CQWW WPX Contest, CW
Call: KS9K
Operator(s): N4TZ
Station: N4TZ
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: IN
Operating Time (hrs): 36
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160:
80: 40
40: 449
20: 883
15: 204
10: 38
------------
Total: 1614 Prefixes = 700 Total Score = 2,840,162
Club: Society of Midwest Contesters
Comments:
2018 CQ-WPX-CW KS9K
Continent List
160 80 40 20 15 10 ALL
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
USA calls = 0 30 179 355 144 32 740
Canada calls = 0 6 23 37 12 2 80
NA calls = 0 0 6 18 7 1 32
SA calls = 0 1 2 7 16 3 29
Euro calls = 0 1 232 424 19 0 676
African calls = 0 2 3 7 4 0 16
Asian calls = 0 0 5 36 0 0 41
Japan calls = 0 0 0 5 0 0 5
Ocean calls = 0 0 4 3 3 0 10
Total calls = 0 40 454 892 205 38 1629
Yes, the conditions were good, considering the state of the
sunspot cycle. That is, the bands were quiet, with no
solar disturbances. The move to 40 meters and the six point
QSOs helped those who had signals big enough to span the
continental divides.
But, this was not a repeat of 2012, when great 15 meter conditions
let 5 station beat the existing USA low power record and 8
stations beat the old USA high power mark. In that great
year, even low powered stations away from the favored propagation
areas could make lots of dx contacts on the high bands.
A lot of weak signals were heard and worked here, but since
they were from high power stations, I can only imagine the difficulty
many of them had copying 4 digit serial numbers from low
power stations like me. But wait, I don't have to imagine
because I know how many asked for two or three or four or...
more repeats of my serial number.
I noticed that the FT8 spikes were often higher on the
7610 bandscope than the CW signals on 15 meters so I kept
hoping for a good EU opening from here, but no dice.
I checked everything out Thursday. A-OK. 2300Z Friday,
I fired up the station and found a high SWR on 15m, both
radios. Went out to the tower hut and wiggled a bunch of
connectors, went back in and now had 15meters. Went down
for a quick dinner. Back at 2345 to find the vernerable
Orion had stopped receiving. Powered up and down, no
response. Master reset, no response. Looks like a one
radio contest, with the new ICOM 7610. Kept messing
around with the Orion from time to time, and Sunday it
finally came back to life.
I spent some time Sunday comparing the Orion and IC7610
receivers. The Orion had more high band hiss, but seemed
to hear as well as the 7610. But, the Orion seemed to
deal better with the atmospheric noise from the weather which
bothered me on the low bands all weekend. The beverages
had been taken down before the hay was mowed and soybeans
were planted during the contest, so no chance to put them
back up.
Still, before the contest began I would have been content
with my final score, so regardless of where it ranks overall
I am satisfied, all things considered.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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