Topbanders:
Conditions better last night than during the Stew Perry when I heard no
Europe. Worked SM4CAN (sent 559), G3PQA (559), and DF2PY (569), and called
OZ1EEZ (449) and IV3PRK (449). Wolf was a good S-unit stronger than any
other Europeans, but didn't seem to be hearing me or others as well as we
were copying him. Also worked FO0EEN on 1826 at 0614 UTC with a booming
signal. I contacted Wil, DJ7AA, on 75 SSB to tell him, and he was already
listing on 1826 for the FO, but hearing nil.
During the weekend StewPerry, I ran 100 watts. Don't think I won the
Black Hole plaque (>400 miles from ocean) like I did last year running QRP,
but my personal challege was to see if I could better my 1998 score using LP,
which I did. I was able to work almost every thing I heard with the
exception of KV4FZ, the PY's, and a few other HP stations. Worked 4 JA's
compared to only 2 during the poorer JA conditions of the ARRL 160M test when
we ran HP.
As many have observed, the SPerry gives an scoring advantage under most
conditions to QRP operation which I think is fine. In fact, my only
suggestion to improve the contest is to limit power to what Stew Perry ran,
100 watts, the maximum allowed then. Actually, the SPerry rules make HP
pretty uncompetitive so no need to ban HP.
The much discussed and bemoaned stateside CQing in the DX window probably
isn't as much of a problem as Loran was back in Stew's days (and the Loran
never got out of the DX window back then no matter how much we pleaded :).
I remember it well, as a little pistol in in MD and NY as a high school and
college student. In fact, next year, I'll be able to compete in the over age
60 SP division. Tempus fugit!
Thanks to all who provided plaques. I promise to do so next year.
In memory of Stew and all the other giants who have contributed to our
hobby....
Happy Hollidays to all!
Doug W0AH ex-W2CRS, K1UGQ, WB2LNA, W3IFA, KN8BAJ
in Colorado at 9000' elevation
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