CQWW WPX Contest, SSB
Call: VE3CX
Operator(s): VE3CX
Station: VE3CX
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Kaministiquia, Ont
Operating Time (hrs): 36
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 7
80: 430
40: 583
20: 990
15: 93
10:
------------
Total: 2103 Prefixes = 729 Total Score = 4,761,099
Club: Contest Club Ontario
Comments:
Well, that was fun!
Just for a bit of background on the following story, I am a lot further west
that most folks realize â?? I am west of Thunder Bay and north of Wisconsin.
Folks in New York state are used to hearing VE3' on ground wave, and assume I
am also in that part of the province as well. So, when I am the only VE3 they
are hearing, it can be unexpected.
For 20 meters, I have two yagis â?? a 205 and a 204. When 20 meters is open in
several directions at the same time, it becomes an issue â?? which way to point
the antennas? To help with this problem, last summer I built a field day style
vertical. It was not meant to be a thing of beauty. Rather, it was constructed
from some old cat 6 cable. I put a ladder up beside a tree, and threw a rope
over a branch to help support this antenna. I used rope to hold a piece of
wire for the vertical, and tied the rest of the wires to an SO-239 connector to
make a vertical. The bottom of the vertical is tied to the trunk of the tree,
and the radials are laying on the ground. This is more a proof of concept
antenna instead of a permanent addition. I showed it to a few folks, and they
were amazed it would work. We all got a good laugh at its construction, and
that was part of the attraction of it :-) If it did not work, no big deal â??
just pull the rope down, and toss the works into the trash...
This past weekend, I was simply amazed how well it worked. The 205 was pointed
at Europe, and the 204 was pointed at W4. A W7 would call me, and I would have
a hard time hearing him. Tried both yagis, and then I decided to try the
vertical. Lo and behold â?? it not only worked, but worked well! I managed to
work quite a few W7's, a VE8, KL7 and several JA's with this antenna. When I
had the yagis turned the wrong way to work Europe, I even managed to break a
couple of pileups with this vertical! I also used it as a run antenna for a
while...
I was talking to a W2, and he was simply amazed at how loud I was â?? I was the
only VE3 he was hearing. I looked over to check the antenna switches, and sure
enough â?? I was on the vertical! At that point, I just had to laugh. Here is
a real field day style antenna - a vertical tied to a tree â?? and I am getting
compliments on my signal!
At one point this weekend, I tried to work one station, and he indicated he did
not want to swing the array to work me... I started thinking â?? for those
folks with big arrays, they should also consider adding a ground mounted
vertical to the lineup as well. Always pointed in the right direction, and at
times, it can sure save the day.
This antenna will be rebuilt as a proper vertical this summer now that I have
had the opportunity to try this out. When a yagi is pointed the right way, it
will beat this antenna hand down. However, when the yagis are not pointed the
right way, the vertical certainly held its own, and is always pointed the right
direction :-)
Thanks for the QSO's
73,
Tom â?? VE3CX
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
|