CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: N2WN
Operator(s): N2WN
Station: N2WN
Class: SOSB/80 LP
QTH: Blaine, Tn
Operating Time (hrs): 35.85
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 33 12 20
80: 304 27 95
40: 69 18 42
20: 62 18 37
15: 152 21 62
10: 29 10 20
------------------------------
Total: 304 27 95 Total Score = 99,918
Club: Tennessee Contest Group
Comments:
Rig : Elecraft K2/100
Antennas : 160M: 83' vertical many odd length radials.
80M: 1/4 wave wire vertical with two raised V radials.
40M: wire half square
20-10M: 4 element SteppIR
Rx: 295' coax beverage about 2M above ground at 70
degrees, two
direction switchable.
Soapbox : The tradition continued this year, worked on antennas from
daylight Friday 'til about 2 hours before the start of the contest. It was
great exercise! I had matching issues with the 160 and 80 antennas, and needed
to put up the half square for 40. Oh and replace the radials that were eaten by
the mower or removed... It was so !@$^^#&%^@ fun ;o) Oops, almost forgot
finishing the 295' coax beverage (definitely worth the time)
Wasn't sure if I was going to go for SOSB 80 or 160. Both antennas were new,
and unproven, with the matching issues, I was a bit verclempt needless to say.
I decided to go with 80 when I sat down a half hour before the start. Made a
few QSOs before the contest, decent first call contacts into EU, 4O3B and I
started the contest at 00:00. I operated virtually all search and pounce,
called CQ several times with poor results. Didn't manage to break 100K, but
came close. Figure I missed about 10 countries and 4 zones.
Canada was out in force, as was Mexico, nice to have 2 point folks in quantity
on the low bands (and elsewhere when things are slow). Hopefully all of these
folks will be on for ARRL 160!
Lots of juicy DX on 5A7A (my apologies to them for the dupes, entered HA7A who
I could have used!), TZ5A, AH2R, WH0S to name a few. Was thrilled to hear
(sadly not work) several Asiatic Russian stations and the real heart breaker
8Q7DV (he was solid copy for about 15 minutes Sunday night, only heard one US
station work him tho'). I have to wonder if the phased Tee verticals I used
last year would have been enough to make the Q with him and the plethora of JA
stations heard Sunday morning. Pacific/Asia openings Sunday were the best I've
heard on 80. Managed several nice QSOs up to 2 hours after local sunrise. I was
tickled to work KL7RA at 7:30AM on Sunday on 160, he was as loud as many lower
48 stations, and if you went a little down band KH7X was loud and clear as well
(worked them earlier).
I played on the other bands, looking for countries and giving the SteppIr a
work out. 10M was active, primarily SA and Africa for a few hours each day. 15M
was hopping in the morning, managed a little run of EU stations. I thought 20
was a bit quiet. 40 sounded great with EU and the Pacific available at the same
time. The beverage worked well for nulling a lot of the loud signals, definitely
a nice tool.
A number of DX stations worked split, definitely easier to hear them, although
I'm sure some were upset about the spectrum spread. It still surprises me how
many stations don't listen to the DX before calling and callling and calling
and ... My hat is off to the DX that deal with the pileups. S9SS seemed to have
monster pileups on 80 and 15. He has QRN on the low bands more often than he
liked, so 80 was a challenge for him (sadly I couldn't break that pileup).
Working a new multiplier is the meat, but thanks to the potato folks the VE,
DL, G, GM, YU, F, 9A and other stations (JAs for the west coast) who make it a
real horse race. This contest has it's share of casual ops who are a welcome
addition to the fray.
Thanks to all, see ya on the Top Band next weekend!
Cheers,
Julius
n2wn
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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