CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: ND0C
Operator(s): ND0C
Station: ND0C
Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: MN
Operating Time (hrs): 32
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 4 3 2
80: 19 6 8
40: 86 20 46
20: 139 22 64
15: 154 25 63
10: 216 27 79
------------------------------
Total: 618 103 262 Total Score = 623,420
Club: Minnesota Wireless Assn
Comments:
After running SSB in CQ WW and SS, I was ready to give my voice a rest! This was
all S&P, but I had some decent rates for a couple hours on 10 and 15
Saturday morning. I took a fair amount of time off for a little sleep and some
quality time with my family. I had just flown back home late Friday afternoon
from a business trip and my wife flew out this (Sunday) morning for another
trip. So I was also playing Mr. Mom today - a little distracting! But I need
to remind myself that despite my masochistic love of QRP contesting and DXing,
there are actually more important things in life!
The bands seemed pretty good, but 10 wasn't as good as the SSB contest last
month. When 10 is open on the first day, I hit it pretty hard, respecting the
possibility that it may head south the second day. I think this strategy paid
off this year because 10 didn't seem as good on Sunday.
40 seemed pretty decent from here. I didn't hear as much DX on 40 as I think I
should, probably due to low antennas, but I was fairly successful in working
much of what I heard. I'm pleased with the 46 countries on 40, considering the
location, antennas and the power level (and maybe the operator too!). I was a
little disappointed in the multiplier total on the high bands, so 40 helped to
take up the slack. Despite what the books and experts say, the rotatable 40
meter dipole at 42' really seems to work! As usual, 80 is pretty a much a
non-starter for me and 160 - forget it!
I really enjoy stumbling across some juicy DX (e.g. 3DA0, the 5W, 3D2R, a BG,
etc.) and a double multiplier - all alone, apparently before they've been
spotted and the hordes descend. As a general rule, I just tune past huge
pile-ups unless I can hear the DX station very well. If the DX is loud to me
and he's a good operator, I've had surprising success breaking through on just
a few calls. For me, running 5 watts, it's all about choosing my battles! I
did miss some typically easy mults on some bands - just couldn't find 'em!
This may not be a big revelation, but it occurred to me this weekend that the
operating ethics, in general, seem better on CW compared to SSB. But that does
seem to go out the window on Sunday afternoon when the pile-ups are big and
nasty and the prey is a rare mult. Too bad. I'll just go pick up some more
JAs instead of fighting the insanity!
There are a lot of very skilled DX operators out there. Thanks for your
efforts and patience, as well as your great ears, especially on the low bands.
We QRP folks know we can't get it done without you going above-and-beyond! BTW
- what is it with the guys using "/QRP" in their call? In the heat
of the battle, who cares? And why would anyone want to make their callsign
that much longer? I don't get it.
The ND0C "super-station":
Yaesu FT-897D - running 4-5 watts out (receiver is as broad as a barn, but
I'm kind of minimalist! I wonder if Santa will bring me a FTdx3000?)
Cycle 24 TX38 triband Yagi at 40' - full length elements - essentially 3
interlaced monobanders on a common 15' boom - 2 el on 20, 2 on 15 and 4 on 10
(appears to be doing a good job electrically; we'll see how it handles the
first Minnesota winter mechanically! - I bought the heavy duty version.)
Cushcraft D-40 rotatable dipole at 42' (definitely better than the inverted
vee 99% of the time - seems quite directional)
Inverted vee at 39' fed with ladder line and MFJ tuner (cloud-warmer)
Thanks and 73,
Randy, ND0C
"You don't have to be crazy to contest with QRP ... but it helps."
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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