CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: VE9AA
Operator(s): VE9AA
Station: VE9AA
Class: SOSB(A)/10 HP
QTH: 5
Operating Time (hrs): 22
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160:
80:
40:
20:
15:
10: 1697 32 136
------------------------------
Total: 1697 32 136 Total Score = 713,832
Club: Maritime Contest Club
Comments:
WHEW ! Another one in the books.
At high noon on Friday I installed my new 10m antenna. Yes, this adds
excitement and if constructed on the day of the contest, it is known to add
3dB.
What is my new antenna you might be asking yourself?
A TH6DXX? A 7 element Quagi or 5 el Quad? Nope !
A bunch of leftover wires cobbled together to make a ground plane. No solder,
no proper insulators. Just wire (various types), rope and some chunks of 3/4"
PVC that had been previously gnawed on by Canadian beavers. (I think this adds
1dB)
I launched my trusty C-Size battery (complete with black tape and orange marker
tape) over the top of a 50' Maple Tree and pulled up my 100' hank of
rope....onto which I tied my less than charismatic looking ground plane.
Really, let's be honest...it looked like a Charlie Brown xmas tree if truth be
known.
Would it work? Murphy had moved on because I tricked him into thinking I
wouldn't operate (no antenna til past high noon Friday - remember?)...
I got away with it. Only had to lower it twice to tweak the SWR and I was QRV
about 1:15pm....whew !
My goal was to beat the SO10 (A) VA3WN 251,375 2001 record.....I think I
may have acheived that.
Highlights, off the top of my scattered brain:
Making it through a thunderous pileup to KG6DX...wow, thanks for hearing my
limp lampcord antenna man - you ROCK !....it was as dark as the inside of a cow
here at that time. You peaked an honest 559---you can really run a
pileup.....6m is next ok?
VK4KW--My last QSO on an otherwise stone cold dead band....surprised? I never
give up on prop...spinning the VFO feverishly for the last hour.
Working a JA via the LP...that was pretty neat.
ZS4TX was first station through both mornings followed by C5A...even before
sunrise.
Lowlights:
Frequency fights and keyclicks. Not many, happy to say.
It burns my britches to hear DX working streams of folks and not identifying.
What's up with that anyways? Proud? Scared the pileup will go away if you
send your real call? Just really poor operating IMNSHO--wastes everyones time
when they could be onto someone else. Selfish ! GRRR
not working any UA0's...I had really hoped to do it. I wanted 1 more mult and
a couple more QSO's to break 1700 and get up around 750k, but for a measely
lampcord antenna, I think I managed.
Overall a very nice contest. Wish we had more hours of prop...roughly 11 hrs
per day.
Cheers,
Mike VE9AA...ic-746, 250Hz filter, 500w, N1mm, VK-64 and the now famous
lampcord antenna........buy it at a favorite ham radio outlet near you $19.95
(lamp included)
dit dit
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