This was fun! It felt like "activity night" on TopBand. It was
nice that the band wasn't so crowded and it was possible to find a
clear frequency to run without having to go above 1850.
The DX window was mostly full of Europeans - but I was having
problems hearing them with local QRN and QSB. Did manage to
work about 6 of them - but at one point I think I had a pileup calling
me but only could pull one or two out. My apologies to OK1D??
who almost made it - but the QRN and QSB just didn't allow it.
Worked several JAs on the first morning and slept through the opening
on Sunday.
It was fun exchanging the grids - I had a USA map so I could see where
people were. Fun to get the occasional 10 pointer from a W4 or VE1.
A European and a JA were about the same point value from here. If
I had been awake for the JA run at 1100 - I would perhaps have doubled
my score!
Those 10 pointers provided the rush that multipliers provide in other
contests. I guess K8CC didn't get very many of them being in the
middle of the country.
Final score was 800 points. It just got too slow after 0800Z and I was
too tired to stay awake - woke up after the contest was over. I missed
some time in the evening helping out with the kids.
It seemed my desire to exchange RSTs was unanimously rejected - so I
gave in and just sent the grid like most everyone else. I guess we
can eliminate the RST all together next time. It appears some of the
low power stations did really well point wise. Perhaps that is the
way to go - even more so if you have noise and have a hard time
hearing the people calling you anyway.
Thanks to everyone who participated - it was very gratifying to hear
all the activity. I think this contest will attract more attention
next year and has its own place in the lineup of 160 meter contests.
73 Tree N6TR (operator at K7RAT - the Boring Amateur Radio Club)
tree@contesting.com
--
FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/3830faq.html
Submissions: 3830@contesting.com
Administrative requests: 3830-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems: owner-3830@contesting.com
Sponsored by: Akorn Access, Inc & KM9P
|