Stew Perry Topband Challenge
Call: N5IA
Operator(s): N5IA
Station: N5IA
Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: DM52
Operating Time (hrs): 14
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 251 Total Score = 4,720
Club: Cactus Radio Club
Comments:
The constant variations in propagation and overall band changes were much in
evidence from my location. This is what makes Topband SOOOO interesting. You
never know what to expect.
I didn't try the Saturday morning window as the starting time of TBDC is 30
minutes after sunrise. Started at 0000Z and thought the band was good; quiet,
but not long. The night before east coast SSB signals were +20 but as the
contest started here there were very few east coast signals and those were
weak.
I worked 25 Q's the first hour, mostly TX, CO and AZ. The 6's hadn't started to
get on yet. The 14 hour time limit does that to you.
Hour 2 the rate dropped to 19; hour 3 brought 15; hour 4 yielded 17 and many of
the stronger stations I called did not even acknowledge. Still no propagation
to the east coast. They were all working the euros so it didn't matter. It is
a bit difficult to get their attention even under good conditions.
Hour 5 the prop opened to the SE and the carib guys started listening out west.
23 more Q's in the log including KV4 (thanks Herb), FM and Jerry from PJ2. Hour
6 added 19 more and then only 13 in hour 7. I could not find a CQing station
that I had not worked and my CQing yielded the few contacts.
Then the midnight hour brought a change. All of a sudden I was being called by
8's, 9's. 3's and northern 4's plus a few 1's and 2's. Wow! The best hour with
33 in the log. The 9th hour equaled the 1st hour with 25 more.
Then the bottom dropped out again with the next two hours yielding only 13 and
11 Q's. BUT, I managed to get JH2FXK in the log at 1038, JA3YBK at 1101 and
JA5DQH at 1107. Other JA stations were good copy but did not respond.
I listened during the ZL and VK3 sunset times but did not hear any from that
area. Hours 12 and 13 put at total of 38 more stations in the log. Most of
these were the Sunday morning midwesterners making a few contacts. Thanks guys,
those few contacts really make the difference.
Hour 14 provided only six Q's, but one of them was Steve, VK6VZ/6 who called me.
I had worked three KH6's earlier through the Pacific static so both Steve and I
had to ask for numerous repeats. But in the end we made it. What a thrill.
That is the longest QRP contact I have made on 160 Meters. It wasn't pretty
like the one with VK3IO last year; but it counts.
My average Q rate for the 14 hours was 18 per. I used the two 1KMP's in a SO2R
config with the Beverages independently selectable for either radio. This
setup is extremely useful when the answer rate on the run radio is so slow. The
S & P radio made about 40% of the Q total.
Perhaps next year the prop will be such that we can start hearing and working
some of the Europeans from out west. It has been a while. Happy and Prosperous
New Year to all. CU in the CQ 160 'tests in a few weeks. 73 for now de Milt,
N5IA
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