ARRL DX Contest - CW
Call: WC1M
Operator(s):
Station:
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: NH
Operating Time (hrs): 39
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
----------------------
160: 0 0
80: 50 32
40: 673 64
20: 767 81
15: 760 75
10: 647 70
----------------------
Total: 2899 322 = 2,798,502
Comments:
FT-1000MP / Alpha 87A, FT-990 / LK550-ZC
80M vee @65'
40M 4-square (ground mounted with 240 radials)
TH-7 @ 70'
C3E @ 48' (separate towers)
All switching (including bandpass stubs) automated with Top-Ten and homebrew
interfaces.
WriteLog
Better than last year, and my best in this contest, but a long way to go. Still
gotta get those mults up -- stations with fewer Qs are beating me in points. A
better antenna for 80M and something at all for 160M would help, as would a
beverage or two, but need to figure out why I'm still lagging on the high
bands. I really worked the second radio this time, which helped a lot, but I'm
still not finding all the mults I can work.
Got home from a cross-country trip to Seattle on Thursday and struggled to stay
awake on Saturday. Conditions were great that day, which helped keep me
involved. When I hit 1000 Qs by 1500, and 2000 Qs by 0300 Sunday, I thought I'd
make 3500. But a nap planned for 0845-1015 Sunday went until 1300 and I missed
2+ great hours on 10M. I must've slept right through the alarm clock. Next
year, it'll be multiple clocks, spread around the shack, or no sleep at all!
Also, conditions seemed to get worse through the second day. WWV numbers for
the period don't indicate any problems, but I think the geomagnetic field was
unsettled and atmospheric noise was a problem on all bands.
Oh yeah. My totals above don't include the 77 dupes I worked (on the theory
that this is better for UBNs than not working them.) Seems like they get worse
every contest. I swear I worked several stations four or five times. I'll have
to process the log to find out. I can sympathize with those who can't afford
computers, but I remember paying my dues by checking dupes on paper for many
years. They must figure they can work me faster than they can check for a dupe,
but I can't believe it's helping their score.
Also, why is it that more than half of the CW ops out there don't know how to
zero beat? I'd suggest that they spend a little less time practicing how to
send at 50 WPM and spend a little more time learning how the radio works. I
mean, it's OK to shift your pitch so that you can be heard in a pileup, but a
lot of stations probably didn't work me because they were outside my filter
skirts -- and I used the 500/400 Hz pair most of the time!
All complaining aside, I really love this. Can't wait 'til the next one!
73, Dick WC1M
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
WC1M 2899 322 2,798,502SOAB HP
--
FAQ on WWW: http://www.contesting.com/3830faq.html
Submissions: 3830@contesting.com
Administrative requests: 3830-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems: owner-3830@contesting.com
|