ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest - 2020
Call: NV4B/R
Operator(s): NV4B
Station: NV4B/R
Class: Rover LP
QTH: MS
Operating Time (hrs): 8
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
222: 14
432: 17
903:
1.2: 5
2.3:
3.4:
5.7:
10G:
24G:
------------
Total: 36 Total Score = 15,303
Club:
Team:
Comments:
I had originally planned to operate from a site in EM73 on one day and EM54 on
the other, but I spent Friday night and Saturday getting my 222 setup
reconfigured and missed the start of the contest. I went instead on Saturday to
Colbert Heights Mountain, EM64dq, where I made 6 QSOs, including my first-ever
1296 QSO, a 294-mile shot to AG4V/R in EM35.
I went to Woodall Mountain in EM54vs as planned Sunday morning. Conditions were
good to start, but as usual, the switch flipped around 9:30 a.m. local and
activity died down. Fortunately, fellow rovers AG4V/R and W5VY/R kept things
interesting until the very end of the contest.
Although my newly-reconfigured 222 setup using a Elecraft KX3 as the IF radio
worked well, even with a jury-rigged digital setup, I was plagued with antenna
issues. Two antennas that "worked the last time I used them" both had
high SWR this time, even on multiple feedlines. I had to make do with a
4-element Yagi with a 3:1 SWR. The DEMI 222-28 transverter still made 15W (and
a few very valuable QSOs), and, despite clearly being unhappy at this situation
and running quite hot, it survived and acquitted itself very well as usual.
Still, the antenna situation cost me valuable time early Sunday morning.
I was happy with how 1296 went. This was my first venture on 23 cm with my new
ICOM IC-9700 at 10 watts. I used a 14-element Directive Systems loop Yagi and
worked 5 grids, all on CW. I attempted two other 1296 QSOs, but signals and
conditions weren't quite good enough to complete contacts.
Thanks to all for the QSOs, and a special thanks to fellow rovers AG4V, WB8LYJ,
W5VY, and NJ4Y. You guys are a big motivator for me and others to get on the
air.
This has turned into what may be my favorite contest. The distance-based
scoring makes it interesting even for those of us far from centers of VHF/UHF
activity. I hope the ARRL keeps this one on the schedule.
Station:
222: Elecraft KX3 driving DEMI 222-28 transverter (25W), Cushcraft A224WB 4L
432: ICOM IC-9700 (75W), Cushcraft A430-11S 11L
1296: ICOM IC-9700 (10W), Directive Systems DSE2314 14L loop Yagi
Best DX:
222: K5QE (EM31cj, 641 km/398 mi)
432: N4SVC (EM80mi, 694 km/431 mi)
1296: AG4V/R (EM35nd, 473 km/294 mi)
Mode breakdown:
222: 9 CW, 1 SSB, 4 FT8
432: 7 CW, 2 SSB, 7 FT8, 1 FM
1296: 5 CW
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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