ARRL DX Contest, SSB
Call: N1UR
Operator(s): N1UR
Station: N1UR
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: VT
Operating Time (hrs): 44
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160: 43 33
80: 246 67
40: 545 83
20: 869 88
15: 1171 97
10: 1033 97
-------------------
Total: 3907 462 Total Score = 5,404,642
Club:
Comments:
It really is fun to compare the Low Power experience with the High
Power experience as I go through each contest with the same antennas
and set up as the last few years. Last year I set a new Low Power
W/VE record which exclipsed the previous record due to the
amazing conditions. By 08Z on day one, I knew that this year would
not be a repeat of those conditions. By the middle of Sunday, I was
realizing that I wasn't going to beat last years score by that much
and that the 6.5 Meg USA record score was not going to be challenged
by me this year.
Everything outside worked great. This is usually the worst contest
for having everything work because many repairs are impossible. Not
only is there currently still 3 feet of snow on the ground, its starting
to harden up and anthing laying on the ground is a lost cause. I had
2 issues crop up in ARRL DX CW that I was able to fix last weekend by
running temporary jumpers across the top of the snow. And my 80M 2 el
wire array was fixed which also ended up needing a snow buried jumper.
Tests last week consistently give me a 2 S unit advantage of the array
vs the sloper I had to use all weekend in the CW contest. Oh well.
The array produces 1 of the S units and the favorable terrain enhanced
take off of the array produces the other. Its a fabulous antenna.
Inside was another story. At 1330Z on Sunday as I switched from running
15M to 10M, my running station side would not transmit on 10M. I knew
that the 10M antennas were working since was picking up a few Qs on them
just a few mins earlier. I quickly decided wrongly that the problem
was the 10M position relay on the 2 x 8 and used the 2nd radio position to
run 10M and sweep 15M for Qs. I don't like that since the 2nd position
uses the ALS1200 and its not only only 1kW but on 10M it is sensitive to
pushing
hard on 10M (found that out in CQ WW SSB). But it worked so I "went
on" so
to speak. Then as I wanted to configure to run 15 again and start looking
at 20M, I realized that the run position was actually ONLY working on 15M!
Hmmm. I decided to stop and see if I could figure out what was going on.
So I lost 45 mins diagnosing the problem and determined it was the radio
itself only tansmitting on 15M - hears fine everywhere. I jumpered the
coax through the ACOM 1500 to the other radio and finished off the contest
SO1R using that. I am sure that time plus full lack of 2 radio for the
last 5 hours hurt the score. Who knows how much. Not enough to crack
6M I don't think but probably a lot closer than the final score.
After doing the "4 big ones" high power vs low power with essentially
every
thing else the same (adjusting for conditions of course), here is my
observations:
- You can HOLD your run frequency. Although you have to be forceful about it
by alerting people who dump in 1 kc above or below (on SSB). On CW, you just
hold it.
- You can get meanngful rates in 2 areas that are ellusive with Low Power
(even with my very competitive antennas). CQing in marginal conditions like
10M when people are on the noise floor and CQing on late Saturday and last 6
hours of the contest allowing for great SO2R. Those were times that it is
impossible to get a rate combo that worked in Low Power.
- You can run easier on 40M SSB. I was able to do that on Low Power but
it was "fleating". You would harvest what you could, get kicked off
and
sometimes never find another good spot.
- Rates are consistently faster but honestly the BIG difference is not the
Saturday and Sunday morning rates - although they are higher - its the rest
of the time.
- Pretty much if you can hear them, they can be worked. Not the case in Low
Power. The exceptions in High Power is 160 but I only didn't work about
half a dozen stations I could hear and all were very low sig strength at the
end of 600 to 1000 ft beverages. And on 10M where the other guy is running
High Power and barely readable. That was mostly JAs on 10M.
- And of course the Pile Up efficiency is WAY better. Its amazing what
pileups you can jump over with full power and great antennas. Often first
call, rarely 3 or 4 turns. THE exceptions are 160M when they just appear
on packet - you can tell by the sound of the pileup and who is calling.
The one pileup otherwise that I walked from was KH2L on 10M Sunday. But I
worked him first call as my last Q on 10M since I had him spotted on my band
map.
See you all in WPX SSB as NV1N. Wont make RDX as away on business and
holiday.
73
Ed N1UR (NV1N in the WPX upcoming)
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