ARRL RTTY Roundup
Call: VA7ST
Operator(s): VA7ST
Station: VA7ST
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: BC
Operating Time (hrs): 22
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
80: 128
40: 176
20: 419
15: 87
10:
------------
Total: 810 State/Prov = 56 Countries = 25 Total Score = 65,610
Club: British Columbia DX Club
Comments:
Gear:
* FT-2000 + FT-920
* N1MM + MMTTY
* 80M phased elevated verticals x 2
* 40M Steppir dipole at 40'
* 3 ele. Steppir at 40'
2010: Flux: 78 | Ap: 0 | Kp: 1
2009: Flux: 70 | Ap: 10 | Kp: 1
2008: Flux: 79 | Ap: 14 | Kp: 3
Wanted to catch my personal best from 2006, but fell just shy mostly due to
bleak performance on Saturday night. Still, this turned out to be my
second-best ever RU for Qs, mults and score -- handily beating 2007 and 2008
when I ran high power even.
Lot of fun with 20M so packed I had to eke out spots well below and far above
the usual RTTY range -- best success was a quiet spot at 14.117 where I ran 130
Qs before things slowed. There was more than enough activity that I didn't worry
about being in the hinterlands... someone working up or down the band would not
stop until they got well above or below where I was parked. It took sturdy
filters to keep a position today.
Ran SO2R on 80 and 40 Saturday night and had a hard time working people early
in the evening. No big noise or anything, just not much rate. I was watching
the NOAA Xray flux chart and saw a series of B-level disturbances peak and wane
starting just before 0000z Sunday. Got about 50Q on each band after about 1.5
hours at it, then took a two-hour nap.
Rate was better but still nothing great when I came back just before 0400z, and
stayed on till 0900z. Was on again at 1300z through to the finish, minus a 1.5
hour nap Sunday at 1800z, as neither 20 nor 15 are all that hot to NA until
afternoon here.
EU opening on 20M Sunday morning was mediocre at best. Got very few mults, and
just couldn't get through over the pole. It's frustrating hearing juicy mults
that can't hear back, but I knew to expect that going in with low power, low
flux and a marginal band. That was one disappointment. The other was 15M.
Although signals were strong, the band did not provide very much activity --
rates were mostly quite low and sporadic. Rather than bleat plaintive CQs on
15M I put in more time on 20M where rate was more sustained. First time in many
years that I haven't managed at least 100 Qs on 15M in Roundup.
In the final hour Sunday, I just wanted to break through 800 Qs (started the
hour with 760 or so). 40M isn't too good for CQing until after dark here. I
tried it and didn't get much, (RK9AX calling in was great!) but S&Ping I found
that stations could hear me and I was even winning a few jump balls.
I walked up the band as fast as I could and the rate meter hit 86/hour. It
helped that until Sunday afternoon I'd only worked 120 or so stations on 40, so
I had no trouble finding new ones on my sojourn, and it was much more productive
than CQing from here in broad daylight.
Year-over-year performance review:
QSOs Sec Cty Score
2010 810 56 25 65,610
2009 667 56 17 48,691
2008 802 55 21 60,952 HP
2007 783 53 19 56,376 HP
2006 826 54 30 69,384
I am pleased with how things went, other than Saturday night's 80 and 40 work
which should have been much better. Would have been nice to set a new best.
Missed it by "that much" but getting close was fun. Will have to try harder
next year. Thanks for the contacts everyone.
-- Bud VA7ST
http://www3.telus.net/va7st
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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