CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: N1UR
Operator(s): N1UR
Station: N1UR
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: VT
Operating Time (hrs): 45
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 19 6 6
80: 129 15 49
40: 304 25 86
20: 470 29 90
15: 486 25 87
10: 134 19 57
------------------------------
Total: 1542 119 375 Total Score = 2,108,392
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
Had a great strategy going in, I thought, S & P for the first 2 hours at a good
clip, looking
for 70 + per hour and then settle into somewhere on 40 and CQ all night while I
S & P on radio 2.
The rate ended up more like 50 an hour and my CQing on 40 was going no where. I
was questioning my
antenna (new 2 el at 80 feet) until I heard a couple of top 10 HP guys calling
stations and
being CQ'd in their face. I figured either high A or Aurora (big VT problem) or
both. In either
case, it didn't matter, but it changed my strategy in a hurry. I abandoned the
CQing for another couple
of hours and really S & P'd the bands strong. Kept trying to get something
going on 40 the whole first
night, without success (even at their sunrise only seeing a response every 5 +
minutes).
This contest was a test of a new sleep strategy that had me doing 30 mins in the
first 18 hours. Worked
better than I imagined. I started CQing 20 into EU around 1030Z while still
hunting on radio 2. Hard to crack
the EU activity early but a run got going. I had switched to 15 by 1130Z and
really took off! I recorded the
best 2 hour run ever in a CW contest from the US for me. 2 hours of 120 and
125. It absolutely killed me to pull off of
that and do a fast S & P run on 10 but I had to. 10 sounded crappy but open and
I knew I could work a lot of mults.
I can't really run better than 90 - 100 on CW and do a good job S&Ping on radio
2 and I didn't want
to do both, mediocre. So I pulled off and actually had a nice 80 + hour on 10
totally S & P, and
all new mults.
10 didn't last long, so I was glad I did. I then went back to 15 CQing and mult
hunted 10 methodicly
until it closed. Kind of neglected 20 on the first day because I figured it
would always be there. Probably
should have done a little more on day 1 than I did. 15 into Pacific and Asia
was just okay for me on day 1. That's
the week spot in my location and the band was just okay. Again I tried to get
40 going by trying it early this time.
Had good luck calling people but a run never established. Was able to do a
little 40 LP at sunset for a couple of mults
but it was not as productive for me as I had hoped (need more experience, it was
my first ever attempt at 40 LP in a
contest). The second night was a little better. 80 wasn't bad for me but just
an inverted vee right now at 70 feet.
Considering the antenna, I was okay with it. 160 was very spotty. Actually
worked zone 14 and 15 (GJ2 and OK). Great ears
from some of these guys. Need to improve on 160 here too.
Day 2 saw even less of 10 so I was glad I did what I did. Never did anything
but radio 2 S&Ping on 10 on day 2.
15 rate was slower but a solid 75 - 80 which was pretty darned good for a low
power station on day 2 after the rate
I had on day 1. I spent more time CQing on 20 on day 2 and had good solid 90
rates for about 3 hours. The 4 over 4
stack with 35 foot separation plays very nice on 20. Not optimum for sure, but
holds a frequency with the ridge drop
off I have here at the N1UR QTH. Saw more Asia and Pacific on 15 and even
worked a couple 10M pacific. No JA on 10 (not surprised).
Again tried early CQing on 40. Worked a little better (finally) although it
seemed like half the callers were VEs (no problem with that).
I finished with a very nice over the pole S & P and CQing combo on 20 (30 mins
doing one, 30 mins doing the other). In my opinion,
listening to the fluttery CW signals coming in from exotic locations over the
pole is one of the coolest parts of contesting/DXIng. It
is a lot of fun and very motivational to pick up some mults when you are tired
and finishing off the contest. Sure beats
battling it out for the new meat on 15 or 20 in the Carib or SA.
I completely walked from a couple of insane pile-ups (lost 3 or 4 doubles as a
result). Kept going back and try a few calls, but never got
through. Biggest surprise was doing that on a WH2A pile-up and then hearing
AH2R about 10 kcs down on 15M and nailed him first call. Got to love
that, when it happens. Pretty cool busting the 20M Long Path pile-ups into VK,
VK6, etc. with many HP stations in the mix.
I had a great time with my first CQ WW CW contest at this new hillside station.
It has a great (big time) fall off to EU and Africa (or LP Asia and
Pacific). It has a pretty decent drop to SA/Carib. And its sloping up (not so
good) into Pacific and Asia short path. I must say that the HFTA
model is very very accurate based on the contest performance. When I think I
should be REALLY LOUD, I am. And when I figure I am handicapped, I am.
Next on the agenda for antennas? 80M vertical for sure. I think 160 is going
to wait until next summer but I may get an 80 wire vert up for ARRL DX.
Might put up a 20M south wire beam as well.
Sure, conditions sucked. But I had one hell of a time playing with the coolest
of all new ham toys. Mono banders on a tower and a nice QTH to many
parts of the world. Radios are still on a temporary table in the still "in
construction" house, but the antennas are done. To all the SO2R vs antenna
discussion participants, if you need to know what's most important. There's
your answer.
See you in Feb... I'll just be getting on for an hour or 2 in 10 and 160 tests.
Got to finish up this house too!
73,
Ed N1UR
Station: SO2R FT1000MP/FT990 WX0B six pack, DX Doubler, Dunestars (manual
switched)
10M 3el NE (20 ft), 2el South (45 ft), 3 el west (50 ft)
15M 8el NE (30 ft), 2 el south (45 ft), 3 el rotate (75 ft)
20M 4/4 (71 ft rotate and 35 ft EU)
40M 2 el rotate 80 ft
80M inv vee 70 ft
160M inv vee 60 ft.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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