ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST -- 1997
Call: W9RE Country: United States
Mode: CW Category: Single Operator
Unassisted
BAND QSO QSO PTS PTS/Q COUNTRIES
160 42 126 3.0 32
80 170 510 3.0 58
40 456 1368 3.0 85
20 1051 3153 3.0 84
15 148 441 3.0 55
10 7 21 3.0 2
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Totals 1874 5619 3.0 316 = 1,775,604
Continent Statistics
W9RE ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST Single Operator 16 Feb 1997 1657z
160 80 40 20 15 10 ALL percent
North America 16 26 20 23 24 0 109 5.8
South America 3 7 24 15 36 6 91 4.8
Europe 20 117 374 983 78 0 1572 83.2
Asia 0 12 16 25 0 0 53 2.8
Africa 2 5 11 11 7 1 37 2.0
Oceania 1 3 13 6 4 0 27 1.4
Contests Preparation Week(s) Before Test
1. The Sunday before the contest I purchase a seat rest ($40) that is
suppose to reduce back aches and fatigue. In 1994 ARRL 160 contest when
K9IG (KO9Y, N9IG) was here he complained of a back ache after using one of
my chairs. I had never had a problem with it before but the next year I
started having back pain it, so I was looking for some relief. It seemed to
work. I used a chair the whole weekend (usually I switch between chairs-
one regular and one kneeling type) and didn't have the back ache problem.
2. The corn in the field north of me is finally gone so I bought a new
sledge hammer (lost my old one in the field when the corn was high) and
extended my European beverage from 500' to 900' so maybe I could hear this
time (wish I would have done that before the CQWW 160 CW test-best Europe
ever from here during a contest and I was part alligator). It seemed to
really help. It's not as good as last year because this year the 500'
length is on my property and close to other antennas. Last year all of the
beverage antenna was 200' away from all antennas (makes a difference).
3. I still have noise problems (been plagued since September). Power
Company guy stops by on Wednesday and listens to my 20db over s9 noise on
Europe on 80 and agrees that I have a bad problem and says they are fixing
stuff but just can't fix the right stuff. I have another noise to the SE on
15 and 10 that is an electric dog fence about 1000' away. I talk to the
owner and he agrees to turn off the fence on Friday. The fence gives me
about an s7 level on 15. It is badly installed; wire runs along aluminum
siding with no insulators and is just stapled to wood with weeds all over it.
4. During the 96 CQWW SSB after the first 5 hours I discover that I have
1100 watt output from Alpha 78. I continue operating but feel weak. I
borrow an amp from N9RV (WA8YVR) for CW and continued to try and figure out
what is wrong with 78. I have some spare 8874's (pulls from K9SD (unknown
former call)) that have been sitting since 1987. When I put them in amp
main fuses blow. After unhooking high voltage and letting them burn in,
they seem to work but still have problems. One of the tubes gives me a
negative grid current. So I put old tubes back in and substitute one at a
time. They all seem to work!! During ARRL 160 test amp works fine for
first two hours then drops to low output. Without changing anything during
CQ 160 CW amp works fine throughout entire contest. During tune up on
Thursday I notice that one time I get normal 1500 watts out and 5 minutes
later I can only get 1100 watts out! I finally get the low output to
continue for a while and take the cover off amp after it has just slightly
cooled down. By holding the tubes up to my face I determine that one of the
tubes is cooler then the other 2. I replace that tube and have no other
problems throughout the contest. I had tried feeling output temperature of
tubes but it was not conclusive.
5. On Friday morning, I can't sleep in (usually try and sleep till about 11
or 12) so get up about 9. My main rotator (prop pitch) on my 20/40 meter
beam @ 140' won't turn when the temperature gets below about 15 degrees,
also notice it is slower when below 32 degrees (so I don't think I could use
K3ZO's method of timing the antenna turning (with no indicator) unless the
temperature was factored in). I have been watching the weather and it will
not be a problem (not expected to get to 10 degrees or below) but I decide
to climb tower and take a plug out of bottom of prop pitch to let any
water/oil out if some has accumulated. A little bit comes out but it is
only 32 degrees now so could still be frozen. Rotator seems normal
throughout test but how many times do you turn your antenna when you are
running Europe (read 83% Europe, 3% Asia).
6. Throughout the week, I listen on 15 and on some days I hear only weak
EA's and no Europe later than about 0200z on 40, and not many Caribbean
stations (is AA threatened strike affecting the contest?), this could be a
20 meter contest! 20 is not my best band, antennas are coming down this
summer for remodeling (have been up since 1980).
THE CONTEST
I start the test on 15 (I like to get a number on the board here early) make
2 q's (no noise so dog fence must be off!) and move to 20 work Caribbean and
few Africans and move to 40 at 0030z (probably should have started there),
lots of Europe S&P ing, first 2nd radio qso DF9ZP on 80 at 0117z(not that
many 2nd radio q's this weekend). First hour 52 q's. I start a run on 7010
from 0046z to 0212z (99q's for a rate of 66/hour) kind of mediocre (note:
all further references to runs mean "running Europe"). At 0215z leave 40
and go to 160 before it gets too noisy. Work first Europe (GI3OQR at
0225z). Back to 80 at 0252z, working lots of Europe and a few Africans all
S&P, 0408z back to 40 still some Europeans, at 0440z work KH6RS for first
west station, at 0500z work ZD8Z on 160, work OA4SS on 40 with distinctive
999 (helps figure out who the pile up is for later on 15, etc. when he
doesn't id), 0500z hour more Europe on 80. At 0830z with not much Europe
and little else (6 q's in the last half hour) I lay down in the basement for
an hour nap, I set 3 alarm clocks but don't need them as I wake up in about
an hour. At 0944z I work the first of 12 JA's on 80 (10 more than I've
ever worked in a test before), at 1000z back to 40, (where are the JA's?)
finally at 1014z barely work JA1YDU, 1117z VK2VM on 80,
At 1135z work SP2FAX on 20 for first Europe. About this time I discover my
dog fence noise is on 15 (did they turn it back on or never turn it off?,
what is the earliest I can call them and not make them mad?). I call about
1400z (9 o'clock local) and talk to the owner's daughter, she turns it off
in about 1 minute and it's not heard from again!
