What I did on my summer vacation!! CQ WORLD WIDE WPX CONTEST
1995
Call: W9UP (K0EJ, op) Country: United States (111)
Mode: CW Category: Single Operator Single Band
BAND QSO QSO PTS PTS/Q PREFIXES
20 1090 1712 1.6 548
--------------------------------------
Totals 1090 1712 1.6 548 = 938,176
Equipment Description:
IC-751 ->HB 4-1000 amp -> Tribander at 130'
A family reunion in late May provided me with an opportunity to go back to
"God's Country" in SE Minnesota (land of 10,000 lakes and 10" mosquitos). I
don't travel much in this job compared to previous duty (I've travelled all
over and seen a lot, mostly thru a periscope) so the idea of getting out of
the office was quite appealing. Both of my kids were still in school so my
wife and kids elected to stay in Tenn. and I drove solo to MN. Although not a
contest I usually operate, knowing that CW WPX was that weekend got me think-
ing, maybe a gracious local OR maybe... W0AIH!(abt 60 miles away). I swapped
a few e-mails with Mike (N0BSH) and AIH looked like a possibility. I talked
to the Reverend who indicated that he expected a multi-something that weekend-
I was psyched! Got to MN and had lunch with Scott (KA9FOX) and Mike (BSH). FOX
indicated that if AIH fell thru, W9UP might be available. To make a long
story short, AIH fell thru due special circumstances (thanks much anyway Paul)
Scott (FOX) got me all set up at W9UP, simple but effective, a Superstation
compared to my typical operations. The change in weather gave me a cold (a
gross understatement) but this is a CONTEST! The goal was 1000 Qs, 500 Mults
and 1 Meg operating 20M SOHP.
The contest itself was FUN, except for my cold. I should've used more than a
few aspirin! 90/77/50 Qs in the first 3 hours. Mostly US but some polar and SA
with VK/ZL/JA during the 2nd and 3rd hours. Crashed in pain at 0446 with 272
Qs, 180 Mults. Saturday started at 0955 with VS6WO and a slow trickle of EU.
The rate picked up a little at 1145 but DX signals were all very weak, few
moved the S-meter above the noise, noise? what are these thunderstorms doin??
Rates were low all day, peaking at 57 at 12-1300Z but as low as 13. Still
thought I was doing OK but working KI1G at 1307Z (his #503 vs my 360) was a
good reality check. A lot of CQing and S&P netted 866/474 at 0436Z when I
quit for the day, in agony. Asked myself several times if this is FUN???
Sunday started at 1145Z, felt a little better. Sunday was a about the same as
Saturday, signals were a little better but rate a little lower, peaking at 43.
Heard K0IJL both mornings working JAs that I couldn't hear. Not sure why. I
checked LP, SP, skew path, nada. Planned on quitting at 2100Z to have dinner
with a long lost uncle I hadn't seen in years (after all, this is ONLY a
contest!). As luck would have it, the rate magically picked up at 2100Z. Quit
at 2110Z after 10 Qs in 10 minutes and 7 new mults, mostly EU. GROAN!!!
Closed up the station, saved the log, walked out of the station to a cold
drizzle and a FLAT TIRE! Broke QSO and Mult goal and I think I would've broke
1Meg had I played the last 3 hours. Boy I had FUN. Had 2 observations:
1) My Nashville QTH is a lot like the Black Hole, a lot more than I thought!
2) These Black Hole guys are a bunch of whiners, you can win from there! (NOT!)
What was KI1G's final score, 3.5 Meg???
A very special thank you to Mike (N0BSH), Scott (KA9FOX) and Phil (W9UP) for
a great time and for going out of their way to help!!!
73,
Mark K0EJ
>From Skelton, Tom" <TSkelton@engineer.ClemsonSC.ATTGIS.COM Wed Jun 7
>16:59:00 1995
From: Skelton, Tom" <TSkelton@engineer.ClemsonSC.ATTGIS.COM (Skelton, Tom)
Subject: FW: T91ENS WPX Contest Score
Message-ID: <2FD77983@engineer.ClemsonSC.ATTGIS.COM>
----------
From: RADIOCLUB_T91ENS
To: cq-contest
Subject: T91ENS WPX Contest Score
Here is T91ENS WPX score. We can not make worst than this...
