CQ Worldwide DX Contest - SSB
Call: WA7BNM
Category: Single Op, All Band, Low Power, Unassisted
Location: S.Calif
Op Time: 37 hours
Q Z C
------------------------
160 2 2 2
80 30 10 18
40 125 25 49
20 185 31 67
15 309 27 79
10 391 25 64
------------------------
1042 120 279 ==> Score: 1,125,180
Antennas:
Force 12 EF-180 80m Rotatable Dipole at 100 feet
M2 3-el 40m Yagi at 90 feet
Force 12 C3XL Tribanders at 72 and 105 feet
Wow! During the first day I wasn't sure how things were going to turn out.
Was doing slightly better than my 1995 best score, but wasn't sure whether
it was going to hold up. Ended up with first time over 1000 Qs and first
time over 1,000,000 points in any contest (low power).
Spent the weeks before the contest finally getting the two radio setup
operational, although not optimal. Helped some, but certainly need more
practice.
160m: Usually use a balloon-supported vertical to at least work a few
multipliers. Two of the vinyl balloons popped before I could even get them
hooked to the antenna. Never got off the ground since I was out of helium.
So my big two QSOs on 160 were proof that coax can radiate.
80m: Good news: conditions seemed very good, at least Friday night. I was
able to work a number of Caribbean stations that I usually struggle to work
with my low power signal. Bad news: antenna has developed some sort of
intermittant problem. Perversely, it seemed to work fine when I gave my
call sign, and then would fail when the other station came back to me, and
I'd try to give my exchange. By Saturday night, antenna seemed to be in
permanent failure mode.
40m: Have managed to work a couple of EU mults in the past, but this year
it was CQ in my face time. However, overall I was pleased with the results
on this band. Actually managed to run a few JAs early Saturday morning
before my sunrise.
20m: This band was my biggest disappointment during the contest. Expected
better propagation to EU. Missed a number of countries that I usually work.
Luckily, I awoke from my stupor Sunday morning to realize that I needed to
look long path for EU. Before the contest I had thought about making a note
to remind myself to look long path, but failed to do so.
15m: Usually, this is the "money" band for me. This year I couldn't find a
decent spot to run JAs -- just too crowded. So most of it was S&Ping my way
up the band.
10m: This year's "money" band. Because the band seemed "infinite" in size,
I could find clear frequencies to run JAs. Only disappointment was the lack
of EU. Friday morning before the start of the contest I worked three EUs
with loud signals and thought that I'd get a lot of EU multipliers on 10m
during the contest. As other West Coasters have said, they weren't there.
73 de Bruce, WA7BNM (bhorn@hornucopia.com)
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