CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: P40W
Operator(s): W2GD
Station: P40W
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Santa Cruz, Aruba
Operating Time (hrs): 42
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 82 10 21
80: 404 17 61
40: 1068 27 84
20: 1329 34 111
15: 1524 31 103
10: 1626 28 102
------------------------------
Total: 6033 147 482 Total Score = 11,235,827
Club: Frankford Radio Club
Comments:
Station:
IC756PROII, Alpha 87A, FRC Keyer, CT9.48
160M Inverted V @ 70'
80M 3 ele wire beam @ 60' toward EU, Inverted V @ 70'
40M 4 ele wire beam @ 60' toward EU, Inverted V @ 65'
20M 4 ele F12 @72'
15M 5 ele F12 @85'
10M 5 ele F12 @78"
Cushcraft A4 (less reflectors) @ 60'
Congratulations to Jose, P40E/CT1BOH and Scott, K0DQ/P40Q for their fine SO2R
efforts. Bob, WX4G/P40J did very well SB 40, and I heard John KK9A/P40A
plugging away SOAB QRP.
Pretty sure more points were generated "per capita" from Aruba this weekend than
from any other country. No excuse for anyone not working a P4 somewhere this
past weekend.
Arrival late Wednesday afternoon only provided enough time to make minimal
repairs and retune the wire antennas from PH to CW. Ran new feedlines to the
F12 monobanders 20 - 10 and to the 80 and 40 meter wire beams (had used RG58 at
the last minute as an emergency measure during my LP effort SSB weekend). Not
enough time (or helpers) available to fix the broken 40M beam again this trip
and then I discovered a new 15M problem...a flat 2 to 1 SWR across the band on
the 5 ele yagi. Fortunately the beam seemed to work OK through a tuner. On the
second tower, the A4, already missing both reflectors (F12 rivets are the secret
to keeping antennas together on Aruba!) seemed to radiate "something" but who
knows how well. Installed a power divider for the first time to allow use of
two antennas pointed in different directions at all times (except on 160M) which
significantly reduced the amount of beam turning required.....but not sure if it
really helped my score in the end.
The only other negative was a new source of S3 - S5 line noise which was not
present on WW PH weekend. Since it had not rained much since WW PH, salt
buildup on the HV AC lines was evidently causing the constant arching.
Fortunately it rained for about 15 minutes around 4 a.m. local time Saturday
morning which made the noise go away for about 6 hours - a welcomed relief.
Then the line noise started again and continued until another series of rain
squalls came along mid-morning on Sunday. I apologize to those who called and
thought I was an allegator. For all practical purposes I was!
First HP effort in several years....it really does make a big different over LP
and QRP. Didn't experience those morning dulldrums when the US and EU are
"connecting" on 10M.
The big plus of the weekend was giving my new IC756ProII a workout in heavy QRM
and coming away extremely impressed and satisfied. I was amazed at how
selective this DSP only box really is....150 cycle selectivity without a hint of
ringing....I recommend more people try this radio - in my opinion it runs rings
around the MP in selectivity, and rivals if not surpasses the performance of the
781. If only they would fix the full break-in keying circuit!
Felt pretty good overall when the smoke cleared.....where else in the world do
you end up in third place for your own country with a score over 11 million
points! Slept both nights, didn't feel buzzed out at the end. Conditions were
"different"...did my best to spot the openings and to be on the right
bands....probably worked more 20M than ever before and the multiplier total
shows it. But when 20 closes, its like someone turned off a switch. We didn't
have the same 160M opening to EU Friday night the NA boys experienced, but it
was there Saturday evening. Unfortunately QRN was at above average levels both
nights :-( Used my beverages 90% of the time on all bands - to help overcome
the line noise somewhat and the occasional rx overload from P40Q a mile away.
One final editiorial comment. This was (by choice) an SO1R entry class
operation, and IMHO it is not directly comparable to scores generated by
stations operating in the SO2R class. The expected results from each as you
should expect will (and should be) significantly different for a obvious
reasons. I hope sometime soon there will be an official recognition of the real
and measurable differences between these two entry classes and the rules changed
to properly reflect the distinction.
I want to especially thank my hosts Humphrey and Corrie for their continuing
hospitality as well as W2NO, W2CG, K2TW, NO2R, WX4G, N6BT, P43P, P43T and my YL
Elaine, KB2ERI, for providing various forms of assistance that helped make my
operation a success.
Looking forward to the forthcoming 160M contest season.
73, John W2GD/P40W
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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