CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW
Call: K9MMS
Operator(s): K9MMS
Station: K9MMS
Class: Single Op Assisted HP
QTH: IL
Operating Time (hrs):
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 740 State/Prov = 58 Countries = 35 Total Score = 183,582
Club: Society of Midwest Contesters
Comments:
Day 1: 100 watts, unassisted. 52 Sections 14 DX entities ; 74% of Qs via CQs
Day 2: 800 watts, assisted. 6 Sections 21 DX entities ; Mostly chasing DX
and watching "spots"
68% of total QSOs via CQs. The QSO total was down from previous years due to
changing the approach on the second day -- much less CQing, mostly looking for
DX and new sections, and just having fun enjoying the DX openings using high
power and cluster spots.
Fortunately, on both days, the noise levels were much lower than usual here.
The noise on the inverted L was S6 instead of the often S8 to S9, and the noise
level on the receive antennas was at S1 to 2 instead of the sometimes S4 or
higher.
Total DX: 55 QSOs and 35 different country entities. Three ATNOs for 160
meters (GU, LX, and OA -- been waiting to find them on 160 for a few years
now)
DX worked (some multiples), by zone: XE, V3, C6, CO, HI, KP2, ZF, YV, HK, P4,
PJ2, HC, OA, PY, CX, LU, CT, DL, EA, EA6, EI, G, GU, LX, PA, F, 9A, E7, HA, OK,
OM, SP, KH6, E5/s, and CN.
Sections missed: DC, LB, NT, YT, and NU. In past years, one or two DC stations
have usually been active in this contest, but nil for me this year. NE was the
last new section worked, and that was found a bit before sunrise on Sunday. I
never saw NE spotted. While tuning the band, I suddenly heard a strong station
send NE, and he was in S&P mode. I quickly moved the VFO up a little bit,
hoping he was advancing up the band, and called a short CQ. Fortunately, he
came right back to me. That technique only seems to work for me less than 50%
of the time, but sometimes it is worth trying.
Also, I never heard Alaska. The last few years, AK has become more rare to
find on 160 meters. SKs KL7Y, KL7RA, and AL9A used to be very active on 160
meters. A few other AK stations get on 160 meters once in a while, but I don't
think they are frequent contesters.
I was first licensed in 1958, but I did not start operating on 160 meters until
about 1996, and it soon became my favorite band for several reasons. (Beware of
catching the" Topband disease.") This is about the 20th consecutive
year that I have been participating in160 meter contests, and I have only used
HP in 2 of those years in these events. I have usually tried to make a serious
effort using LP.
This time, I started out with low power unassisted as usual, but decided that
if DX conditions became good, that I might switch to high power with spotting
assistance. Day one was all low power, and the DX was not great. On Saturday,
I started a little before local sunset. After making 20 QSOs, I realized that
an unusually good opening to EU was developing, so I went to high power and
started checking the cluster spots. The main goal this year was to hopefully
hear and work a lot of DX stations and especially to hopefully work some ATNOs
for 160 meters. So that goal was accomplished, and I had a lot of fun -- even
though the QSO count was very small on day 2. I just had fun chasing and
tuning for DX.
I was on for local sunrise both days, but the DX was about nil then. I had
hoped to hear and work some JA, VK, and ZL stations. I was especially hoping
to hear and work A35W for a new one on 160, but that did not happen. I saw
them spotted several times during the contest, but I could not hear them. I
worked multiple KH6 stations as well as E51DWC (North Cook Isl.). As soon as I
saw E51DWC spotted, I went to that frequency to check. His signal was weak, but
above the noise level and Q5. There was not a pile up yet, and I worked him
right away. So, I thought I would have been able to hear and work Tonga, but
no luck there. Working the A3 was another goal for this contest.
Thanks for the Qs, Ms, and fun.
73,
Gary . K9MMS
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