CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB
Call: VO1AU
Operator(s): VO1AU
Station: VO1AU
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Newfoundland
Operating Time (hrs): 42
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 90 10 42
80: 672 16 77
40: 283 16 74
20: 1269 31 114
15: 1162 27 105
10: 1015 25 98
------------------------------
Total: 4491 125 510 Total Score = 7,599,045
Club: East Coast Canada Contest Club (ECCCC)
Comments:
Rigs: TS-950, TS-850, TL-922 amp, SB-200 amp
Antennas:
10-15-20: two KT-34s at 55ft on separate towers, plus a ground-mounted
vertical
40: 2el phased quad loops on EU/NA, vertical dipole, 3el wire yagi on JA
80: vertical with four elevated radials
160: shunt-fed tower top-loaded with one KT-34 and with three elevated radials
NOTE: nothing higher than 55ft (17m). Those North Atlantic winds can be fierce!
Why tempt fate?
Other gear: ZS4TX SCK-II keyer (a real gem!)
Other gear not here: I was hoping to have some bandpass filters available so
that I could give SO2R a proper go, but events conspired against me. I will
have the remaining bits and bobs available for the CW contest.
Propagation: what a great surprise to see all bands in such great shape. Who
would have thought 10m would be so good at this point in the cycle? The low
bands were in great shape, too. This is what contesting must be like in heaven.
Activity: Lots and lots of DX. I was thrilled to be called by so many
hard-to-work spots, like: 9M2, 9M8, HS and 5U. So many folks were willing to
indulge me with band changes, for which I am very grateful. I only got my 160m
antenna working the weekend before the contest, so I never had a good idea how
well it works. Now I know - very well!
Improvement: My score shot up 40% over my last year's first CQ WW SSB effort
from this location. I've learned a few things and avoided some of last year's
errors. While my QSOs are up over 10%, it was really in multipliers that I made
signficant gains.
Problems: I just installed the second tribander on my second tower. It was
working great last week, but somehow a connector went bad during the ensuing
week and I was back down to only one. That slowed me down a bit. I have an RF
feedback problem into the SCK-II only on 160m. I must track that down. Both 40
and 80m are terribly frustrating in the SSB contest. The Europeans are just too
darned loud with each other. Working split to Europe on 80m is easy and
effective, but on 40m, how can one possibly hope to know what transmitting
frequency will be clear in Europe?
Praise: Thanks to CQ and those dedicated volunteers for the great job they do
with this contest.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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