ARRL DX Contest, CW
Call: KT1V
Operator(s): NT1N
Station: KT1V
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: NH
Operating Time (hrs): 45
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160: 102 52
80: 351 70
40: 937 92
20: 1075 103
15: 675 99
10: 973 91
-------------------
Total: 4113 507 Total Score = 6,256,900
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
Another fine contest from the KT1V shack. Thanks Ted and Margaret! This was my
first serious single op effort in an ARRL DX Contest. This contest was never
all that much fun from W9 and W0. But it sure is an F1 QSO party from New
England.
The big 3 el 40 kicked butt the first night. On Saturday morning I was turning
it back to EU. When I stopped the prop pitch from turning, the indicator said
it stopped. I didn't pay any attention to it again until I smelled burning
capacitors! The rotor never stopped. Ripped the coax pigtails out of the
hardline on the 3 el 40 and the big 10 m yagi above it. I felt horrible about
it, because that is a big job to fix. With the temps below zero neither of us
was going up the tower. Finished the test with a 2 el Cushcraft on 40, but for
some reason my enthusiasm for my favorite band waned after I killed the big
antenna :( And I also really missed that great ten meter antenna which serves as
the second antenna on the band.
I almost quit then, I was so dejected, but decided to hang in there and not
enjoy being further frustrated by all the frequency fights caused by folks
coming by and hearing a quiet frequency that in fact was being used by a
super-weak guy, who I could hear, giving my report etc. Then, the interlopers
often refused to leave the frequency thinking they had won it fairly. BS. I am
very discouraged by these fights--especially from the 2s and 3s who should know
better. So, I had to move often. Glad it works out in the end. I guess I need
to use the 250 hz filters more often so I don't get flustered as much. I know
this station is louder on the DX end!
160 was fabulous. The band was open, but very very weak. I really got caught
up in DXing when I should have been CQing, but it was the fun thing to do at the
time. 80 was great too occasionally. Just not enough guys to work after a
while. It really makes me appreciate the tremendous work of W1MK who always
turns-in such FB scores on the band.
And, for the first time I experienced a horrible case of what I think K5ZD
termed "no-sleep drunkenness"? At 0430L Sunday morning, I couldn't remember
what the contest was about, what the keys on the keyboard were for, what the
frequencies on the radio meant etc. So, I went to bed and literally passed out.
I set an alarm for 0600. And again, proving Randy's sleep stories correct, I
opened my eyes at 0558--a perfect sleep cycle. But, when I went down to the
shack it was even worse. I had no idea how to operate, what to do, or why I was
there. I relate this story because it has never happened to me before, and it
really bothered me! :) It seemed like no matter how hard I thought, I couldn't
understand why I was sitting in that silly chair. I have never had much
difficulty making it through 48 hours in a contest and I expected to do that
this weekend. I did not sleep well on Thursday night and was unable to sleep in
on Friday, so I paid the price. Eventually, I figured out (about 0620) how to
CQ and then people called me and rote routine took over. I also, was
freezing--my hands especially. I think Randy said something about that too!
Thanks for the great competition from Scott and Bob. That kept me from
quitting--sorry! :)
Then, after the contest ended, I called my wife and she said "Did you know there
is going to be a blizzard tonight and tomorrow? Of course I had no clue. I was
simply too tired to set-out for the three hour drive at ten PM, and decided to
sleep a while and get an early start and hope for the best. Managed to get up
the driveway with my "horrible-in-snow" car at 8 this morning. Whew. Over a
foot of snow here now with another foot plus expected.
I think I have worked contesting out of my system for a while. CU in the next
one from my home station sometime in the distant future! Hopefully Ted will get
to put in a full effort next year as his young family (brand new baby!) gets a
little older. Ted will really like his new station! :) Maybe his son will
someday too! In the meantime, I sure appreciate the chance to keep the seat
warm.
73, Dave, NT1N One of the terrible "Ts"
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