ARRL DX Contest, CW
Call: P40W
Operator(s): W2GD
Station: P40W
Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: Aruba
Operating Time (hrs): 42
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160: 267 49
80: 584 60
40: 786 61
20: 1086 61
15: 1041 60
10: 555 51
-------------------
Total: 4319 342 Total Score = 4,431,294
Club: Frankford Radio Club
Comments:
K3, 100W, Win-Test Software
160 Vert Dipole
160/80 Inv. V at 60'
80m half square at 50 feet - broadside USA
F12 2 el Delta 240 @ 68'
F12 C31XR @ 62' Never rotated off ~320 degrees.
F12 C3 @ 60' - used as 20M RX antenna
Beverage Antennas: 800' NE, 500' N/S, 500' NW
It was 30 years ago this week I operated my first ARRL DX CW contest from Aruba
as P40GD. At that time Aruba had only been a new country for 13 months. It was
very exciting being one of the few prior CW operations to operate here - the
pileups were huge. Three decades later, that excitement continues.
As they say no meters like ten meters. Some of use enjoyed weak to moderate
openings both Saturday and Sunday mornings - Sunday being much deeper and
longer. But it was like someone threw a party and few attended - perhaps the
invitations were somehow delayed or never delivered to the invitees? Rates
were never over the top. The disappearing sunspots are most evident on ten
meters - since even with my puny 5 watts last year I had more than double the
number of ten meter contacts. OK, time for us all to accept and adapt, this is
the new normal for the next few years ... suck it up and build bigger low band
antennas!
>From what I'm reading Top Band fans had a blast this weekend. An elevated
noise level in the Carib Friday evening stunted my participation but Saturday
night it was as quiet as it ever gets here - the K3 was reading just an S-2
noise floor with no crashes. This made possible some very good LP runs and I
know many stateside QRPers were rewarded.
There were P40 calls everywhere this weekend and we got together often during
the week for dinner. It was fun to have first timers NE9U, KK9K, W9RE and
HA1AG and to welcome back K1TO after a 23 year absence from One Happy Island.
We continued the Aruba post-contest dinner tradition in style - nothing like
breaking bread with friends after 48 hours of battle. Operating single-op more
often than not leads to a feeling of isolation - but periodic doses of
interaction with the other P4 operators via social media this weekend made me
feel much more connected.
Always fun to say hello to so many old friends of 40 years or more, and to meet
many new to this game. It is wonderful to be part of this - and to have the
opportunity to be competitive in a sport regardless of age.
Special thanks go to my Aruban hosts who after 20 years continue to facilitate
my nearly life-long contesting addiction, and to my XYL Elaine, KB2ERI, for her
never ending support.
73,
John W2GD
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|