. A small miracle.
I had done a lot of antenna work over the past month. Fixing broken stuff,
raising elements, and cutting feedlines so they can be adjusted for CW/SSB. Even
with all that, there were SWR issues that kept faulting the amp. So there is
still work to do before the next phone contest.
K5ZD did a really helpful contesting presentation last week that changed my
approach in several areas. I tried not to get bogged down in multipliers so
much, even though it's who I am. Instead of sitting on pileups for 15 minutes, I
scanned the bands to make my own band maps. Then I worked all those stations as
pileups subsided. Checking back occasionally. Or all at once, in a block - like
with JA's on 20 meters, as conditions became more favorable. It's easy to locate
many multipliers by just scanning for pileups - either by ear or with the band
scope.
This all seemed way more effective than just dialing up and down the bands
sequentially. But I don't think I'll ever enjoy running EU stations in deafening
splatter as much as I enjoy finding rare multipliers with S&P. CW will seem
so peaceful after this weekend.
160 meters was phenomenal on Saturday night. Very loud EU stations. 40 meters
(my favorite band) was a disappointment because its crowded into such a small
space. Unlike 10 meters that goes on forever. I probably spent way too much time
Sunday morning early on the 10 meter opening because I didn't have a clue that
it would really open up later, and I didn't want to miss getting some
multipliers.
Antennas (all supported by trees)
160: Inverted-L (50 feet vertical) with 20 radials
80: 3 el wire beam NE, 2 el SE (very low height)
40: 4 el wire beam NE - 3 el in other directions
20: 4 el wire beams NE, NW - 2 el in other directions
15: 4 el wire beam NE - and using driven el's on 40 meter beams for SE, SW, NW
10 4 el wire beam NE - and doublets NE/SW SE/NW.
Radio:
IC-7610 with KPA-1500 - Inrad headset.
Skookumlogger.
I can't imagine life without radio contests like this.
Tom
KA1IS
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