Ohio QSO Party
Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: Fairfield County
Operating Time (hrs): 12
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs
--------------------
80: 110 32
40: 164 131
20: 78 42
15: 5 0
10: 0 0
--------------------
Total: 357 205 CW Mults = 91 Ph Mults = 84 Total Score = 160,825
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
This year a Mad River Radio Club member could choose between operating
full time in the Ohio QSO Party, or operate part of the time as
W1AW/8. I had the notion that I had some duty to put W1AW/8 on the
air in order to make that call available to as many as possible, but I
really wanted to operate the contest full time. So I just didn't
think about my choice until it was too late. Thus by inaction, I got
my wish. How is that for a decision making process? Good thing this
is only a hobby.
So, about 2 hours before the QSO party begins, I rushed around to put
up the open wire fed dipole that worked so well lying on the ground at
WRTC to use for the 2nd radio. I observe that the antenna tuner in
the IC765 is not as good as the antenna tuner in the K3. But by
tweaking feed line lengths, I was able to get a 1:1 match on 40 meters
and 80 SSB via the 765's tuner.
Unlike the previous 2 years, Writelog permitted me to network 2
computers and keep the log synchronized. Nothing that I can recall
has changed, but in the past Writelog version 11 with the OQP add-on
has always been very unstable when networked. Writelog version 10 in
the OQP, and version 11 for other contests always works fine. Insert
here some grumbling about software.
My goals were to beat W8WTS operating K8AZ in the low power category
and to make a significant number of contacts using the 2nd radio. I
did not accomplish the first goal although I got closer as a
percentage of total QSOs (based on last hour overheard numbers).
The second goal seems to be met: I made 47 QSOs on the 2nd radio out
of 562 QSOs total. I typically used the 2nd radio to tune the phone
bands for new stations while CQing on CW. Only a couple times did I
fail to get back to a caller on CW because I had a QSO in progress on
phone. The hazard is that the phone operators want to me to transmit
more than twice to complete an exchange which messed up my rhythm on
the first radio. As a result of this experiment, I think I shall
rearrange my station so that both radios sit side by side.
I also need to make antenna switching automatically track band
changes. I have the technology to arrange such switching, I just need
to spend the time writing some more software. Nevertheless, one can
make contacts on 40 using a tribander.
The surprise multiplier (DX multiplier on phone) was KC4AAA in
Antarctica on 20 SSB with the following exchange:
K1LT: "what is your state?"
KC4AAA: "I'm in Antarctica!"
This exchange was amusing to me because I had just coached about a
dozen 5s, 6s and 7s through the process of extracting a serial number
and state.
Thanks to the mobiles! I worked K8MR 16 times, K8RYU 8 times, K8O 6
times, AE8M 6 times, and W9MSE 6 times, and W8UE 3 times. It is
distinctly hard to hear the mobiles when they are nearby. I followed
K8MR from CW to SSB on 40 a couple of times, but I could not hear his
SSB signal, although I could hear people working him. Too close!
Equipment: K3, P3, IC765, two computers, network, Cushcraft X7 at 60
feet, ground mounted vertical on 40, "cage" vertical on 80, and a
low
open wire feed 80 meter dipole for the 2nd radio.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|