ARRL June VHF Contest - 2021
Call: K4HQK
Operator(s): K4HQK
Station: K4HQK
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: Alexandria, VA
Operating Time (hrs): 9
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6: 105 29
2:
222:
432:
903:
1.2:
2.3:
3.4:
5.7:
10G:
24G:
-------------------
Total: 105 29 Total Score = 3,045
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
When the contest opened at 1400 EDT Saturday I decided to try SSB but only 3
QSOs resulted. I switched to CW, discovered a nice gathering of friends, and
worked 14. That mode exhausted, I switched to FT8 and remained there for the
rest of the contest, mostly in S&P mode. Despite digital getting off to a
ho-hum start Saturday (mostly Mid-Atlantic QSOs), the ionized heavens did grant
a few Midwestern states late afternoon (EL and EM grids).
Sunday morning started out a little slow--again, mostly Mid Atlantic
stations--when all of a sudden at 0748 EDT I spotted IT9RZR in Sicily CQing! I
blinked--could not believe my eyes. I called back knowing it was a joke to even
try with my 100 watts, but he responded! After our QSO he called CQ a few more
times--with no responders, to my utter astonishment--and then disappeared. I had
to pinch myself.
The rest of Sunday was varied, with Portugal and Spain popping in and out,
almost alternating with skip to Florida, Cuba and Oklahoma. I did snag a little
DX: CT1BWU, CT1ILT, EA2XR, EA5AQB, EA6SX, EA6VQ along with IT9RZR. I also was
pleased to work PEI twice (VY2MI, VY2JC) plus two VE1s and a VE9. Heard a VE4
but had no luck reaching him. I could never get the Cubans to answer me. The
skip direction changed so often Sunday I nearly wore out my rotator ;-)
Sunday night was a slog. QSOs became harder for me as even regional signals grew
weaker toward 2200 EDT. There was skip to Oklahoma but I couldn't raise any of
them. I pulled the plug at 2230.
This was not the most exciting VHF contest in my experience but Sunday's E-layer
did add a little adventure.
73,
John K4HQK
Station: IC-7410 (100w), 3-element Cushcraft 6m Yagi.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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