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[3830] ARRLDX CW K7KU(K0KR) SOSB/20 HP

To: 3830@contesting.com, k0kr@arrl.net
Subject: [3830] ARRLDX CW K7KU(K0KR) SOSB/20 HP
From: webform@b4h.net
Reply-to: k0kr@arrl.net
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2014 02:40:12 +0000
List-post: <3830@contesting.com">mailto:3830@contesting.com>
                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: K7KU
Operator(s): K0KR
Station: K7KU

Class: SOSB/20 HP
QTH: WY
Operating Time (hrs): 

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:           
   80:           
   40:           
   20: 1176   106
   15:           
   10:           
-------------------
Total: 1176   106  Total Score = 372,696

Club: 

Comments:

I believe this to have been my very first try at a 20m single-band entry in any
ARRL-sponsored event.  It did not go as expected.

In each of 2011 and 2012, I participated in this contest as an all-band
entrant.  (I missed 2013.)  My hunch was that the 20m columns on my rate sheets
for the 2011-2012 go-rounds would provide something of an education regarding
20m single this year.  My hunch was right, but it was also quite wrong.

The right part:  QSO rates for my best hours proved to be remarkably similar
among 2011, 2012, and this year.  The wrong part:  the particular hours of the
day that delivered those rates varied considerably this year from what I found
in 2011 and 2012.

This year had another thing in common with 2012, and not entirely a good one. 
Multi-path propagation to EU was pronounced over substantial spans of time,
with some paths being delayed relative to others.  The result?  The signal via
one path would fill in the spaces between dits and dahs of the signal from the
very same station via another path.  This produced an uncopiable blur on many
otherwise strong signals.  I've heard these auroral effects before, but never
as intense (or as long lasting) as in 2012 and this year.  Ah, the joys of DX
contesting from WY.

I've seen several comments to the effect that conditions -- particularly on 20m
-- were astoundingly good in North America this year.  I'm afraid the validity
of such comments rather depends upon where the heart of the auroral zone
happens to lie relative to the ionospheric pathways one expects to be most
productive.

I had another problem this year.  I couldn't find some of my usual multipliers
in the Pacific/Pacific rim.  No DU; no YB; no 9V1; no KH2.  And it's not
because I wasn't looking for them.  In fact, I worked only one Australian op,
and that was via long path during my afternoon.  No short path to VK for me. 
Wild!

And my final problem:  to make the most of a single 20m entry this year, one
would have needed to treat the contest as a full-bore, near-48-hour effort.  I
didn't expect that, and wasn't really up to it.  So I just did what I could
manage.  Plenty of Q's were left on the table.

Bottom line?  The disappointments were far outweighed by the thrills.  8Q7KB? 
Yes!  A 9H1 answering my forlorn CQ in the last hour?  Yes!

Thanks to one and all!

Antenna:  5EL (44' boom) up 130'
Rig:  Kenwood TS-950SDX to an Alpha 86

73,
Bob, K0KR
(op at K7KU)


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