I've only had my O2 for six weeks, so the Sweepstakes was a real
learning experience. A few observations:
RFI: I couldn't exceed PWR 50 on 80m without wreaking havoc with the
computer; other bands were OK at full power (I normally set PWR 70), but
on 15m keying produced a loud thump in the headphones.
BW/PBT: This was fantastic. On one occasion a weak signal had nearly the
same pitch on 40m as a lot of commercial QRM. BW narrowing didn't do it,
but adding PBT took the QRM right out. (My Icom 706 has the 250Hz filter
and PBT; I wonder how it would have handled this?)
Noise: I didn't use the blanker; on occasion the NR was helpful. Nothing
coped with the electric light-rail that runs 75 feet from my back door,
though. It swooped by (and the noise in the receiver, on 40m, sounded
just about like the audible sound in the back yard) as I was trying to
work my only PAC, and all I could do was wait for the train to pass.
Fortunately the KH6 was patient. [Having those tracks there isn't as bad
as it sounds. They were unused for many years, and are elevated and
separate the backyard from several acres of scrub-covered vacant land,
classed as flood plain. It can never be developed and served as a great
playground for the kids, when they were here, and the cats.]
Logging: I desperately need a Linux logging program! I tried to install
LiHaLo but am not that good at MySQL. Using StarOffice Calc's
spreadsheet, I relied on "autocomplete" as a dup checker... it usually
worked, but sometimes I had to use CTRL-F "Find," which really took
time. Manually entering FQ and time also was delaying. I bet some who
asked for a repeat on my NR simply didn't believe it was so low!
Speed: Experience has taught that my call, with its HH, produces many
errors at high speed, so I turn it down to about 25 wpm.
My setup: O2, MFJ 993B autotuner, ancient (pre-WARC) Cushcraft ATV-5
vertical on the roof, with about 1 functioning radial for each band,
Astron VS-35M. Results: 370 QSOs, 75 sections, 49 states (missed AK).
Hours worked maybe 12; I had job work to squeeze in that weekend also.
--John K3GHH
Registered Linux User #291592
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