North American QSO Party 1998
To: <3830@contesting.com>
Date: 1/10/1998 Call: AA4LR QTH: GA
Mode: CW Class: Single Op
Band QSOs mults
160CW 16 10
80CW 51 27
40CW 41 21
20CW 35 25
15CW 34 20
10CW 7 5
Total: 184 108 Score: 19,872
Team: South East Contest Club #3
Operating Time: 6.4 hours
Equipment:
Kenwood TS430S running 30-95 watts out
125 foot doublet at 15 feet, open wire feeders and Murch UT-2000 tuner
Cushcraft R7000 at 8 feet
Comments:
This is getting to be my favorite contest. It is short, fast and fun!
While the score my not seem like much, this is a personal best NAQP,
either season, either mode for me. Having access to all 6 bands really
helped.
My goal was 20,000 points, which I didn't quite make, but am pleased
with. Was doing pretty well from the starting gun until my wife came in
at 2123z with tears in her eyes saying she was lonely. This resulted in a
large off time, and I didn't return until 0259. Had I operated the
permitted 10 hours, it is pretty clear I would have exceeded my goal.
160m was a complete surprise. Review the antenna list above. Do you see
anything for 160? I don't either. My plan was to tune the Murch for
maximum inductance and capacitance, and pray that enough RF would escape
from the doublet so I could make a couple of Qs and then jump back to
80m. However, I forgot to switch the antenna coming from 40m. I look up
and realise my 430 is pumping 80 watts out into the R7000. Signals on
160m are louder on the R7000 than on the dipole.
The R7000 is fed with 150 feet of RG-213, much of which is buried inches
below the ground out to the R7000. For 160m, I think I'll call this my
"subterranian inverted-L."
It worked well enough to nab 16 Qs and 10 mults. I had joked with K4NO
that he'd have to have good ears to work me on all 6 bands, since I had
no antennas for 160. Turned out, that was the only band we worked.
Worked numerous SECC members, as we were out in force. Way to go, guys!
CW contesting is getting easier for me. Copied 100% of the contest in my
head. My apologies to those who had difficulty sending their exchange, as
I had momentary bouts of brain fade. This often happened if anyone tried
to send anything "extra" after the QSO. I did manage to receive a couple
of QSY requests. But K4OGG apparently confused me with a "73 GL ES CU",
at least the first time. Sorry, Jay!
Further apologies to those listening to my awful, hand-sent CW, although
it isn't bad enough to call it "grotty" anymore. Kept the keyer on 20 wpm
the entire contest, and there were many find ops who matched my speed
when they replied. I find this a great technique very helpful.
The bands really seemed to do well. 10m was probably open quite a bit
more than it got used. Low bands were rather quiet, so I expect to see
some really high scores.
Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL Mail: aa4lr@radio.org
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901
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