CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW - 2021
Call: W2GD
Operator(s): N2HM W2CG W2GD W2NO W2RQ WW2Y
Station: W2GD
Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: NJ
Operating Time (hrs): 33:15
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 1818 State/Prov = 60 Countries = 64 Total Score = 931,860
Club: Frankford Radio Club
Comments:
Elecraft K3S x 3 - Diversity Enabled
OM2000HF 1250 watts
Win-Test Logging Software Ver4.28
2 element vertical wire Yagi @ 240' with NE, West and Omni options
Beverage antennas N, NE, E, S, SW, W, NW, plus HI-Z Four
First a few numbers:
231 Ten Pointers and 80 Five pointers First Night
215 Ten Pointers and 22 Five pointers Second Night
446 Total Ten Pointers ... down from 726 Ten Pointers last year
Roughly 75% of all EU signals were at the noise floor and making the contact
depended upon a favorable QSB rise in strength at just the right moment.
Four more QSOs than last year (1818 vs. 1814) - a new station record despite
much less favorable band conditions. The Covid effect ... greater participation
... seemed obvious. Expecting to read about a record number of log
submissions.
114 total multipliers ... down from 147 last year confirming the obvious
difference in conditions year to year.
Worked 49 states - missing only KL7 ... no propagation to KL7SB for us.
Missed three VE Provinces: NT, YT and NU.
Countries heard but not worked: JA, KH2, 4U1A, Z3, Z6, TA, 4Z.
Observations:
Static levels in all directions was pleasantly low and we had no troubling line
noise problems.
The normal ritual of walking beverages before each contest was aborted on Friday
due to bitter cold windchill conditions. After running SWR curves and direct
reception tests we concluded everything was working adequately. Age is catching
up.
Signals from EU were noticeably stronger the second night with a clear sunrise
enhancement. West Coast conditions were also notably better all Saturday
night.
Much of the time the event seemed like a tale of two contests. We monitored
cluster spots from Zone 14 skimmers and invariably we'd find an audible and
potentially workable EU station buried under a USA station CQing with no idea
they were frequency sharing. Found this band layering effect striking and
frustrating.
Contest activity was spread out from 1800 to 1890 at peak times. Although the
concentration between 1810 and 1850 was intense, we found it less difficult to
hold a run frequency in this segment than in prior years. With more subdued
conditions overall, the spreading out was generally less pronounced and running
above 1860 was found less productive. We changed our run frequency far more
more often than usual looking for a 'sweet spot".
We had only a few minor equipment malfunctions. But after several contests this
season we've concluded some electro/mechanical condition near the 300 foot tower
that supports the wire beam array has changed and ruined the previous good
performance of the west vertical wire beam. We'll investigate this issue during
the 160 off season.
The growth in Scoreboard posting was obvious and very encouraging. Being able
to follow the efforts of fellow Multi-op teams and Single Op competitors
enhanced the contest experience. It was fascinating to watch the horse races
develop and leads pass back and forth.
Thanks to all the stations who called us. We hope you had as much fun as our
team did.
Thanks to CQ Magazine for continuing to sponsor our favorite 160 meter contest
and also to the owners of WYRS-FM for allowing us to use and enjoy their
facilities for all these years.
73,
John, W2GD
For the Entire 160 CW Contest Team
------------- Q S O R a t e S u m m a r y ---------------------
Hour 160 80 40 20 15 10 Rate Total Pct
--------------------------------------------------------------------
2200 141 0 0 0 0 0 141 141 7.8
2300 135 0 0 0 0 0 135 276 15.2
0000 168 0 0 0 0 0 168 444 24.4
0100 162 0 0 0 0 0 162 606 33.3
0200 130 0 0 0 0 0 130 736 40.5
0300 126 0 0 0 0 0 126 862 47.4
0400 91 0 0 0 0 0 91 953 52.4
0500 69 0 0 0 0 0 69 1022 56.2
0600 45 0 0 0 0 0 45 1067 58.7
0700 23 0 0 0 0 0 23 1090 60.0
0800 23 0 0 0 0 0 23 1113 61.2
0900 28 0 0 0 0 0 28 1141 62.8
1000 21 0 0 0 0 0 21 1162 63.9
1100 40 0 0 0 0 0 40 1202 66.1
1200 27 0 0 0 0 0 27 1229 67.6
1300 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1229 67.6
1400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1229 67.6
1500 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1232 67.8
1600 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1234 67.9
1700 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1234 67.9
1800 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1235 67.9
1900 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1238 68.1
2000 11 0 0 0 0 0 11 1249 68.7
2100 19 0 0 0 0 0 19 1268 69.7
2200 33 0 0 0 0 0 33 1301 71.6
2300 37 0 0 0 0 0 37 1338 73.6
0000 57 0 0 0 0 0 57 1395 76.7
0100 44 0 0 0 0 0 44 1439 79.2
0200 76 0 0 0 0 0 76 1515 83.3
0300 39 0 0 0 0 0 39 1554 85.5
0400 49 0 0 0 0 0 49 1603 88.2
0500 56 0 0 0 0 0 56 1659 91.3
0600 52 0 0 0 0 0 52 1711 94.1
0700 40 0 0 0 0 0 40 1751 96.3
0800 17 0 0 0 0 0 17 1768 97.2
0900 14 0 0 0 0 0 14 1782 98.0
1000 11 0 0 0 0 0 11 1793 98.6
1100 22 0 0 0 0 0 22 1815 99.8
1200 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 1818 100.0
1300 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1818 100.0
1400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1818 100.0
1500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1818 100.0
1600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1818 100.0
1700 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1818 100.0
1800 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1818 100.0
1900 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1818 100.0
2000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1818 100.0
2100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1818 100.0
------------------------------------------------------
Total 1818 0 0 0 0 0 1818
The best 60 minute rate was 170/hour from 0043 to 0142
The best 30 minute rate was 188/hour from 2349 to 0018
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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