80 - 462
40 - 400 W4AN (K7GM opr)
20 - 349
15 - 24
------
1235 X 79 = 195,130
(thanks for getting back on Jay)
A million thanks to Bill, W4AN, for letting me use his FB station again.
This is a short story about a Murphy I have never run across - a
Weather Murphy.
Started out with a nice 93 first hour and things were going pretty
well.
It started getting kinda dark around that time, but I didn't think
much of it. About 5 minutes into the second hour the skies opened up
and the rain started (didn't let up for 4-5 hours). The rain static
started up big time (20 over on high antennas, bearable on low). Then
the lightening started in the general area. Then the power went out.
Only stayed out for about 3-5 seconds, but it brought down the computer
and everything else. Computer was set up to automatically re-boot to
the spot I was at in NA, but (1) it takes 20-30 seconds to get back
there, (2) the QSO that was not yet completed is wiped out of the
computer and, (3) the guy is gone. Rats. About 10 minutes later the
power goes out again. Same scenario. All told, power drops out 5
(count 'em, 5) times in the 22Z hour and once in the 01Z hour. Most
times it was out for 3-5 seconds, but a couple were a minute long. Lost
5 Qs that I was working on (one guy stayed around) and lost my run
frequency 3 times. It's a wonder my second hour was as much as a 61.
Well, ok, it's just an hour.
During all my contesting experience (CK=67) I have never been IN a
thunderstorm for hours. The static crashes were horrendous. It's not
like a storm 50 or 100 miles away. It is right in front of your face.
The static crashes were horrendous. I now had two types of static to
contend with - one was rain static and the other was "local"
lightening-caused static. The super beverage system that Bill has
helped considerably with the rain static (if it were not for the
beverages, I would have called it quits shortly). However, nothing can
help with the lightening static (20-60 over when they hit). Unlike
short-length exchange contests, SS has a 7-10 second exchange, offering
ample opportunity for the crashes to wipe out part of it. Crashes were
frequent enough that one out of every two or three Qs got hit (it seemed
as though none of the crashes hit the call part, which I already had).
As a result, I was constantly asking for fills. I was asking for fills
from guys who were 20 over. It was almost embarrassing. This went on
for 4-5 hours really bad and another 1-2 hours so-so. Rates were in the
high 60s and low 70s at a time when they should have been in the 80s or
90s. So 8 hours into the contest, I am down 150 or more Qs. Rats again
(big time). If I hadn't driven 8 hours to get to Bill's, I would have
bagged the contest, but figured I might as well gut it out to the end.
So, next year I will ask for an early Christmas present of no
thunderstorms. Are you listening Santa?
Last item....
The 15 meter pile on VY1JA was so big you could hear it from 40
meters. I was tuning on the second RX while running on 40 and heard a
pile that was about a million deep and kept calling all the time. I
thought it was a new country. Heard Jay call it quits (with some degree
of justification) and saw my chances of a sweep go down the drain (it
was the only one left). Thanks for returning Jay.
All in all, another interesting contest. I look forward to it
again next year (and every year).
--
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