RAC Canada Day Contest
VA7RR
Single Op Single Band 20 High Power
CW QSOs 458
SSB QSOs 998
Total 1,456 x 23 for 178,180 pts.
Antenna: Force 12 4/4 at 73/39 feet
FT-1000D & LK550-ZC
We're finally back on the air from the home station after major
tower work.
In January, while preparing to do the NAQP SSB test, I discovered a
major fray on
one of the cables of our TX-472 crank-up. Starting the second week in
June, XYL
VE7NKI and I spent a hectic three weeks removing the four yagis off the
tower,
bringing it to a horizontal position, changing out the three cables, and
then putting
everything back up.
The tower seems to be working AOK--so far!
Was looking forward to increased Canadian activity for this RAC
contest, since the event was to occur on a weekend. To my surprise, I
worked about 150 less VE's than
my last S/B 20M effort in 1999. Perhaps, with a three day weekend,
people had other plans than spending time on the radio.
Conditions on 20 here were down compared to previous years. I
normally have a pretty good hour or two around 05 and 06 into EU--but
not this time. Normally all 24
hours of the contest are productive, but this time I ended up taking a
half hour
sleep break at 1115Z. The Eastern Canadians are normally workable with
CQs as
early as 1030Z. This year things didn't get going until after 1200Z.
About five hours into the test I lost one of the 3-500Zs in my
amp. It was a challenge to disconnect the power, remove the cover, let
things cool down, and figure out what
was wrong, and in a safe manner, all while keeping a LP signal on the
air. It turned out
that the tube was ok, and that one of the tube pins was intermittent.
Wiggling the tube around in its socket brought the tube back to
life--until Sunday afternoon when it
happened again. Then I again got to disconnect the power, remove the
cover, let things
cool down, etc., etc.
Thanks to all for the QSOs!
73,
Gary VA7RR
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