ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST -- 1998
Call: AD1C Country: United States
Mode: CW Category: Single Unlimited
BAND QSO QSO PTS PTS/Q COUNTRIES
--------------------------------------
160 17 51 3.0 15
80 238 702 2.9 68
40 523 1563 3.0 78
20 485 1440 3.0 88
15 213 633 3.0 79
10 35 105 3.0 23
--------------------------------------
Totals 1511 4494 3.0 351 = 1,577,394
Radio: Icom 756 + MLA2500 (1KW out)
Antennas: G5RV at 35' (10M), R7 up about 8' (2.5M)
Software: CT 9.36 beta
Affiliation: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
I had been an apartment dweller for 10 years, but last August finally
bought a house, and on October 1 put up the first antenna, a G5RV only
35' (10M) high and aimed E/W just in time to work the K7K DXpedition
to Kure. My first contesting from home was working a little over 100
QSOs in each leg of the ARRL Sweepstakes. I put up an R7 about a
month ago, thinking it would help me out on 30M and 12M, but the real
surprise was that Europeans on 15 were 3-4 S-units louder on the R7
than the G5RV. At least I didn't have to worry about turning a
rotator!
I need an antenna tuner on 80M and 20M with the G5RV. You get spoiled
doing M/M with resonant antennas where you don't ever have to touch a
dial besides the VFO and the RIT knob. I knew band changes were going
to be painful, so I tried to resist the temptation to go after every
packet spot that was not on my run band. Eventually, they reached
critical mass and I just had to QSY.
Matt KC1XX had lost his top 10M and 20M beams in a wind storm, and it
was looking like he would do single-band 15, so I started thinking
about doing ARRL from home. (He fixed the beams, recruited KM3T and a
few hours of K1DG and set a new USA record in M/S.) It would be a
good chance to single-op, something I haven't done since 1995 and only
twice before in ARRL CW (1988 and 1991). I also wanted to use packet
and run high-power, in order to maximize my score for the YCCC, as
well as fill in my 5-band DXCC bingo sheet, since most of the
operating I've done from the new home has been on the WARC bands, but
also working new band-mode countries on the other bands.
Unfortunately, my AL1200 was still down, so it was up to my trusty
MLA2500 to keep me going. Finally, I have had limited success on 160
with the G5RV, I'm limited to 100W through the radio's internal tuner
because of all the RFI that it creates (probably feedline radiation).
I've managed to work 16 countries on Top Band, but only the loud ones
(and except for USA and VE, all in Europe!), so I didn't expect a lot
from that band. I thought I'd make maybe 1000 QSOs during the
contest. I would have been happy with that.
Anyway, Friday evening I left work much later than I wanted to, not
getting home until an hour before the contest started. Fortunately, I
had downloaded CT 9.36 (beta) the night before and at least had the
logging software installed and running a day ahead of time. I had not
marked the amplifier settings yet, figuring I'd do this during the
contest each time I went to a new band. I copied my antenna tuner
settings from a scrap of paper onto a nice new index card, and stuck
blank index cards around the TUNE and LOAD dials of the amp.
I started running on 7.035, like W1s do in ARRL CW, and had a 66 hour.
Not bad for a 35' high antenna. My first mult from packet was
C6A/K4PG at 0014Z, and had no problem working JY9QJ a few minutes
later. I had 61 more QSOs in the next hour, and at 0156Z I went to
20M to pick up some mults in NA/SA before heading to 80. That's when
the first problem developed. When I transmitted into the R7 on 20M,
the transmitter locked up, so I was stuck with the G5RV which doesn't
have a very good N/S pattern. Several hours later, I realized it was
probably RF getting into the keying line from the computer, so I
wrapped it a couple of times around a snap-on ferrite choke and the
problem vanished for the rest of the contest.
