CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY
Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Ohio EM89ps
Operating Time (hrs): 31
Summary:
Band QSOs Pts State/Prov DX Zones
------------------------------------------
80: 346 557 52 41 14
40: 275 527 42 55 17
20: 340 868 24 70 26
15: 45 103 8 22 16
10:
------------------------------------------
Total: 1006 2055 126 188 73 Total Score = 795,285
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
The CQ World Wide RTTY Contest was the first time I have ever operated
a Radio Teletype contest. My prior RTTY experience consists of a few
contacts during my college days at W8LT. This contest is just the
third time I used WriteLog. Finally, this contest continues my
(non-intentional) "all verticals, all the time" policy. I've lived in
this house for almost 5 years, and have yet to put up a tower or a
beam.
If there is one thing I've learned this weekend, its that RTTY means
"continuous duty". Its amazing how warm and cranky various components
become after CQing for a while.
Also, the switch from NA to WriteLog means using this new-fangled
Windows XP box instead of the old, reliable 486 box with Windows 98.
However, the new-fangled OS has some sort of Microsoft interpretation
of NTP built in, which is unable to actually control the system clock,
which gains about 1 minute an hour. So, every time I could remember,
I would bring up the clock setting widget to reset the system clock.
Since I'm new to RTTY, I didn't do much CQing the first day. On
Sunday, I started CQing frequently. After a while, the audio from the
IC765 would cut out a couple of seconds after switching to receive.
Strangely, there was still enough audio that MMTTY continued to
function, but the abrupt change makes tuning a bit disconcerting.
Pounding on the radio didn't help, but a quick flick of the
TRANSMIT/RECEIVE switch would bring back the audio. SO, I put up with
the annoyance.
15 meters wasn't very busy, so I cranked up the repetition rate on the
CQing machine to get more attention. In between audio dropouts, the
amp tripped off. The SWR on the trap vertical had gone high. Quick,
grab the MFJ259 and troubleshoot. Apparently, my homebrew remote
antenna switch conked out. I think the tired old Potter and Bumfield
relay that I bought at the Dayton Hamfest couldn't handle the strain
(it doesn't take very many milli-ohms of resistance in the continuous
presence of 5 Amps of RF to develop enough heat to scorch the
contacts).
OK, I probably won't use the 80 meter vertical any more, so bypass the
antenna switch.
All day, I've been watching my rate, and obtaining 1000 QSOs seems
doable. CQing on 20 around 2000-2200Z was very productive, but the
band is beginning to dry up. So, I switched to 40, and continued
CQing. After a few minutes, the rate picks up, and the 1000 Q goal
seems easily obtainable. VK6HD calls for a surprise solid, long-path
QSO. I assume long-path because that would be a night path, and I was
listening on the EU Beverage.
But the dropping audio is really annoying, so I fetched a window fan,
and stuck it in the window which is sort of behind the radio to suck
in some cool evening air. Eventually, the dropout problem went away.
Oh no! The amp tripped off again. Reset and try again. Tripped
again. The SWR checks OK at low power, so back off the power to 250
watts and resume CQing. The rate is suddenly gone, but I continue
calling and tweaking up the power. Around 800 watts, one can start to
see the SWR twitch. So back off to 500 watts and stay there. The
radio will be happier, too.
The interruption killed the run. There is only 40 minutes left, and I
need 35 Qs to get to 1000. Cranked up the CQ repetition rate and
stopped muttering at the W1s and N2s that call on top of the UA3s and
OL2s (I'll take any Qs at this point). After 25 minutes, I catch up
with the 1 per minute progression necessary to finish with a 1000 Qs.
Drat! The clock is 6 minutes fast! I forgot to keep tabs on it
during all the CQing and other adventures. So, furiously edit the
last few contacts to set their times back a minute or 3 to partially
offset the error, and to prevent a chronological discontinuity in my
log, all while running.
Finally, weird new problems stop occurring and I finish the contest
with 1006 QSOs, maybe enough to survive the log checking process with
more than 1000. Hopefully, the contest committee's log checking
software will tolerate my clock errors.
elderly IC765, K8ND's ETO 91B (thanks, Jeff)
80/160: 65 foot "T" with extra wires for 80
40/20/15/10: ancient 4-BTV on the ground with 32 radials
MMTTY 1.66G, WriteLog 10.54C
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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