<del>
-----------------------------------
Total 0 points
<del>
Our special thanks going to : ELEKTROPRIVREDA BIH (Bosnian power company)
T9MURPHY who join us again after 6 months
Remarks :
Friday 1130UTC : Whole city lose electricity. There is not reason to
worry
becouse similar things is happens quite often here.
Friday 1500UTC : Electricity is not comming. Get promise from power
company that we will get it before start of contest.
Friday 1815UTC : 60mm shell cut the telephone wire. Now we are not able
to call Power company. Only way for the communications
is 2m handy.
<del>
----------
And this story, my friends, is what we all need to remember when we
want to bitch and complain (I'm as guilty as anyone) that things in ham
radio aren't just exactly the way we want them. 99.99% of us reading this
reflector don't have to worry about incoming 60 mm shells interfering with
our ham radio fun...
Nothing like a little Perspective to wake you up in the morning.
Peace.
73, Tom WB4iUX
Tom.Skelton@ClemsonSC.ATTGIS.COM
>From John Barry <jbarry@curia.ucc.ie> Thu Jun 8 21:00:24 1995
From: John Barry <jbarry@curia.ucc.ie> (John Barry)
Subject: Which 40m Beam?
Message-ID: <199506082000.VAA04074@curia.ucc.ie>
Our club would like to purchase a 40m beam very shortly.
The main considerations would be
- It would have to be very well built. Our contest location
is on a cliff edge, and we get very high winds.
- Is it worth going for a 3 element as against a 2 ele?
- Obviously, permformance and price will be a big factor
but its worth spending the extra $$ if you know it will
stay up hi!
Any feedback would be much appreciated. If this has type of
query has been done before, maybe someone could mail me the
relvant archives?
Thanks
John Barry EI7DNB
(EI7M Contest Group)
p.s. Any ideas for rotators without spending a fortune???
>From Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr@k1vr.jjm.com Fri Jun 9 00:26:02 1995
From: Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr@k1vr.jjm.com (Fred Hopengarten)
Subject: NS/PEI
Message-ID: <2fd7870b.k1vr@k1vr.jjm.com>
I'm planning a family vacation this summer to Nova Scotia
and Prince Edward Island. Anybody up there speak CONTEST?
--
Fred Hopengarten K1VR
Six Willarch Road * Lincoln, MA 01773-5105
home + office telephone: 617/259-0088 (FAX on demand)
internet: k1vr@k1vr.jjm.com
"Big antennas, high in the sky, are better than small ones, low."
>From Robert Penneys <penneys@brahms.udel.edu> Fri Jun 9 03:43:07 1995
From: Robert Penneys <penneys@brahms.udel.edu> (Robert Penneys)
Subject: Paddle input for CT??
Message-ID: <199506090243.WAA07817@brahms.udel.edu>
One of my FRC buddies is much more proficient with the paddle than the
keyboard, and wants to run CT by inputting from the paddle and hitting
return, or whatever, instead of typing. He says there are a lot of other
guys who would also prefer this.
Have you any idea how this might be possible or feasible? Would a paddle/
keyer have to emulate a keyboard? All ideas gratefully accepted.
Tnx, Bob
Bob Penneys, WN3K Internet: penneys@brahms.udel.edu
Frankford Radio Club N.E.R.D.S. (club call KB3BIJ for now)
Work: Ham Radio Outlet, Delaware
>From Robert Penneys <penneys@brahms.udel.edu> Fri Jun 9 03:45:23 1995
From: Robert Penneys <penneys@brahms.udel.edu> (Robert Penneys)
Subject: WN3K from FM29.......
Message-ID: <199506090245.WAA07933@brahms.udel.edu>
Having no VHF/UHF setup save packet, I will attempt to commandeer a rig and
some antennas from the store and put some time in. 6/2 most likely.
CU, mebbe. Bob
Bob Penneys, WN3K Internet: penneys@brahms.udel.edu
Frankford Radio Club N.E.R.D.S. (club call KB3BIJ for now)
Work: Ham Radio Outlet, Delaware
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