K7RAT (N6TR opr) - High Power / Single Operator in CN85
6 meters: 249/113
2 meters: 91/21
222 MHz : 20/13
432 MHz : 45/18
Total 405/165 with a few dupes counted as zero points = 76,560.
Antennas:
6 meters: 7 elements / 37 foot boom at 45 feet.
6 elements / 24 foot boom at 95 feet
5 elements / 20 foot boom at 40 feet fixed on W6.
5 elements / 20 foot boom at 0 feet - broken
A WX0B stack-match was used to feed the three antennas - which was
very useful during the contest. The box was in the shack and never
even felt warm with 1500 watts going through it.
2 meters: 2M5WL M-square at 60 feet
222 MHz: 7 element Cushcraft at 50 feet
432 MHz: 28 element M-square at 55 feet.
Radios: TS850 / Demi transverter for six meters into a Teletec brick
and a pair of 3-500Zs.
FT736R for 144/222/432 with bricks for 2M and 432.
What an experience. This is my first VHF contest effort and it will
be something I'll never forget. It was a lot of fun building up
the station for the contest and having very little idea what would
really be possible. I never imagined that I would work 45 stations
on 432 - with only a handful of them moving the S-meter.
By far - the high point of the contest was at 1723 UTC on Sunday
when DF9CY called me. I figured that it must had been KF9CY.
What followed was a 30 minute opening to Europe with 13 stations
put in the log. I never knew I could hold my breath that long.
Signals were best on the 45 foot high antenna - which was strange,
since most signals all weekend were better on the higher antenna.
There was a strange opening to the east coast around 10 PM local
on Saturday (0500Z). Too bad it was so late as I am sure a lot
of people were in bed. It was the only double hop opportunity
that I heard (except for one station in EL09 near the end, but
only for a second).
Did manage a few 2 meter aurora QSOs. Did try a QSO on MS, but
that didn't work out.
Seems really stange to work some great DX, but not a single
DM03 or DM04 station on six meters.
Many thanks to Stan, W7NI, for the loan of much of the equipment
and an antenna or two. Also to Lew, W7EW, for his technical
assistance and initial infection resulting in this strange behavior.
Hopefully, he will give me the antidote now.
73 Tree N6TR
n6tr@contesting.com
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