CQ 160-Meter Contest, SSB
Call: N4BCD
Operator(s): N4BCD
Station: N4BCD
Class: Single Op Assisted HP
QTH:
Operating Time (hrs): 12
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 447 State/Prov = 52 Countries = 24 Total Score = 89,072
Club: Alabama Contest Group
Comments:
Good fun and different than the barefoot foray into this contest 2 years ago.
The Alpha / Inverted L fed with 100' of coax ran legal limit up to about 1950,
then about 1200 watts up to the top of the band. Tuning was broad enough that
a simple by-the-numbers tweak to the tune control was all we did when DX popped
up across the band. Majority of the 24 countries were worked on the first call
so better RX capability needed.
The RX antenna (14x29' terminated loop aimed NE) went up a week before the
contest. Built a 16:1 binocular core balun and used 900 ohm metal film
resistor for termination. Didn't have time for optimizing F/B with resistor
values or height, just set the bottom segment 3' off the ground and fed it to a
Palomar Engineers tunable preamp. Wouldn't have heard the DX without it, and it
made the crowded condx much easier to work.
Accomplished some goals: honed the phone exchange skills and had some great
run rates, worked some new ones on 160, and learned a few things. Missed out
on WY,SD,AK,HI for WAS in a weekend.
1)
What folks say - that it's all about the antennas - is generally true for
DX'ing. For contesting, my little FT-950 was brought to it's knees trying to
dig the weak ones out with strong ones nearby. Dayton & Huntsville are coming
up - might be time to start kicking the tires on a contest radio.
2)
Grayline enhancement was really evident as Europe peaked during their sunrise.
3)
Low noise RX capability on the low bands is essential.
4)
Directional RX antennas are a double edged sword. The NE aimed antenna heard
Europe but pretty much deaf to the Caribbean.
[]
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|