ARRL January VHF Contest
Call: K1TO
Operator(s): K1TO
Station: K1TO
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: EL87
Operating Time (hrs): 22
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6: 239 96
2:
222:
432:
903:
1.2:
2.3:
3.4:
5.7:
10G:
24G:
-------------------
Total: 239 96 Total Score = 22,944
Club: Florida Contest Group
Comments:
Another 6M single-band effort buried in the all-band pile.
I'll start with my annual rant about the weekend choice. Wouldn't it make more
sense to swap weekends with the RTTY Round-up? Although there actually was a
bit of Es this weekend (finally), it was a LOT better two weeks ago. The VHF
event would gain tremendously from a move to early January and the RU would not
be affected by a move to later Jan on the CQ 160 CW weekend. But almost no one
will read these comments, partially because of the above.
This event actually had some good stretches!
Like everyone else, I have to comment first on the topic of the day -- FT8.
Last year I made more QSOs on MSK144 than on FT8. This year was way different.
FT8 has attracted many moths to the flame. Here is the breakdown of QSOs by
mode (dupes included):
CW - 6 5-FL
SSB - 22 9-FL
DG - 218 78-FL
FT8 - 210
MSK144 - 8
The good news in this data is the big increase in activity, especially in FL.
92 FL QSOs is more than my entire QSO total last year of 68. And use of FT8 to
make local QSOs is a perfectly good use of it.
Part of this was due to the ease of completing QSOs between those in contest
mode and those not. I still found myself switching out of contest mode to give
a signal report to those not in the contest.
The bridge to N1MM+ was terrific, avoiding the need for double-keying each QSO.
The decode list window in N1MM spent most of its time telling me I needed to
work that persistent station with the callsign "TEST". I'm sure that
will be corrected soon.
When decent Es finally showed up to the north at 2220Z Sunday, I went to SSB and
just couldn't get anything going. Went to FT8 and the cacophony was deafening.
So I crawled along at a max 60-min stretch rate of 33 QSOs until the band mostly
went away at 0100Z.
Worked or saw nobody beyond one-hop range, but the band opened in most
directions. Had 5 XEs, 2 KP4s, TI, TG, HH and CM. Top grid by far was FN20
with 17 QSOs. None in neighboring FN10. No DMs, although I learned of being
briefly decoded in DM03.
Many thanks to rovers K4SME (6), K5ND (2), KG9DUK (2) and N0LD.
Amazing to work WRTC operating partner N5TJ and neat to work close friend K2UA
whose 6M exploits nearly 30 years ago were some of the seeds that ultimately got
me to try 6M.
Thanks to everyone who got on. Looking forward to a terrific June event again
this year.
vy 73, Dan
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|