Finally I think I can run on 20 and at 1229z take 14062 for 2.25 hours and
243 q's (rate of 108). At 1445z I go to 15 and work Europeans (most weak,
EA's and I's are loud) stay for about an hour and work 56 q's mainly Europe.
Back to 20 and get 14003 at 1555 for an 1.5 hours running and work 168 q's
for a 101 rate. At 1735z back to 15 and catch MJ/K2WR and at 1754z I work
an LU on 10 for first q's. Last Europe on 15 at 1829z. Start running on
14077 at 1837z for 1.5 hours with 92 q's and rate of 61. During run find a
pileup on 15 on 2nd radio and work VP8 for a mult. Break off at 2005z and
go to 15 work mainly SA but pick up an FO for a new one.
Back to 14012 at 2029z for 1.25 hours and run 84 q's for a 67 rate. I
realize that I need q's on 40 bad so I break off and hit 7014 at 2154z and
run for over 2.5 hours and 220 q's for a rate of 84. AT 0000z I have 1243
q's. Stop at 0030z and listen on 20. I work 2 stations (did I miss the
JA's?) then go to 160. I hear EI6BT who is loud and then work several
Europeans for new mults. Go to 80 and then back to 40 at 0144z work
MJ/K2WR, TA, TU, YL and 8P9EN for new mults. I successfully move 8P9EN to
80 for 1 of about 4 successful moves of the weekend. Only tried about 7
moves (one station who I tried to move said 'ok your 599 100 on 15 meters'
we were on 20m at the time, hi!).
At 0500z take a 1.5 hour nap and this time wake up to the alarm clock. Hit
160 and work a few more Europeans. At 0755z work HP2/N6NT and he moves to
40 for me-- thanks! I go back for another 1.5 hour nap at 0757z. Get up at
0936z and at 1009z work PJ5JP for a new one on 80 and ask him if he will be
on 40 and he says "later on" I never get him on 40 but do find him on 20 for
a new one. Things are very slow work only 18 q's from 0936z to 1200z for a
rate of 7! I guess I should have stayed in bed but didn't want to get into
that hazy sleep zone by sleeping too long. I work about 4 mults, though
including HC5AI at 1150z on 40 for new one!
At 1200z I work my first Europe on 20. During next 45 minutes S&P I find
6W1AE and FM5CD for mults. At 1245z find 14038 and run for next 4.1 hours
for 247 q's and rate of 60.
During the run new ones that call in are V51Z. I tell him I've been looking
for him on this band (got him on all the others), HP1AC, UN6P EA8 and CT1.
Second radio spots first VP5/WJ2O. Don't know how I have missed VP5JP so
far! I go to 15 at 1658z and try and run but really just 'walk' I do have
a 7X2 answer me (he's weak and I try to make him a ZZ2), new ones are OL3,
EA6, CT1 XE2L!!, and C6A/N4RP.
At 1800z I go to 10 and work ZD8Z for my 2nd country. Jim is loud and I
think 10 is going to open up (it never does). I look at packet this morning
and see some Caribbean spotted at 2300z. I had given up by that time. Was
it really open then? I sit on 14067 for an hour and work 60 q's, no mults
until 1914z. I take a 10 minute S&P break and catch CE3B on 15. Back to
14009 at 1922z where I'm sandwiched between W2RQ and K1ZR Until 2145z,
during the time I think Bill helped me by moving down slightly when he was
able too (thanks Bill) during the 'walk' (74 q's for a 31 rate) I did have
SV9, 3A2, TK5 and a ZL2 call in. I did spot WP2Z on 15 for a new one.
During the last 2.25 hours of the contest, I work 9U5 on 20 and finally a JA
on 20 at 2200z! When I was calling CQ from 1922z to 2145z I occasionally
move one antenna to JA but no response, so I am surprised to work about 25
JA's from 2200z on. Also work KG4 and the aforementioned PJ5 for new ones
on 20. Back to 15 and work S92 and LZ0 for mults at 2300z. On 40 during
the last hour work 5X4 and EA8 for mults.
During the contest, I noticed several stations splitting, (listening up 1,
etc.) I like the practice and wish more would do so (especially on 160 and
80) when conditions require it. Consciously I pointed an antenna due East
rather than at 45 degrees for the disturbed conditions, since Fred (K3ZO)
mentioned that last time and I saw an article that showed having to go
through a disturbed area sometimes during bad conditions.
I had very few frequency fights, I think VP2EV tried once to take the freq
but finally gave up in a couple minutes! I wish that I would be able to say
that after the SSB test! I know that with 15 down, it is going to be really
bad on 20! The activity seemed kinda light but probably about normal for an
ARRL test (who would like to work just US/Canada all weekend anyway,
although I do work an SS occasionally).
In total I ran 1286 q's in 18 hours and 18 minutes for a rate of 70q's per
hour. I determined my run times by putting my ARRL log in CT and restarting
CT putting the log in CQWW format and rewriting the files (writelog) and the
.ALL file now has the exact frequency read out (unlike in ARRL format which
shows only the band-20m, 40m, etc.) By the way my score in CQ format
(including zones was about 2.2M).
73-Mike W9RE
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