ARRL September VHF Contest - 2021
Call: W3XTT
Operator(s): KA1ZE
Station: W3XTT
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: FN01XT
Operating Time (hrs):
Remote Operation
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6:
2: 162 68
222:
432:
903:
1.2:
2.3:
3.4:
5.7:
10G:
24G:
-------------------
Total: 162 68 Total Score = 11,016
Club:
Comments:
Finally back on the air after 58 weeks of inactivity (but who was counting?) My
tower had developed a wobble over time and needed attention. The past antenna
system was made of 13 2 meter yagis. The wobble was corrected and all the
aluminum taken down. It was replaced with a single 12 element homebrew yagi at
160 feet. A new Flex6600 and ME-2XP transverter got me back on air. My trip to
the remote in FN01 set the new system up for 750 watts from the amplifier. All
was good, I returned to Florida and made many FT-8 contacts prior to the contest
testing the station... I decided to implement CW to the remote just before zero
hour. Well, .. something had gone wrong and not only had CW not worked but the
amplifier appeared dead on FT-8. The contest began and not wanting to totally
fry the non working Amp I ran with just the transverter. My set up power to the
Amp was 6.8 watts. Not so much power and it was no wonder that I got no response
from my CQing. I turned it all off and came back later to try again. This time I
did S & P, answering only stations with + signal levels. The band was in
terrific shape and I heard lots of great DX. I started calling the stronger
stations and couldn't believe they actually heard my QRP signal. I went to bed
disappointed that the amplifier was thought to be dead and pretty amazed at all
the good contacts I had made with QRP power. The sun will come up in the morning
and I will play again! After all, more than a year of inactivity.
Sunday I decided to try the Amp again.... same result I only could see
negligible output. I have no real watt meter but can measure linear voltage from
the output. The decision was made that the amp didn't trip anything and I knew
the antennas were working so what harm could I do by just letting it run? My
station engineer Chris, NG3W saw me telling my tale of woes on the chat page and
took a ride to the station to see if anything could be done. The engineer,
looked at the meters and chatted with me on the phone. Hmmmmm, amp was putting
out 30 watts, perhaps there might be a drive level problem? The transverter has
a neat built in wattmeter. It was putting out 3 tenths of a watt! Well it was no
wonder the Amp wasn't putting much power out I increased the drive from the Flex
and the Amp started humming at 750 watts out. Hooray, nothing broken but still I
wonder why I needed to increase the drive from the Flex?
If you read all of my incessant chirping, I will now talk about what made my
log.... All day Saturday power was from xvter only and Sunday morning 30 watts
from amp. 102 QSOs from 52 grids made the log. Oh, how I wished I had found the
problems solution earlier. Clearly, The band was in GREAT shape. Once the power
was back on, Working stations was a snap. Only problem was I had worked so many
earlier that there was slim hunting.
The big RED BLOB never made it my way and although I heard many IN / OUT 5's
none were worked. It was a great contest and might have been my all time high
GRID total had it not been for perhaps, "fog in the cockpit?"
Can hardly wait for the next contest.
73, to all who participated.
Stan
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