WAE DX Contest, CW - 2019
Call: W6YX
Operator(s): N7MH
Station: W6YX
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Stanford
Operating Time (hrs): 27.5
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs QTCs Mults
-------------------------
80:
40: 48 19 78
20: 246 301 88
15: 27 1 36
10:
-------------------------
Total: 321 321 202 Total Score = 129,684
Club: Northern California Contest Club
Comments:
The low bands were very noisy. F5IN and TM6M were heard on 80 but not enough
above the noise to be able to copy an exchange. On 40 I reduced the filter width
which helped more than any of the NR settings on the K3.
On 20 I was plagued with a popping noise during the daytime. I had to ask for
repeats on almost every serial number because one or two digits would be masked
by a pop. On Sunday I happened to glance at the P3 which I had set to display
from 14000 to 14080. I noticed that many of the broadband lines in the waterfall
corresponding to the pops always occurred just as transmissions started or ended
on 14075+/-. I suspect that a nearby FT8 user has a bad connection somewhere
between the TX and antenna that was causing this noise.
Only two EU (RL3A, 9A3VM) worked on 15 on Saturday, although I heard CR6K and
maybe one or two others briefly. Sunday had short openings with mostly weak
signals, the exception being DL5AXX who was easy copy and even completed our one
remaining QTC after exchanging 9 QTCs earlier on 20. I heard several Ukraine
stations but no QSO even though UW2M was stronger than many of the stations I
worked. I was surprised to tune across and work YL7X who had not yet been
spotted by any of the US skimmers.
SO2R was not very effective due to the noise and very slow run rates. The
contest rules for multipliers (a W6 callsign is a multiplier no matter where
it's located in the US) probably contribute to the poor run rates. When N6MJ and
KO7SS operate remote stations in ME, nearly 2900 miles east of W6, there is less
incentive for EU ops to call a weak W6 or W7 in the home territory.
I'm expecting a bigger score reduction than normal due to all the noise. I often
hung around after a QSO to listen to the next serial number (or two) to confirm
that I'd copied my number correctly.
73,
-Mike, N7MH
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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