At 0213Z I started running around 80 calling guys to get an idea how
effective I'd be. I worked 35 stations in 20 minutes, then started
calling CQ and had a few good runs until 0347Z when I went back to 40
to work some mults (J3,OE,J6,OA,YV,V3,KH6,LU,CM,PJ7). At 0422Z I went
back to 80 and continued to run until 0527Z when I decided to check
out 160. The big surprise was working G0, 9A, S5, V2, SP, VP5 and OK
all in about 15 minutes, not bad for 100W to a non-resonant antenna.
Then it was back to 80 and 40 for a bit. At 0730Z I worked a couple
more on 160 (C6,XE), and bounced between 80, 40 and 160 until 0933Z
when I worked JA1NUT and with 360 QSOs in the log decided to sleep for
1.5 hours, since I knew the next hour or two would probably be slow.
A REAL BIG surprise was working KH7R on 160 at 0906Z. I only had to
send my call twice. Dunno how he heard my PW signal. Also just after
08Z, I worked KA4IST/KH5 and ZK1DV on 75M for new countries on that
band. When you're not trying to win, can afford to do things like
this.
I got back on the air at 1121Z and worked Louis, HO3A on 40, but the
band was in pretty poor shape. When I got to 20 10 minutes later,
things were really hopping - I probably should have been there at
least 1/2 hour earlier. Oh well. I worked 55 guys in the 12Z hour
and went to 15M at 13Z where I S/P'd my way to another 49 QSOs that
hour. I just couldn't get any runs going. Then it was back to a
little running on 20M (14.002!) before heading off to 15 and 10M to
pick up the mults that were coming in (6Y,Z3,FM,V3,KG4 on 15,
PJ2,8P,PY0F,LU,FM,J3,P4 on 10). Finally found a run freq on 15 at
1455Z and worked 15 guys in the next 17 minutes. I stayed on 15 with
occasional trips to 10 until 1749Z, where I carved out 14.042 as my
run frequency and worked 84 stations in the next 70 minutes. Then it
was off to 15 again to catch the Pacific (P4,KH6,KH8,D2,VP8/h), and 10
to pick up North and South America (V3,VP8/h,XE), and I ran a little
more on 20 (14.003!) until 2012Z. I picked up a couple more mults on
15 (ZL) and 10 (OA) before starting a big run on 40 at 2035Z -- 180
stations in just under 2 hours for my best hour of the contest (83 in
the 21Z hour). At 2230Z I ventured to 15 to see how loud the JAs were
that were being spotted. I picked off 11 in about 10 minutes, with
just an R7! Since I still needed JA on 20, I went there and worked a
few, along with YV and 9X. At 2317Z I returned to running on 40 with
one trip to 20 to work WP2Z.
At half-time, my score was 1002x304 for just over 900K points - I had
already reached my QSO goal for the WHOLE CONTEST in just 24 hours!
Projecting my score to the end of the contest, it looked like I should
end up with 1800 QSOs and about 1.8M points. Little did I know...
I continued to run on 40, stopped by 20 around 0024Z to pick up
5N,FR,TU and then started running again on 80 at 0042Z until 0114Z
picking up another 31 QSOs. A quick trip to 160 yielded GW3YDX and
DL7ON, then a 1/2 hour break to eat dinner with wife, and back to 80
for some more running. I took a 2-hour break between 0230Z and 0430Z
to get some rest and "freshen up". Things were really tough in the
next 2.5 hours and I only worked 55 QSOs. Static levels were very
high on 80, there wasn't much to work on 40 either. So I took a
3-hour break from 0700Z to 1000Z to get some more sleep, expecting big
runs again Sunday a.m. I made 3 QSOs in 6 minutes, not even new
mults, I could barely hear anything on 40 though the noise. I should
have stayed in bed an extra hour! So I laid down on the couch and got
up again at 1130Z to check the bands.
