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[3830] WO1N SOLP 160M CW + Story (Long)

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Subject: [3830] WO1N SOLP 160M CW + Story (Long)
From: Ken_Caruso@compuserve.com (KEN CARUSO)
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1999 23:58:10 -0500
                      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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