CQ WPX SSB
Call/Op': NX9O
20m (I did not plan it that way, it just happened)
60 QSOs
110 QSO points
58 prefixes
Total Score: 6380
It had been too long since I played in an HF contest. I operated
stolen minutes here and there. Depending on how you count it, it was
3-5 hours of operating time. Equipment was an FT-990, SDR-14 as
pan-adapter, 100' of old neglected (waterlogged?) RG-8X and the driven
element of a tribander hung in a tree at about 30 feet.
Some contacts were simply to hard to make. I am glad that others have
noted the bands were not in good shape. It just seemed quite difficult
for a little pistol.
The SDR-14 really showed me what was going on with 190kHz of waterfall
display. I was on for the last 1/2 hour of the contest and it was
really striking to see the fully occupied bandwidth become nearly
empty after the top of the hour. Unfortunately, I did not save any
screen captures or recordings. It should be even more interesting when
my (new to me) FT-1000MP with full Inrad filters arrives later this
week.
I will try to not be so scarce in contests into the future. Three kids
plus a working wife that is also finishing an accounting degree have
made it tough over the last 3-5 years.
73,
Brian
NX9O
Alpharetta, GA
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