ARRL DX Contest, SSB
Call: ND0C
Operator(s): ND0C
Station: ND0C
Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: Minnesota
Operating Time (hrs): 23
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160:
80: 3 3
40: 14 12
20: 180 66
15: 102 43
10: 5 3
-------------------
Total: 304 127 Total Score = 115,824
Club: Minnesota Wireless Association
Comments:
Equipment: Yaesu FT897 (5 watts output), Heil headset/microphone
Wilson SY-3 (3 element tribander Yagi) at 15 meters
Tuned dipole for 40 and 80 at 13 meters
After battling with 5 watts and a wire on 40 and 80, I've had about as much fun
as I can stand. That is a sure ticket to the "funny farm"! I really had a very
tough time being heard - more so than I remembered in the past. I'm not wild
about the orientation of my dipole, but have limited options. It sure makes me
appreciate the beam on 20, 15, and 10!
It was nice to get some openings, if brief and sporadic, to Europe and Japan on
15. Unfortunately I had to miss 3 prime hours on Sunday due to a commitment.
10 even opened (sort of) on Saturday but I forgot to check it earlier so may
have missed some short openings to the south. Over-all, of course, 20 was the
workhorse and was "wall-to-wall" with signals - QRM was rough.
As always, thanks to the great operators with good receivers and limitless
patience in pulling my little 5 watt signal out of the pile-ups and noise.
Speaking of QRP and conversely, QRO, does "might really make right"? Some of
the big US stations on the East Coast were calling CQ in the DX window on 75 (or
am I just old-fashioned in thinking this is a "no-no"?). And I heard one
station on two separate occasions just jump right on a DX station's established
frequency to call CQ without checking. (And this was just a couple times when
our "paths crossed" Ethics???
And as long as I'm whining, I know it is an age-old problem, but why won't
stations ID at least every other QSO. Nothing is more frustrating than
listening for a minute or two, just waiting for an ID, and then finding out I've
already worked him.
This was my first contest with the Yaesu FT897 (at five watts), giving my old
Ten Tec Argonaut a rest. The Yaesu seemed to perform well and of course has
flexibility and capabilities beyond that of the old Argonaut (separate VFOs,
digital readout, DSP, etc) but the Argonaut will always have a spot in my shack
for routine DXing.
See you in the WPX where I hope to make a full bore effort (without
interruptions!
73,
Randy, ND0C
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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