W4PA SO/HP 1211/79 = 191,338 claimed score 24 hours operating time.
Club:
TENNESSEE CONTEST GROUP. Like a chihuahua, we're small, we're loud.
Equipment:
Rig #1 Ten-Tec Omni-VI+/Ten-Tec Titan
Rig #2 Ten-Tec Omni-VI+/Ten-Tec Centurion
6 el 20, TH7, 3 el 40, A3S, phased verticals on 80.
Comments:
Started off great with a clear run frequency at 14.039.5 and proceeded
to work (going from memory) 122 stations in the first 90 minutes between
that frequency and the second rig. It was exactly 2229Z when a
tremendous flash of thunder and lightning hit much too close to the top
of the hill. Sufficiently spooked, I was frantically pulling cables
and unhooking antennas when my wife dropped in to ask if I had heard
the thunder...well, yes...I ended up taking 30 minutes off time
during the second hour and was rattled enough that it took another
hour before I was back into the swing.
Went basically from 20 right to 80. Couldn't get anything going on 40
to speak of and landed at 3554.75 where I called CQ for four or five
straight hours while S&Ping on 40 on the 2nd rig. Took off time starting
at 0822Z for almost 4 hours, with only 75 QSO's on 40 at that time.
Coming back on at 1208Z, had lots of stuff to work on 80 and then 40,
stayed on 40 until almost noon until I was able to get some short
afternoon skip going on 20 to work those all important W1, 2, and 3
afternoon casuals on 20. Only had a total of 30-some odd QSO's on 15,
and after a very slow start on 40 ended up with almost 400 QSO's there.
My 1211 QSO's were very evenly split with high 300 Q totals on 20 and 80
and little better than 400 on 40m.
Had 78 sections worked by 1400Z, lacking only Yukon. Kept an ear out
thinking that eventually VY1JA would pop up and sure enough he appeared
out of the ether at around 2200Z on 15 meters with a huge pileup. I
was alternately calling CQ on 20 and trying to work him on the mult
rig on 15 and it ended up taking me almost 20 minutes to break the pile.
I did hear W4CAT slip in there right after me, way to go Tom !
Contest ended for me at 0116Z to take my remaining off time at the
end of the contest. I was reduced to calling CQ on 80 meters at 22
WPM to try to squeeze out whatever I could at the very end.
My first contest using computerized keying except for a couple of
times at the NQ4I multi-multi. I don't know how I ever lived without
it. I have both rigs run to the keying lines and am absolutely
convinced that my score was more improved by that one feature alone
than from the nonstop antenna work I did this fall.
And let's face it folks: For bone-crushing signal levels imposed by
domestic contests and big amplifiers, Ten-Tec transceivers cannot be
beaten by anyone.
73,
Scott Robbins, W4PA
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