I had a small run on 20, but the rate was slow. I tried to find other
run frequencies, but the band was PACKED. This reminded me of one
contest when I was operating KC1XX and completely botched 20M on
Sunday a.m. because 15M hadn't opened yet, everyone was on 20 and
there was nowhere to run. Deja vu. I continued to work a few guys
but nothing fast. In that first 1.5 hours I only worked 50 stations,
though I had no trouble working UN6P for a new mult from a packet
spot. At 1301Z I made my first and only pass of the weekend, moving
HO3A from 20 to 15 with the hope of running on 15. After working only
V47KP and an LU after that pass, it was obvious that 15M was in BAD
SHAPE. I went back to 20, small runs, called guys, but just could not
get anything going. The one bright spot was working XU2A through the
pileup at 1217Z. Hiroo had an excellent signal, and this was only my
3rd country in Zone 26 since I moved (HS and 9M0 are the other 2).
I worked a few guys on 15 around 1404Z, I had no problem calling guys
but runs were fruitless. Picked up a couple more mults on 10 (YV,V4),
and finally started running 20 at 1449Z (maybe everyone had moved to
15?) where I stayed for 15 minutes to make 10 QSOs. Then back to 15
for 5N3CPR and a few more QSOs, and returning to run 20 to work 30
stations in 50 minutes. Again went to 10 to work some mults (HP,CX),
and returned to running on 20 which netted 41 QSOs in 28 minutes,
working HZ1HZ from a packet spot. Finally a decent run! It was
interesting to switch between the two antennas, sometimes signals
would disappear, other times they were equal. I tried to leave the
antenna switch on the position that was loudest for the last QSO, but
after a few empty CQs would switch it back. Tried one last gasp on
21, the Europeans were loud but there were no runs to be had.
Returned to 20 and ran off another 31 guys in 37 minutes. At 1923Z I
worked a few on 15, and then to 10 where I managed to work KH7R.
What was strange is that during the early 19Z hour, I started checking
40M so I could hit the band early, but there were NO SIGNALS between
7000 and 7025 (there were a few scattered about 7030). Nada. K1RX
told me to check my antenna. I dug out my old TS930, hooked up the
coax and heard nothing there either. On either antenna. So it wasn't
the radio or antenna. I just couldn't believe that even the M/M
stations weren't calling CQ. Finally at 1956Z the band seemed alive
and I started running. It was slow at the start, but eventually I was
able to work 112 guys in just under 2 hours.
During this run, a rather unfortunate incident happened between me and
one of the ops at N2RM. I had switched to 20 to see whether GJ3YHU
was workable. Seeing a larger pileup that I could probably bust, I
quickly went back to 40 where I heard N2RM calling CQ about 200 Hz
down from my run frequency. I sent QRL and started calling CQ. Then
RM started calling CQ on top of me, telling me, "Don't you know what
QRL means?" I guess he must have sent it during that 10 seconds I was
on 20. Well, this was the only frequency I had had all day, so I
didn't move, and for about a minute or two we both managed to work
guys until N2RM finally went away. This was a good reminder what it
feels like to be on the other side, and I'll certainly watch what I do
at KC1XX from now on. If they condx hadn't been so poor on the high
bands, I probably would have just gone somewhere else, but I was
desperate!
The last 2 hours of the contest were mostly doing S/P on 20 and a
little on 15, working KL7XX, a few JAs and EM1HO. The JAs (and RK0Q!)
were just tremendous on 20, and I even managed to crack the pileup on
VR98BG after he had QSYed for the 3rd time. I worked VP2EEI pretty
easily on 80, and a few more EU before working a few guys on 20 at the
end.
I ended up with 1511 QSOs and 351 countries for 1.57M points. Down
from my 1/2 time prediction, but still satisfied. CT said I operated
just over 36 hours out of 48.
I was called by a lot of stateside stations this year. Maybe because
with my high-angle antennas I sound louder than the big stations, I
don't know. Or maybe people just don't read rules any more.
My only 6-band QSOs were V26B and KH7R. I wish I had known that I was
just missing XE2EBE on 15 for the sweep, I probably would have tried
harder. In all I worked 110 DXCC countries, so it's possible to work
DXCC in a weekend, even with modest antennas.
CT performed flawlessly, and it recorded my rig's frequency with EVERY
QSO, so I guess the serial port hookup was RFI-proof.
I will answer all bureau QSLs, but I admit that I have 1600 old
contest QSOs sitting in the computer, ready to print onto labels.
