IARU HF World Championship
Call: K8DX
Operator(s): K8DX
Station: K8DX
Class: SO CW HP
QTH: Ohio
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs Mults
---------------------------
160: 10 7
80: 26 15
40: 349 40
20: 935 59
15: 850 58
10: 15 8
---------------------------
Total: 2185 0 187 Total Score = 1,680,195
Club: North Coast Contesters
Comments:
Usually the station is torn apart for upgrades/ repairs during the
Summer, but was in better shape than most since we just operated a 3 position
multi here for Field Day a few weeks ago.
One of the projects here this summer is point-to-point wiring for
All the rotator and control lines. Since it wasn?t quite finished,
I hard wired one rotator for 10-40M. I hoped to finish everything Friday night
after taking the kids to one of the local carnivals.
By Midnight I thought everything was ready to go, but I started having an RF
problem that ?chattered? the relays in the Dunestar and WX0B SixPack when
transmitting on 15M. I tried grounding things better, .01mf capacitors to
ground, and re-configurations. Nothing seemed to help. At about 2:30AM, even
with the headphones on I heard a big bang and could smell the smoke coming out
of the SixPack. I threw in the towel at three and decided I?d forego my serious
IARU effort and just work the WRTC guys.
After just getting to sleep, my five year-old son came in to say his
?tummy hurts?. He was sick for the next few hours, but finally
went back to sleep a little after 5AM. I slept for about another hour
until it was time to have my three year-old daughter start my day.
I headed down to the shack at 7:30AM, a half hour before the start
to see what could be salvaged. I decided to by-pass the WX0B box,
and just hard wire antennas. The only problem is that it is a long walk out of
the shack and around the back of the radios to change
bands.
I started the contest already feeling like Sunday morning of CQWW
without taking a sleep break. After a 154, then 142 hour, I decided to switch
from WRTC to IARU. Without much practice of SO2R
lately, I found it difficult to get into the groove of cheking the second radio.
Maybe it was not starting off fresh, or knowing I was
limited from doing quick band changes, but I feel I really blew it
by not working the second radio more, and my multipliers show it.
This was my first 24 hour effort in this contest, and I?m definitely
planning another one for next year!
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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