CQ 160 METER CONTEST -- 1999
Call: WO1N Country: United States
Mode: CW Category: Single Operator
Power: Low (150 Watts) Time: 21.6 hrs
QSO QSO PTS STATES COUNTRIES
Totals 406 1060 44 17 = 64,660
Equipment Description: FT1000D, Inv L at 60', Trap 1/2w sloper at 40'
Magloop, 3000' radials
Club Affiliation: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
This effort was over before it started when a week before my
wife asked "would you mind if we held (our son) Steven's 8th yr Birthday
party on Saturday?" This is one of those "marriage moments" when I quietly
swallow hard and say "Sure, no problem, dear".
Otherwise, a full on effort Friday night/Saturday morning when the band
was in relatively tough shape. Other than a Q or two here and
there during Saturday/Sunday, I did not get back on the air until 0300Z.
I figured I missed at least 6 hrs of prime time operating.
My open was the best yet with 55/45 hours, all stateside. First DX
was V47 at 2254Z and first Europe was SP3GEM at 0139Z. The goals
were 600Qs, 540 Stateside and 60 DX (30 countries). It didn't take long
to realize it wasn't going to happen. I did a lot of slow tuning
through 1820 - 1850 to dig out what I could. No other huge moments, a
couple of minor frequency squabbles.
Here are some observations made throughout the weekend:
Loudest stateside that cannot hear me: K0LIR. The same every year!
Poorest choice of cqing spots: 9A1A. They were inevitably under the
biggest
US guns all weekend. Never did work them. Most frequently heard: YZ6A,
never did work them as they too were frequently under US big guns. Most
frustrating moments: Trying to work several Europeans at our sunset
Saturday evening (ok so, I snuck away from the party for a few).
I could hear them Q5 copy, but couldn't raise any of them. Why is our
sunset so less effective than their sunrise to/from Europe?
Can't believe I missed them: 6D2X. They were strong and the pileup was
thick, I figured I'd get them over the course of Sunday morning, but they
were no where to be found after the initial pileup. I thought they were
doing a Multi-op effort? Most relieved to work: RW2F. I was watching
sunrise
pass through Moscow on Geoclock Sunday morning as I worked these guys. It
had to be close to their sunrise (although I don't know exactly where they
are). Life's other mysteries: Where was the US west coast? Fastest CW to
stop by while I was running: VE9AA. Sounded good, Mike. Best idea I've
had in awhile: I was debating on the local repeater with what to do with
my trap loaded 160-40 dipole that crosses within about 20' of the InvL.
Chewing on it in work on Friday, I had the answer, turn it into a sloper.
It worked great! While running I would switch between it an the Inv L and
the stateside rate had no noticable affect. Configuring it this way had
two other noticable effects on the antenna system 1) The SWR pattern on
the Inv L became "regular," that is, one SWR dip across the band. With
the dipole in place I would get two SWR dips across the band. 2) I
noticed that sometimes, while listening on the mag loop if I switched the
transmit antenna to the sloper the background noise would drop
dramatically.
I may be on to something here!
All in all, activity seemed down. I even found a spot to CQ around 1827,
a first for me. This is a great contest. All alligator reports would be
appreciated. Next year a pair of K9AY loops are going to sprout in the
backyard!
Ken
WO1N
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