This was my first opportunity to air out the new <old> callsign. N6RO
graciously allowed me to operate from his station, even though AI6V was
threatening to bring a WRTC team all the way out there. As it turned out,
this was not necessary -- <lucky for me!>
Band Q's Pts HQ Zones
160 1 1 1
80 64 234 1 15
40 315 1103 2 27
20 700 2317 11 30
15 144 348 1 9
10 137 337 1 8
1361 4340 16 90 494,760
Equipment: 160 - Inverted V @ 120'
80 - 4 el wire JA yagi - 160' boom @ 100'
2 el wire Carib yagi @ 100'
2 el wire EU/PAC quad @ 100'
40 - 4 over 4 (130/70')
20 - 5 over 5 (130/70')
15 - 6/6/5 (130')
10 - 6/5/5 (130')
Radios: FT1000MP, Alpha 76PA
Guest Station <for chasing WRTC's>: TS930S, Alpha 76PA
Computer stuff: IBM ThinkPad 720C, TRLog 5.73
Comments: This was a 25% increase in Q's over last year, but mults were way
down. My score was about the same as 1995. All the WRTC activity may have
had something to do with it. By the time I realized I was in mult trouble,
there wasn't much propagation left.
I worked 24 of the K6_ stations and 19 of the W6_ guys.
Ken has a new FT1000MP and I spent the entire contest trying to make friends
with the receiver, <unsuccessfully.> I guess I should have played with the
menus instead of doing antenna work.
The contest: I had a brainstorm that 80 might be a good place to open since
Ken has such great antennas for that band and it was sure to be open. I
hadn't counted on WRTC -- 80 was open all right, but hardly anyone was there.
No big 20m opening Saturday morning. 15 was lackluster for me. 10 was
gangbusters. No EU and very little SA on either band. And little/no JA either.
WM2C, AE0M and K3EST showed up at various times and used the guest position
and whatever band and antennas I wasn't on to chase WRTC stations. I think
Bob got his sweep in short order. Ken got a lot of them and finished up at
another station closer to the Bay Area. Tony supervised.
I had been up late three nights running so by Saturday afternoon I was
whipped. Took a 20 min nap and came back out around 2330z, headed for the
shower but thinking I should give the band a quick listen first. Six hours
later I was still in the chair. 20 was open to everywhere and I ran EU,
Middle East, Pacific, JA between 65-130/hour for that time sitting on around
14040.
The last hour of the contest found me spending 5 minutes per JA trying to
stay awake long enough to get the callsign right <sleep deprivation>.
All in all a very fun time. Thanks to Ken and Jean for their hospitality
and use of the Radio Oakley superstation.
Going to the WRTC shindig afterward was totally mindboggling. Certainly
makes me proud to be a member of the NCCC.
73, Steve W6EMS
<ex-N4TQO>
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