ARRL DX Contest, SSB
Call: P40N
Operator(s): N4OC, K0DQ
Station: P49V
Class: M/S HP
QTH: Aruba
Operating Time (hrs): 48
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160: 258 51
80: 738 58
40: 1471 60
20: 1513 61
15: 3115 59
10: 433 44
-------------------
Total: 7528 333 Total Score = 7,520,472
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
The "Admiral's Adventure" began a year ago when Ed, N4OC, approached me about
operating in a contest. He had operated from W1ZM 30+ years ago and wanted to
get back into contesting. We decided a Caribbean vacation combined with a low
key phone operation would be just the trick. Carl and Sue Cook provided the
venue at P49V and our brides were happy to 'tag along.'
Our goals and expectations for the contest were summed up in 'have fun.' Ed
had made maybe a few dozen contacts in the last decade and none from a DX
location. He'd never used a computer in a contest. My last multi-op was in
1967 from CX2CO and I'd done one phone contest in the last 30 years (ZF2DQ
where I lost my voice after 24 hours).
After a few hours of prep on Thursday and Friday, zero hour arrived. Ed took
the chair about 04Z and I went to bed. He went from zero to 60 in short order
with a near vertical learning curve. At the start, typing and talking
simultaneously were a challenge. within a few hours he was hitting 150/hour
rates and, being the young guy, became the marathon runner in the team,
operating probably over 60 percent of the time.
We ended the first 24 with just over 4K QSOs and set a goal of 7K, which was a
stretch to the second day/50% rule. Ended up with 7500+ Q's with a great run
the last few hours on 15 and, especially, 20. Most of the 10 meter Q's and
mults came in a late 21Z opening the first day which lasted about two hours.
160 was a real chore with no loud signals. We missed several W7 mults on both
10 and 160.
All Q's but one were on one radio and one amp with no voice keyer (never again)
and no spotting networks. We did have a second radio for watching for band
openings and one QSO (VY2ZM on 20 - thanks Jeff).
But what a blast. The camaraderie combined with sharing the load made even a
phone contest fun.
As for Ed, he's hooked. "What's the next contest?"
Thanks to Sue and Carl for their superb hospitality and a well-engineered
station which allowed a real "turn key operation."
Thanks also to all for the QSO's with "Papa Forty Navy" - not the best phonetic
perhaps, but accurate!
Scott, K0DQ
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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