North American QSO Party, RTTY - July
Call: AA5AU
Operator(s): AA5AU
Station: AA5AU
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: LA
Operating Time (hrs): 10
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
80: 80 30
40: 160 44
20: 310 53
15: 225 44
10: 2 1
-------------------
Total: 777 172 Total Score = 133,644
Club: Louisiana Contest Club
Team: LCC #1
Comments:
Wow, 133k is pretty darn good for a July contest. A thunderstorm formed right
above me at the start of the contest and I dared it to stick around. To my huge
surprise it moved off and despite there being a 50% chance of thunderstorms
today, the weather cleared into a pretty good pattern for contesting the rest
of the day.
The first hour was tough through the static crashes and I wasn't able to get
into a rhythm. But once the weather cleared, conditions picked up on both 15
and 20 meters. 15 was really good to nearly all parts of NA. I kept checking
ten meters and found Bob, K0RC with a good signal at 2146Z. So I went just
below him and called CQ and was answered by another MN station N0OK. Stayed for
a few more minutes but nothing else. Kept checking and checking on ten but just
no signals there. What a shame! So it was 15 and 20 nearly all day.
I could tell the A and K indices must have fallen because I was hearing EU late
on 15 and worked several EU stations on 20 meters even with the beam to the west
coast. Thanks to all the EU stations that called me.
I think I had more stations move bands for me in this one than any other NAQP.
Seems like well over 50% of requests for another band were worked. The best was
my friend Dallas K1DW across Lake Pontchartrain. I tried to work him on 15 early
in the contest but he did not hear me. Later on 40, I asked him to QSY to 15 and
he did. I forgot to change antennas from the 40 inverted vee to the beam, but I
was still able to work him. I needed LA on 15. Thanks Dallas.
Having not operated RTTY in a long time this year, I was very happy that the
station performed well. The rotor on the 2 element SteppIR has been out of
service for some time, but with it pointed due north and it performed great on
15 meters but only because conditions warranted it. It was even with the 3
element on 20 meters through the first five hours of the contest QSO vs QSO.
Again, it was just the way conditions were.
When I got to the low bands I was expecting the worse. Static crashes were
abundant on 40 and 80 but I have certainly seen worse. I was able to do very
well on the low bands; making the same number of mults on 40 as 15 but with 65
contacts less. Just not a lot of stations on 80 but the mult count was decent.
I went back to 20 after spending some time on 80 and the rate was better there
but I felt I needed the mults on 80 so decided to go for mults on 80 instead of
rate on 20. Since I don't have as good of an antenna on 40 as I am used to, I am
very happy with the results there.
I am very happy with my results. I would like to thank all who changed bands
for me and everyone who worked me. No matter how many of these things I've
operated, or how many years I've been contesting on RTTY, I feel so lucky to
still be a part of it all.
73, Don AA5AU
Equipment
Icom IC756 PRO III
Kenwood TS870
Antennas
3 element SteppIR at 45'
2 element SteppIR at 35' fixed due north
40 meter inverted vee
80 meter inverted vee
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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