Pennsylvania QSO Party
Call: W3USA
Operator(s): K8MR, AC8E
Station: W3USA
Class: Mobile LP
QTH: 32 Counties
Operating Time (hrs): 21.5
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs RTTY Qs PSK31 Qs
---------------------------------------
160:
80: 174 142
40: 682 108
20: 159 22
15: 10 1
10: 1 1
6:
2: 5
---------------------------------------
Total: 1026 279 0 0 Mults = 118 Total Score = 238,250.0
Club: North Coast Contesters
Comments:
By County (in order of operation; in some cases we left and later returned to a
county)
CW SSB
Mercer 35 7
Lawrence 21 14
Butler 32 8
Armstrong 40 16
Indiana 41 25
Cambria 24 3
Somerset 53 12
Bedford 46 19
Fulton 26 2
Huntingdon 24 14
Franklin 25 9
Cumberland 48 1
York 19 2
Dauphin 21 0
Perry 11 0
Juniata 11 0
Snyder 21 0
N'umberland 27 14
Montour 27 19
Union 30 7
Lycoming 21 6
Clinton 20 12
Centre 41 12
Clearfield 51 21
Cameron 27 13
Elk 15 7
Jefferson 54 5
Clarion 32 0
Forest 33 14
Venango 36 0
Warren 53 5
Crawford 61 12
The score includes bonus points for 32 counties and 2 N3SH qsos.
Missed: ADA, CRN, CEN, FAY, FOR, JUN, MER, NUM, SUL, SUS, WAY. We operated from
six of those. Outside PA we missed RI, NLI, MS, SB, PAC, AK, EWA, ID, MT, NV,
UT; in Canada worked VE1-4 and VE7.
This year's operation was somewhat late coming together as my usual mobile
partner W8DRZ had cataract surgery the week before and was advised not to drive
at night. Fortunately I was able to recruit AC8E to take on the driving task.
I offered him an occasional shot with the mike, but he turned it down and made
me do all the work.
My goal was to beat the record set last year by W1NN and me as W3USA. With the
poor daytime conditions last year I thought it was a pretty good shot. Until
about 0100 things were going well, but when operating from York county I could
tell the local signals on 80 cw were getting weaker and watery. When K3WW kept
CQing in my face I knew things were bad.
In the last four hours, starting in York county, we had 85 qsos on 80 cw, vs.
329 last year. In Juniata we spent 20 minutes parked to work 8 qsos, and
decided to leave without even getting the 10 for the county bonus. Fortunately
we got a mini run (3 qsos) as we were driving out to make that quota. Things
were so bad we quit shortly after checking into our motel at midnight.
We didn't get a great night's sleep, so were up pretty early. We used that
extra time to travel the 5 extra miles in Montour county to visit W3TDF's
portable operation. Our 10 meter and 15 SSB qsos were with Ray as we were
leaving his site. Most of the other 15 cw qsos were moves with N6MU.
No radio problems. The only scare came before I realized that punching from 80
CW to 75 SSB did not automatically switch the antenna. This was just as we had
driven under some low hanging branches at a park in Fulton county, causing me
to think we had broken an antenna.
The weather was great though cool. This was the first trip where I have had to
clear frost off the car in the morning. It let me appreciate what the guys in
Minnesota (Feb) and Wisconsin (Mar) must have to put up with in their state qso
parties.
With the late date this year the leaves were in good viewing condition. It was
a real pleasure for a couple of trips off the highway into the forest in
Somerset, Lycoming, Cameron, Forest, and some other counties. Especially
considering how quiet the bands can be when you're away from the power grid.
Anyway, the K8MR minivan (1996 Windstar) has been emptied and put into semi
hibernation for the winter. Hopefully it will survive to return for the
Michigan QSO party next April.
73 - Jim K8MR
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|