CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: 6W1SU
Operator(s): VE9CB
Station: 6W1SU
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Dakar, Senegal
Operating Time (hrs): 42
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 0 0 0
80: 1 1 1
40: 845 24 81
20: 1056 24 79
15: 1439 20 84
10: 121 16 34
------------------------------
Total: 3462 85 279 Total Score = 3,734,640
Club: Maritime Contest Club
Comments:
To Ron 6W1SU, and his wife, Monika, thank you so much for this opportunity. Ron
and Monika have been good friends for decades, and they invited me to visit them
during their three-year adventure in Senegal. They were great hosts for this,
my first-even visit to Africa.
Ron's station is small:
FTdx-1200
FL-2100z amp (600w)
MA5B triband beam (two shortened elements on 10, 15 and 20) 5m above the roof.
40m dipole 2.5m above the roof
80m dipole 2.5m above the roof
and one malfunctioning coax switch.
The antennas are all on top of a 10-storey apartment building in central Dakar,
within sight of the Atlantic Ocean on three sides.
The first nine hours were a disaster. Ron's remote coax switch failed, and
none of the antnnas seemed to perform properly. In the first five hours, I
made 56 QSOs. I chose not to wake Ron, and left repairs until he got up in the
morning.
We figured out the problem, but Dakar has few places where you can put
components, I decided to switch antennas manually for the contest. To switch
antennas, I had to take the elevator to the lobby, find the security guard, get
the keys for the roof, go ont eh roof, swap cables, then return the key to the
guard, then go back to operating. For 10, 15 and 20 during the day, this was
fine - I had a tribander. Once I decided to go to 40 or 80, I had to be firm
and stay there, because the to-ing and fro-ing was a killer. Consequently, I
spent no more than a few minutes on 80m, and that was wasted effort.
So, for me, the contest really got rolling about 0930 GMT Saturday. I set
myself the objective of maximising QSOs, and not worrying much about
multipliers. I wanted to experience propagation from this place.
Fifteen metres was in great shape, and rates were very good. I stuck to 15m
almost all Saturday, with the occasional excursion to 10m or 20m.
Sunday, I spent more daylight hours on 20m to balance out my log, with
occasional excursions to 10 and 15m.
Both nights, it was 40m all the way.
Some highlights:
- small JA runs on 40 and 20m
- being called by several HS stations, including an incredibly loud HS0ZAR on
40m 12 minutes from the end
- working many friends back in the Maritimes, Newfoundland, across Canada and
other places
Some lowlights:
- that bloody antenna switch! I'll repair it at home and send it back to Ron.
- While it's great having such high antennas, this apartment building has a
rooftop water tank that looms over Ron's antennas by at least four metres.
This water tower is right beside the antennas! This means that the direct
bearings to the Middle East, South Asia and most of Africa are blocked.
Notwithstanding this impediment, I did work two YBs and numerous stations in
4X, 9K, HZ, A4 and A6.
- I never worked any ZLs or VKs, although I did hear one of each.
Ron has been a ham a long time, but is not heavly experiences in DXing and
contesting, and it not a CW operator. His QRZ page says so. Throughout the
weekend, Ron received e-mails from people noting how his skills have improved.
Those nice people had no idea that an impostor was on the key.
This was a great experience, and a memory I will treasure. Thanks again, Ron
and Mon. I leave Wednesday for wintery New Brunswick, enriched by some
fascinating experiences.
I have to thank my wonderful wife, Melanie, for encouraging me to take this
trip. She chose not to come - this time. Maybe there will be another
opportunity, and another contest operation from Senegal for me.
73,
Dave VE9CB
Now returning 6W1SU to normal operations.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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