IARU SUMMARY SHEET
Contest Dates : 10-Jul-99, 11-Jul-99
Callsign Used : N5NU
Operator : N5NU
Category : SOAB CW ONLY
Default Exchange : 599 7
Name : JASON GOLDSBERRY
Address : RT 1 BOX 1025
City/State/Zip : DOUGLASS TX 75943
Country : United States
Team/Club : NTCC
BAND Raw QSOs Valid QSOs Points Mults Zones
_______________________________________________________
80CW 4 4 10 0 4
40CW 168 167 511 9 19
20CW 591 588 2538 21 38
15CW 349 347 1364 19 30
10CW 32 32 98 3 10
_______________________________________________________
Totals 1144 1138 4521 52 101
Kenwood 850, TL922A amplifier, 1kW, 2 element Quad (fixed 60 deg) and 40m
dipole.
Final Score = 691713 points.
I have never toiled so hard during a contest before! The noise here was
incredible because of the lightning storms, which shut me down for an hour
or so. On 20 and 15 meters, I was transmitting on the Quad and listening
on the 40m dipole (had to throw switch every time, broke switch around
10:30z). That worked quite well actually, kinda like a beverage. It's
just a pain to have to flip the antenna switch every time I hear a weak
one, and then flip back. Here's my story in timeline fashion. This is
long, so hang on.
11:34z, I woke up to the sound of Cajun music being blasted over the radio
at a deafening level. Walked into the radio room to check out 40. 15
meters wasn't open yet because sun was just coming up. 40 sounded quite
dead for DX. It picked up some as the contest started. Worked about 3
JA's, FK, VK2, P40HQ, and CF6BF (zone 2), and then went to 20 meters.
Unfortunately, at this time my 2 element triband quad is fixed Northeast
because the 34-yr old rotor is sitting, unassembled in the shop. Have a
new one on hand, but wanted to wait until after the contest to have to work
on antennas. Anyhow, I did a mixture of S&P and running while listening on
the dipole for Asia. The JA's were about 5 S-Units louder on the dipole
than the quad. Not a good sign. Worked DU1 (only zone 50), some JA, YB4,
KH0, and R1FJL who was sitting high in the band CQ'ing. Left 20 meters at
13:14 for 15 meters.
On 15, Europe was wide open. Maybe I should've skipped 20 meters? Ran
Europeans and Western Asia. R1AND called in for Zone 67. R1MV sounded
lonely, but he was also quite weak here. Also VR2BG was well over S9 on
the dipole, and not so great on the Quad. BY1DX later worked. (Long
path?). Quick check on 10 at 15z. Back to 15, and back to 10 at 16z. 10
meters sounds like its in sad shape. Back to 15 meters. Worked JH8KYU who
was heard all throughout the daytime here. Went to 10 meters again at 17z
and picked up zone 12. Back to 15 meters again.
17:38z worked EA8ASJ, but an unsuccessful move to 10 meters. At 18:30 try
10 meters again. Work TZ6DX on the first shot. Don't know why I couldn't
hear EA8. Maybe he didn't go to 10? Back to 15 meters. The rate's really
suffering and its beginning to look ugly. Decided to head for 20 meters at
19:30z (way early). Just big guns, and R1MV, who I worked.
Around 20z, I check 10 meters and hear IR4T calling with no takers. Have a
relatively easy QSO. A few minutes later, I find IY2ARI calling CQ and
have a very difficult QSO.
It's just a toss-up between 15 and 20 meters. I check on 20 periodically
as I run 15. At 21z, I head for 20 and see what I can run. Have a nice
run going when computer locks up. I scramble around for the paddles but
the frequency is already gone. I scout out another frequency.
Work VE5SF but he can't hear me on 10. Back to 20, and then to 15 meters
at 23z. I take a break at 23:30 and go outside. My friend Michael sees me
out and comes on over. We waste an hour or so, and leaves as it begins to
rain. Run inside to hear deafening noise on the bands. I check 20 meters,
but noise is 599 +30dB! Sounds like 80m during a thunderstorm. 0100z go
to 15m but no new mults. I take a break to eat supper with the family.
My 'serious' CW contest has gone to pot.
Back to 20. ES9A is only new multiplier. At 0230z, I check 40. I'm
hearing some Europeans. Am actually having a few answer me for once. Most
require extra listening on the quad. (Thanks for patience LU4MSQ!). I
work my necessary zones, and don't waste a lot of time working them. I can
run better rate on 20. I do that, and am rewarded with HP1AC and RV9JR
calling in (zone 21). Then I get adventurous. I go to 80, and load it
through the tuner. Work zones 7 and 8, and 4 (great ears VE3OI). Back to
40 for VO1MP and a few others and off to 20. The Europeans have really
faded on 15 by now - its 11:30 here.
Mostly run Europe. Its 0430z here and the band is hot. ZL1CDX calls in for
my zone 60. Stay there for an hour. Zone 26 comes via UA0KCL. 0650z,
HL2BNU calls me for zone 44 on 20m. I'm beginning to lose propagation to
Europe, while JA is pounding in. Only new mults are RA9HO and CT1BH.
Later, ZS5RON calls me at 0741z for a difficult QSO at his sunrise (I
think). It's amazing how I am able to sit in the chair and not totally
fall asleep.
RK0SXF calls me for zone 32. He's quite loud. The rate is dropping fast
though. A weak TF3DX/M calls for my lone zone 17, and in the next minute
VK6HD brings 58 to me. How did I hear the VK6? What kind of path would you
call that? I find 8J3JHQ for the JARL mult, and TZ6DX calls me for 46 on 3
bands. I get bored with 20 and check 40 out. I haven't been there for a
while.
VK4EMM is only new multiplier, and he is quite loud. However he's the only
game in town. A quick S&P on 20 meters nets me RU0LL, WH7Q, and PA6HQ
mults. Back to 40 meters, its 1028z and JA's should be there - and they
are. Not very loud, but audible. Thats what I deserve for having dipole
antennas. HC5AI calls me for zone 12 (thought I had it on 40). I look up
and see the first bits of light at 1057z. At 1113z I walk out and can see
the neighbor's house in the light. Back in to look at 20 meters. H2Q
multiplier takes some time, but in the log. I check 15 at 1130z and work
SP7GIQ but thats all. Back to 20 and then to 40 at 1140z. ZL1AMM calls in
for zone 60. Then I realize that I lack zone 6 on 80 meters!
In haste I load up 40m dipole on 80. Tune and hear K6LL faintly calling
CQ. In short, after 3 minutes he gets the call right and my last mult is
in the log at 1159z.
1205z, everything's off, and 1215z I'm in bed. Got up at 1235z to unplug
alarm clock because it was singing again - for no appearant reason. I
sleep for a little under 2 hours, and then rise at 1430z and go to church.
So thats the story here. The score REALLY stinks compared to the other
CW-Only ones. I'm thinking that with a rotatable antenna and a quiet
receiving antenna it would've been a lot better? Oh well, there's always
next year.
BTW, congrats to W7RM youth crew, 9A7P (9A6NHH nice job, 1300 Q's VFB), and
to all those who beat me (virtually everyone)
73, Jason N5NU
n5nu@inu.net
http://www.inu.net/n5nu/
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