Stew Perry Topband Challenge - Dec 26
Call: VE3VN
Operator(s): VE3VN
Station: VE3VN
Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: FN24
Operating Time (hrs):
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 205 Total Score = 1,569
Club: Contest Club Ontario
Comments:
I may have exhausted the possibilities of QRP in this contest. With the growth
of my Beverage system I will likely flick on the amp in future and use the rx
antennas to copy the QRP signals. Although the QRP multiplier is nice for others
who work me it is an awful lot of work, for them. I can QRS, repeat and so on
but 5 watts is still 5 watts, even with a full size vertical.
I did a small tweak before the contest that NEC2 tells me is worth 0.4 db and,
who knows, maybe it helped. Doubling the radials would have helped more. But
that's not an option this winter.
I operated in brief segments, going until sunrise approached the UK. Continuous
operating would have been too tedious. Running worked early in the contest then
went almost completely dry. Scouring the bands only to type in the same calls
again and again wasn't fun.
There was lots of DX but only later in evening was any of it workable. I put
only 3 EU in the log this time, which was disappointing. Lots of "?",
"VE?" and partial DX contacts. I had hoped to beat my previous 8000 km
record but I fell 1500 km short of that goal.
One thing that is interesting to observe with QRP on 160 is you just know who
has the good receiving antennas, or who are at least not plagued by local noise.
Many stations with huge signals did not heard me at all, and many others I heard
calling them. Many weak ones in W6/W7 and in between copied me very well. For
myself I rarely switched in the Beverage antennas since all that did was tease
me with signals from stations I could not possibly work.
I'll switch on the amp for CQ 160. That'll also keep the shack comfortably warm
in the wee hours.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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