I surveyed the station yesterday to see if enough is working to activate it
for the ARRL DX SSB. Its been 4 years since I operated there -- and two
since a guest op. did a contest single band from there. No antenna working
correctly so quite a bit to do, but can be done (I think). So JA1NBN and I
will be on from W3USS next weekend for DX, hopefully all bands and all
weekend.
The station tends to be an alligator, especially on the low bands. From WV
I can work stations on 20 that don't move the "S" meter. At W3USS with
thousands of computers in the same building, an internal cable TV system
with its headend antennas 200 feet from our TH7, and an AM station antenna
site a few blocks away (behind Union Station) providing music on all bands
(even 2 meters), it is NOISY. 20 meters was a constant S5 today, 160 meters
was S9+10db EVERYWHERE, with AM broadcasts audible every 5 or so kHz. The
problems are compunded by thousands of rectification points formed by the
solid copper roof on the building. But we still will work some of the
deserving with the D.C. multiplier in the ARRL DX, 160-10, if everything is
fixed in time.
I also will be there later today (Friday) starting the repairs, and if I
have something that will radiate on 160, will op a few casual hours Friday
night 1.840-1.890 in CQ 160 test, despite the especially horrible receiving
situation on 160. The rules seem to miss D.C. (says there are 48 states --
D.C. is not part of any state of the United States, nor a DXCC country), but
I assume I'm allowed to fire up -- and if you work me you can figure out how
to count it, don't ask me! And don't try to argue with me about being in
Maryland or Virginia as some have in years past, please assume I'm capable
of knowing my own QTH, and that will be the U.S. Senate in D.C. if the
callsign is W3USS. (QSL CBA K3ZJ or W3USS, it all eventually comes to the
same place.) 73 Dave K3ZJ (0006358668@mcimail.com)
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