Stew Perry Topband Challenge - Pre-Stew
Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: EM89ps
Operating Time (hrs): 11
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 448 Total Score = 1,404
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
As I have been devoting my spare time to my very slow 100-foot tower
project, I have not paid much attention to 160 antenna maintenance. So
Saturday morning I did the necessary maintenance all at once.
One of the verticals in the 8 element NE/SW phased array was showing
high SWR. The box at the base of the short vertical that contains the
loading coil and impedance matching resistor was full of water because
insect debris had clogged the drain holes. Since the box was pretty
dirty, I made a new box. Then I spent some time trying to get the SWR
"just right" including laying a new radial system using my on-hand
spare. I never got the SWR "just right" probably because of excess
loading caused by the adjacent and overhanging tree.
On the NW/SE phased array, one pair of verticals seemed to be "dead"
which turned out to be both verticals resonant too low. I excised a
tuning capacitor (series caps to cancel some loading inductance) from
each to bring resonance back into the band.
The transmit antenna had a very droopy "tee" top wire to the west
which shifted resonance up the band. It turns out that the tree
supporting the west wire (extended by a rope) had died and partially
collapsed. Fortunately, a new tree that was just a sprout when I
originally built the transmit antenna had grown high enough to be the
support. Support ropes rearranged, SWR pattern restored. This is a
milestone of sorts, since trees newer than my residency here have
become sufficiently large to become antenna supports.
I didn't try to get the 2 element array working. I use that array to
null my transmit signal which allows me to listen for new signals
while CQing. I'll have to make sure those verticals work before the
ARRL 160 test.
There were numerous signals on the band when I started at 2145Z.
Usually the initial rush dies down within a couple of hours but this
time rates stayed good about twice as long. I heard VY2ZM running
Europeans, and I could hear many of his callers although I could not
copy most of them. After that I never heard Jeff again.
Around 2300Z F6ARC called with a startlingly strong signal. F6AGM and
DK1NO called somewhat later equally loud. I found S58N shortly
thereafter. That was the end of the brief sunset opening.
At one point someone called who seemed to be having keying problems.
It sounded like his dots and dashes were the same length. However,
the spacing suggested that maybe his keying was inverted, although I
couldn't make any sense of his signal thinking that way. In the end
there was no QSO. Hope he figured out his problem.
Another station called and gave me 599 SNJ. I asked "grid?" a
couple
of times and he disappeared. Then he came back a few minutes later
with a proper exchange. That often doesn't work. I hope he enjoyed
the contest.
The 0400-0700Z European sunrise timeframe saw a modest run of stations
that were fairly strong starting with YO3APJ. European signals had a
lot of fast and deep QSB. It took either considerable luck or
considerable patience to complete several QSOs. I finally worked
HA8RM after several attempts. Heard HA8JV but could not get his
attention. A couple of DLs called but did not try hard enough to
complete a QSO. Worked a couple ONs and several Gs and EIs, but no
PAs. One Italian station called well past his sunrise with a strong
signal but he didn't offer a grid. I wonder about that QSO.
Midwest and west coast signals were fairly strong and steady. Often
K7RAT is barely copiable. This time Tree was distinctly loud. Maybe
the new QTH helps.
I took a nap from 0630-0945Z. When I got back on, the croud was much
smaller. But CQing brought a steady stream of answers. V3A called
but I could not get more than 2 neurons to work and I could not figure
out where to point a receive antenna. Nevertheless, we were able to
complete a QSO.
Heard KH6KG a couple of times buried in QRM but I was not able to call
successfully. Worked 2 VE7s and VE6 which are sometimes hard to hear
on 160.
K9JWV seemed pleased with his QSO. K5OAI was louder than ever before.
I was hoping for an H44GC contact but I guess I'll have to work that
new one later.
After the Alpha 8410 blew up its wattmeter circuit last month and the
subsequent disassembly and reassembly, the blower seems quieter, as if
my jiggling seated the seals better. On the other hand, the exhaust
air seems hotter.
DX worked: DL (2), EI (2), F5 (3), G (4), HA, HI, I, KH6 (3), KV4 (2),
ON (2), S5, SM (2), V3, XE, and YO.
Equipment: K3, P3, Alpha 8410, 8 element phased array for NE/SW, 6
element phased array for NW/SE, 65 foot "Tee" vertical over about 60
working radials (needs work).
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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