CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: VK9NW
Operator(s): K9NW
Station: VK9NW
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: Norfolk Island
Operating Time (hrs): ~35
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 0 0 0
80: 0 0 0
40: 578 27 70
20: 280 27 63
15: 351 28 44
10: 74 14 15
------------------------------
Total: 1283 96 192 Total Score = 1,053,792
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
My trip came together in less than two weeks from first inquiry to the time I
left. Having secured flights and accommodation on the island, I loaded a bunch
of wire, coax, and accessories into my bag and off I went not really knowing
what I was going to have to work with but figuring I'd manage something. The
best way to plan a contest operation? Maybe not....but I was on vacation and
was ready to have fun so whatever happened would happen.
Station consisted of:
Icom IC-746 @ 100w
Dipoles @ ~12 feet hanging off my balcony, with nice dropoff to the east.
I determined early on that I just wasn't that loud on the high bands but I
plugged away. Essentially, for a low power/dipole station on Norfolk Island the
bands were mostly a wasteland from a little past sunrise until a little before
sunset. So I took a lot of breaks, drove into town for snacks, hiked down to
the small beach nearby.....you know, made the best of things!
Somewhat surprisingly I found that I could do reasonably well on 40 and my
numbers bear that out. Oh yeah....30M was great from there too! It was pretty
cool working a bunch of W-types long path on 15M Saturday morning.....trying to
imagine what they were thinking hearing that strange call coming through their
normal diet of EUs. Worked as far inland as OK and TX and I think I heard a
number of other midwest types as well....neat stuff.
While, naturally, I was hoping for a few more QSOs, I have to say this was a lot
of fun! I have no disappointments. It was a new challenge setting up a station
completely from scratch in a place thousands of miles from home and it provided
a great sense of satisfaction. I've been fortunate to operate from DX locations
a number of times, but always from existing stations with towers, etc.
Very happy to be a mult for, well, everyone I worked!
73, Mike K9NW (VK9NW)
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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