ARRL DX Contest, CW - 2019
Call: N9NB
Operator(s): N9NB
Station: N9NB
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 40
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160: 90 54
80: 334 73
40: 559 87
20: 688 93
15: 169 59
10: 10 7
-------------------
Total: 1850 373 Total Score = 2,067,912
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
I was ready to give SO2R and my new 2 element 80/160 m vertical (tower) array a
good road test with this contest, and the antenna did not disappoint! These
simple verticals really helped bust the pile up, and at times I was in utter
amazement at how easy it was to get through pileups to EU and SA on 80 and 160
while running barefoot! I cant wait to put even more radials on the ground. The
two (tower) verticals seems to give the array directivity off of the end fire
direction (NW/SE to JA/SA), which is selectable using a simple stack match, and
the boresight (NE/SW to EU/ZL) is co-phased also with the stack match, allowing
them to have 2 endfire directions which are noticeably improved.
I don't recall ever working a JA on 80 before from my home station, and this
(Sunday) morning it almost happened, as sunlight broke on the ridge, and I heard
JA3YBK peaking up from the noise on the low end of 80m. I marveled at the rise
of his signal, from being buried in the noise, to S7, within a matter of
minutes. I was so amazed at this incredible gray line effect that as I called
him, and when he echoed back my call sign twice, by sending "N9NB ?",
I failed both times to give him the report, and simply replied "R R
R". As if I was talking to him to tell him "Yes, that's right, you got
it !You hear me!!!" Boy, that was dumb. At that moment, I was so caught up
in the mystical propagation effect that I forgot I was in a contest, and was
trying to talk to him......I should have just dumped in my report....Ahh, he
gave up after 2 queries, as there were others starting to call, and he went on
(I think) to work my buddy N3BB who also happened to be on the frequency (We had
both worked FK8IK moments earlier, again watching his signal come from nothing
to a solid S4).
I worked on my SO2R skills intensely in this contest, but couldn't keep at it
all the way -- I probably had 10 good hours of SO2R effort. I even did dual
CQing for about an hour between 20 and 40 near the end of the contest and I
really see how that can boost the rate (20 provided little since I am barefoot,
but 40 is my strong band on the ridge, and it was the band that kept on giving).
I missed the sunrise on Saturday- as I slept from 5am to 8 am, but felt very
fortunate to have gotten up this morning to witness the amazing grey-line,
sunrise effect, as I had never really studied it or ever paid much attention to
it, and don't remember even experiencing it before. It now has more meaning to
me, as I try to become a better operator, and as I have been reading ON4UN's Low
Band DXing book while building this vertical array. I felt fortunate to have
experienced this sunrise effect in a meaningful way today, and with my modern
contesting mentor, N3BB, on the frequency by happenstance.
Next time, I'll remember (I hope) that I am in a contest and will give the
report!
Its so incredible how the power of a simple 150 W light bulb can travel across
the globe -- and the power of good antennas! Well, most of the time it travels
well....I don't know if others noticed it, but at about 9:30am East Cost (1430Z
Sunday, today), things got very weird on 15m--EU disappeared completely, and as
if someone threw a switch, I could suddenly hear all of the stateside signals on
15M, as they worked SA.....It was like local skip was opened up throughout the
entire country -- from coast to coast. The EU opening was not to be. I have not
checked yet to see if there was a solar storm, but it sure seemed like that
might have been the case. I was hoping for big rate on 15m, but that did not
happen .Instead, 20m was the money band for morning operation, and 40 m was
incredible at the end. I had never experienced such a deep pile up as the one I
had when calling CQ on the low end of 20m this morning. No joke- it seemed like
it was 15 people deep! I had not expected that, and learned quickly that I need
a lot of practice at copying full calls in such a situation!
Fun things were 4Z and SV calling me on 20 and 40, Working a 5Z4/LZ station
(Thanks!) and busting many pile ups with low power -- a testament to the ground
slope at this amazing Riner, VA QTH. The years of study and searching for a QTH,
and the Terrain Analysis work, really seems to be paying off. I was happy with
how I did, as I see improvement and was able to keep in the chair for 40 hours.
What a blast, and thanks for the QSOs and the fun.
I'll be looking for you in the next one!
73 ted n9nb
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