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[3830] WPX CW PJ2T(WI9WI) SOAB HP

To: 3830@contesting.com, jhfitzpa@wisc.edu
Subject: [3830] WPX CW PJ2T(WI9WI) SOAB HP
From: webform@b41h.net
Reply-to: jhfitzpa@wisc.edu
Date: Sun, 7 Jun 2009 12:29:16 -0700
List-post: <3830@contesting.com">mailto:3830@contesting.com>
                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: PJ2T
Operator(s): WI9WI
Station: PJ2T

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Signal Point
Operating Time (hrs): 32

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:    0
   40: 1082
   20:  850
   15:  604
   10:    2
------------
Total: 2538  Prefixes = 863  Total Score = 9,211,620

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

This was the seventh consecutive year that we've gone to Signal Point to run the
WPX CW contest from PJ2T. We had planned to leave Madison on Sunday the weekend
before the contest, driving to Chicago, flying from O'Hare to Miami, staying
overnite at the airport hotel in Miami, and continuing on to Curacao on Monday
morning. Murphy, however struck before we even got out of the driveway. I
injured my right shoulder and arm playing hockey on the Wednesday night before
we were due to leave. It hurt like hell and I couldn't move it and was pretty
sure I had broken my humerus. After a few hours in the ER and enough x-rays to
make me glow in the dark, the good news was that aside from an insignificant
crack in my clavicle there was no bony damage. The bad new was that by clinical
exam I had a completely torn rotator cuff in my shoulder. I left with my arm in
a sling, and after a mostly sleepless night had an MRI the next morning which
confirmed the diagnosis. I was seriously considering canceling the trip by this
time. I basically couldn't move my arm except to bend it at the elbow.  After
the MRI I was able to sleep a couple of hours, and in a better frame of mind
gave the whole thing some more consideration. My orthopedic surgeon assured me
that if we went my arm wouldn't fall off, so it became a question of spending
my vacation at home drinking beer on the back porch or in the rec room while
watching hockey and baseball on the TV, or sitting in the seaside pavillion at
PJ2T or on the beach having a beer and doing at least some radio. Sanity won
and we left as scheduled. I was able to get a bit of motion back by the time we
left, but my wife Annette, KA9DOC, had to do all the driving and serious luggage
schlepping. After arrival and picking up the rental car we made our first stop
at the botica (pharmacy) to pick up an ice bag. The next stop was at the
Zentrum Supermarket for beer and incidentals such as food. We got to the house
at 1600 local. After a beer and a trip to the beach we napped a bit, then I
turned on the radio. I discovered I could operate by putting the paddles and
keyboard right on the edge of the operating table. I couldn't reach the radio
or much of the keyboard with my right hand, so I pretty much  had to do
everything except use the paddles with my left hand. Unfortunately I'm right
handed. I was able to operate only about 45 minutes before I had to stop
because of pretty severe discomfort in my arm and shoulder. Things weren't
looking very good. We spent the next 4 days doing tourist things, going to the
beach, downtown, out to eat, etc. I did a bit of minor station repair and
maintenance. I instituted heavy duty Double I (Ice 2-3 times a day and
Ibuprofen) and double B (Beer and Beach) therapy, as well as doing PT several
times a day. I tried to increase my operating time daily. I basically couldn't
move my elbow away from my body so I propped it on my rib cage. This led to
even klutzier keyboarding and CW sending than usual. By Friday I had improved
my motion to the point that I was able to move the paddle back a few inches
onto the table which improved my sending and lessened my fatigue and soreness
in the arm. I was now confident I could operate at least some of the contest.
When I started my goal was to try to stay in the chair at least 2 hours at a
stretch and do at least 24 hours in the contest. I started the contest on  40
and after 2 hours felt good enough to set my goal at 4 hours in the chair.
Rates were steady at a bit above 100/hr. I felt the band wasn't quite as good
as it was last year at this location when it was the best I've ever heard it in
May. Signals were a bit weaker and it was definitely noisier, especially towards
the US/JA. I made it through to 0600 and then took a 13 minute break to stretch,
do a short PT routine and make coffee. Things were getting slower. I'd love to
have a second radio at times like this, but PJ2T is optimized as a M/S, M/2
station and there is no 2 radio gear there, and it would be almost impossible
to make it into an SO2R station without major renovation, which isn't in the
cards. About the only way to do it would to bring your own SO2R box and your
own second radio and maybe even your own computer. I then made it through til
1000 just as it was getting light. I had about 800 QSOs, almost all 6 pointers,
but my shoulder was getting very fatigued and sore. I was also getting fatigued
from listening to the hoard of S0-S1 JAs calling me. They are great ops. It
often took many retakes to pull out a call or SN, but everyone stood by while
this happened.  I knew I was leaving at least 100 6 point QSOs on the table,
but I had to stop. I took a quick shower and went to bed. I set the alarm for 4
hours. I was still awake when my wife got up to go scuba diving an hour later,
but slept a couple of hours after she left and woke up before the alarm went
off. Onward to 20 meters. Twenty is generally slow in the late morning through
at least noon at this QTH. The US and Europe are working each other and there
is quite a bit of summer absorbtion until later in the afternoon. I found 15
open about 1530 and worked about 300 stations, almost all US, in the next 3
hours. When I went back to 20 it was wide open to all areas of the world, US
Eu, and JA with the occasional VK/ZL, SA, and African stations calling in.
About 2130 I just had to stop and regroup. I lay down for a planned 30 minutes,
but this turned into 45. I knew that this was using up operating time, but I
also knew I wasn't going to make a full 36 so it didn't matter. I stayed on a
very productive 20 until the end of day 1. I had 1539 QSOs in the log and about
4.3M points. I went back to 40 and not surprisingly rates were lower than Friday
night. I stayed there minus an hour break to watch the final period of the
Penguins-Red Wings Stanley Cup game until 0500. By this time I was very sore
and fatigued. I knew I was leaving a lot of QSOs on the table but I didn't
care. I took a shower, had a beer and went to bed. I didn't set the alarm. I
slept probably the best I had since I hurt my arm, and was up about 1400. I had
thought of getting up before sunrise to work JAs on 40 but decided I needed rest
more. This turned out to be a good decision. I felt much better when I got up. I
made coffee and breakfast and got on 20, and alternated between there and 15 the
rest of the contest. I took a couple of 10 minute breaks to stretch, but had no
problem staying in the chair. There was a nice European opening on 15 beginning
about 2100. Writelog says I operated a bit over 32 hours, but actual BIC time
was 30hrs 30 min.

In the end this turned out a whole lot better than I could have hoped for when
we arrived on Monday. I had hoped to do better than I did last year, and
probably would have had I been able to spend the full 36 in the chair, but that
wasn't in the cards. There were a lot of great scores out there especially from
the US, VY2TT and the propagationally chalanging location of Mr Bill KH7XS.
Even with a full effort it would have been a challange for me to make the top
10. I guess I'm satisfied and grateful that I was able to operate as much as I
did.

As always our thanks to Geoff W0CG/PJ2DX for the use of his wonderful house,
and to my colleagues in the Caribbean Contesting Consortium for the use of the
great PJ2T station. And thanks to everyone for the QSOs. Conditions were great
for the low spots and activity seems to increase every year in this contest.

Final note: I'm having the shoulder repaired July 3rd. Rehab will be 6-9
months, but I should be far enough along to participate in a Multi at PJ2T for
WW Cw

73

Jim
WI9WI


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