CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: N5AW
Operator(s): N5AW
Station: N5AW
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: TX
Operating Time (hrs): 40
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 59 15 37
80: 223 20 74
40: 532 32 101
20: 796 32 116
15: 442 29 92
10: 33 7 10
------------------------------
Total: 2085 135 430 Total Score = 3,216,545
Club: Central Texas DX and Contest Club
Comments:
My first serious effort in a major CW contest with high power (after 60+ years
of low power contesting). Still learning but, with my good antennas, it was not
much different (not the case for phone). Probably should have run more but had
that same problem with low power (I'm too much of a DXer). During this portion
of the sunspot cycle there are large chunks of time when there aren't many
signals from Europe or Japan here in Texas and run rates become very slow. Even
with a second radio I find putting my full attention on S&P with one radio
is more efficient for me. 51 percent of my contacts were S&P. Thanks to
K5PI for loan of his KPA500 for an amp on the 2nd radio. Did not notice much
difference between it and the 1.3 KW main radio.
Considering the sunspot cycle conditions were pretty good although they were
better the day before the contest. Ten meters never opened to zone 8 from here
or if it did I missed it. Pretty good openings to Europe on 80 and 160 by Texas
standards.
Unfortunately the noise problem I had during the phone contest, which went away
right after that contest, raised it's ugly head again beginning Friday. It made
running JA particularly tough. The K3's DSP does an amazing job of pulling weak
signals out of the noise but isn't so good with a pile up. On the low bands the
noise is worse on my beverages than on the transmit antenna. I tried using a
noise canceler with one of the beverages as the noise antenna. I could reduce
the noise but also reduced the desired signal. Maybe a different noise antenna
will work better but really need to find the source (don't think it's the same
one that is giving problems on the higher bands).
I'm afraid that operating 40 or more hours in these contests is not good for
one's health, especially when you're 76 years old. In addition to three short
sleep breaks I did several short walks - sitting in a chair for hours on end
puts you at the risk of blood clots among other things. Don't think I'll do
this many hours again. I like the 36 hour limit of WPX. Love CQ WW with all the
juicy DX though!
Marv N5AW
2017 CQ-WW-CW N5AW
Continent List
160 80 40 20 15 10 ALL
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
USA calls = 1 2 29 43 11 1 87
Canada calls = 16 19 42 63 42 0 182
NA calls = 13 20 27 28 28 3 119
SA calls = 5 10 34 44 72 29 194
Euro calls = 17 144 208 424 115 0 908
African calls = 4 9 17 20 17 0 67
Asian calls = 1 4 16 18 4 0 43
Japan calls = 1 12 147 137 137 0 434
Ocean calls = 2 4 17 22 20 0 65
Total calls = 60 224 537 800 446 33 2100
(includes 15 dupes)
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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