One of my spring cleaning projects.
I'll be part-time in the SSB portion, then will hopefully make a
full-time effort in WPX SSB, one of my favorite contests.
Thanks for all the QSOs!
73 - Jim AD1C
Continent Statistics
160 80 40 20 15 10 ALL percent
North America CW 6 30 29 36 31 16 148 9.6
South America CW 0 6 10 17 14 18 65 4.2
Europe CW 10 199 489 394 141 0 1233 79.8
Asia CW 0 3 7 38 16 0 64 4.1
Africa CW 0 1 2 6 7 0 16 1.0
Oceania CW 1 1 7 4 5 1 19 1.2
BREAKDOWN QSO/mults AD1C ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST Single Unlimited
HOUR 160 80 40 20 15 10 HR TOT CUM TOT
0 ..... ..... 66/24 ..... ..... ..... 66/24 66/24
1 . . 61/9 2/2 . . 63/11 129/35
2 . 48/31 . 9/8 . . 57/39 186/74
3 . 35/12 6/5 . . . 41/17 227/91
4 . 26/5 11/5 . . . 37/10 264/101
5 8/7 16/4 . . . . 24/11 288/112
6 . 10/1 15/6 . . . 25/7 313/119
7 3/2 11/6 14/9 . . . 28/17 341/136
8 1/1 5/3 3/3 ..... ..... ..... 9/7 350/143
9 2/2 1/0 4/1 . . . 7/3 357/146
10 . . . . . . . 357/146
11 . . 2/2 23/14 . . 25/16 382/162
12 . . 2/2 55/25 . . 57/27 439/189
13 . . . 1/1 49/33 . 50/34 489/223
14 . . . 27/7 9/6 7/7 43/20 532/243
15 . . . . 30/10 6/5 36/15 568/258
16 ..... ..... ..... ..... 47/7 ..... 47/7 615/265
17 . . . 10/1 20/7 5/1 35/9 650/274
18 . . . 72/4 . . 72/4 722/278
19 . . . 25/1 6/5 4/3 35/9 757/287
20 . . 39/1 15/2 2/1 1/1 57/5 814/292
21 . . 83/2 . . . 83/2 897/294
22 . . 48/2 . 12/3 . 60/5 957/299
23 . . 32/1 12/4 1/0 . 45/5 1002/304
0 ..... 13/0 19/0 6/3 ..... ..... 38/3 1040/307
1 2/2 18/2 . . . . 20/4 1060/311
2 . 9/0 2/1 . . . 11/1 1071/312
3 . . . . . . . 1071/312
4 . 5/1 2/2 1/1 . . 8/4 1079/316
5 1/1 28/0 . . . . 29/1 1108/317
6 . 9/2 6/2 . . . 15/4 1123/321
7 . . 1/1 . . . 1/1 1124/322
8 ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... 1124/322
9 . . . . . . . 1124/322
10 . . 3/0 . . . 3/0 1127/322
11 . . . 11/0 . . 11/0 1138/322
12 . . . 36/3 . . 36/3 1174/325
13 . . . 25/4 3/2 . 28/6 1202/331
14 . . . 11/1 11/1 2/2 24/4 1226/335
15 . . . 20/0 6/1 . 26/1 1252/336
16 ..... ..... ..... 20/1 ..... 5/2 25/3 1277/339
17 . . . 26/2 5/0 1/1 32/3 1309/342
18 . . . 32/1 4/1 . 36/2 1345/344
19 . . 2/0 9/0 3/0 4/1 18/1 1363/345
20 . . 46/0 . . . 46/0 1409/345
21 . . 56/0 . . . 56/0 1465/345
22 . . . 26/1 4/1 . 30/2 1495/347
23 . 4/1 . 11/2 1/1 . 16/4 1511/351
DAY1 14/12 152/62 386/72 251/69 176/72 23/17 ..... 1002/304
DAY2 3/3 86/6 137/6 234/19 37/7 12/6 . 509/47
TOT 17/15 238/68 523/78 485/88 213/79 35/23 . 1511/351
--
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