CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB
Call: CR2X
Operator(s): OH2BH
Station: CR2X
Class: SOSB/80 HP
QTH: Azores, EU
Operating Time (hrs): 28
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160:
80: 1796 27 101
40:
20:
15:
10:
------------------------------
Total: 1796 27 101 Total Score = 459,750
Club: Contest Club Finland
Comments:
MY BEST FRIEND WAS AN EVER FRESH F1 KEY �" CR2X 80M MONO WIN
CR2X has been suffering almost a year from a faulty 80M beam. Since it
is based between other beams, taking it down is out of the question.
With a suitable crane sold away from the Azores, we were left idling
as to what to do about it. There was another much bigger crane but our
winding uphill road is not wide enough to facilitate such a huge machine.
Bucket truck? �" forget about them as there are none on our island. So
the job needs to be done using a hanging basket and all this requires
good weather and no wind.
As there was a good day upon our arrival, we got busy right away and
ended up with the entire local CU group gathered on our radio hill. The
first element half turned out to be “bingo” as the whole trap was found
burned as a result of water intake. We had tried to fix the beam several
times earlier when the most suitable crane was still available. Now it
took several days of hard labor to work on the road prior our departure
and remove 13 truckloads of earth.
Rewarded with this happy result, I had no choice but jump into deep
water and give the newly born 80M beam a try with the F1 key as my
trustworthy companion.
It was a tough call as the low bands had seen declining activity ever
since the high bands started to produce, and this year was no exception.
So, there I was sitting in an empty barrel, firing my call in every
direction at those trampled under foot between the EU bulldozers, and
there were many. As I never had a real pileup going, it was something of
a surprise that my total tally reached 1796 QSOs with 845 to the US.
The highlights were three Hawaiians and five ZLs, whatever path it was,
plus having JT1CO over the pole and ZD7W call me. When I heard ZD7W
calling, it was a definite high point �" I quickly decided to turn the
beam
when Oliver was in my hook and I looked at the bearing �" 152 degrees
�"
while my estimation was maybe 190 degrees. It all proved that indeed our
globe is round.
Thanks for all great QSOs as it was nice to be back on 75/80M beam from
the Azores. Thanks to Jose, CU2CE for lubricating the local wheels for
road clean-up, Yoichi-san JP1NWZ and Yoshi-san JE2EHP for needed spares
and Pertti, OH2PM and local Antonio for riding high in an unstable basket
�" they are now called as Azorian basket beach boys...
See you in CQWW CW from ZA, Albania.
Martti, OH2BH/CU2KG op CR2X
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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