Stew Perry Topband Challenge
Call: N9ADG
Operator(s): N9ADG
Station: N9ADG
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: WWA
Operating Time (hrs): 11.5
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 140 Total Score = 280
Club: Western Washington DX Club
Comments:
Thanks to everyone for the q's; This was a great contest, thought I had many of
the planets to align for this one, however murphy decided to get chime in a
bit... my score was somewhere around 140+60i. The imaginary contacts were the
ones I might have had in the last two hours...
Rig: FT1000mp, volume set to 100w.
RX Antenna: Unterminated beverage ~600 in the woods at 60 degrees magnetic along
the property line.
TX Antenna: 1/4 wave wire lifted with a helium-filled advertising blimp (from
The Blimpworks). Anchored in a clearing on the side of a ridge 20 miles east of
Seattle. Anchor is a saltwater fishing rod, Penn saltwater reel, 70lb braided
dacron line, hose-clamped to a metal T fence post driven about 3/4 into the
ground. Four semi-elevated radials, each 135' or so. Simply fed from 190' of 50
ohm coax, tuned with MFJ-259b to 1.2:1 at 1830. I used a Halibut spreader to
keep the antenna wire separated from the anchor line.
The Scoop: 160m must be beloved because of the operant conditioning. Sometimes
it's SO GOOD. Other times SO FRUSTRATING. Sort of like the weather in Seattle, I
guess ("Oh, but the summers are so nice!" - it also feels good when I stop
beating my head against the wall, too). Couldn't hear Europe at all. Not sure if
I should have been able to from the Pacific Northwest. Couldn't work JAs on
Saturday AM despite them being really strong. Enjoyed running up and down the
dial working folks, digging out the stations from underneath some of the loud
guys calling CQ. Kudos to PJ2/WB9Z; his ears must be better than Horton's.
Thought I'd have time to come back to KV4FZ, but was gone by the time I had
propagation (or couldn't find him again).
On Sunday AM, with abt 3 hours left in the contest, was expecting a big finish
-- The band was starting to sizzle. Was having a little trouble with a sticky
relay inside the FT1000 since about midnight off and on (wasn't switching
correctly back from receive antenna to xmit - sort of like a 60dB attenuator in
line - Yaesu shop couldn't find it last year, wish it would just break already).
I was becoming adept at switching between listening on the beverage and picking
stations out of the noise on the vertical. The JA's were booming (were since
0300 local on the beverage), but getting even louder, and thought I almost had a
good path so they could hear me (I must have tortured JH4UYB at least 10 times).
THEN Murphy decided to have the wind come up, and the Halibut spreader and the
antenna wire parted ways as the balloon was blown around wildly (my shack is in
a windowless closet, usually safe from small fingers, and suits my wife's
description of what a good shack should be; I can't see the outside weather
conditions). SO, outside I go around 4am. The wind is gusting, gusts are getting
stronger. The balloon is drifting to the NE, and over the tree line. I reel in
some line, the drag takes out some line. It dips behind the tree lines (mental
note to self- bigger clearing or better way to keep balloon from over the
trees). I hear funny noises, and hope it's not a tree eating a balloon. Let out
more line, the balloon rises up again. A gust, and the reel screams as if I've
hooked a maniacal sport fish. I reach the end of all the line on the reel (80+
yards), and hear the twang of a really tight line. I reel in some just to get
some line on the spool . I continue to reel in between gusts (other mental note
to self - don't touch the line when it's making that whining noise coming off
the reel). Did I mention it's dark and slightly drizzly? 0430 local and I guess
I am fishing. I land my "fish" -- it takes me about 25 minutes of cranking. My
choices are to repair the wire (think I have enough copperweld), or hanger the
balloon for the next contest. Probably made the smart choice -- Our youngest
child woke up at 0520 local, about the time I get everything put away. I manage
to tell my wife what has happened, mentioned I'm going to try to load up the
usual G5RV on 160... but it's just not the same. Made an offer to my wife to
stay up with our #3 (was going to be awake in the test anyway), but my wife says
"Uh, you look like you *need* some sleep.". Christmas came early I guess.
Pulled the plug at 0530 or so. Didn't attain my goal of 300q's by a LARGE
margin, but it seems condx were more noisy, or perhaps fewer domestic stations
on, or I was just too tuckered out from the week. For the future, thinking about
something less fragile, but just as effective for 160. AND LOTS MORE RADIALS.
I especially tortured jh4uyb, and still didn't get a QSO -- also simultaneously
irritated the heck out of k5un who was within a few hundred hertz of him; k5un
could hear me, but couldn't hear jh4uyb. Heard but didn't work W4NTI, PY2FUS
(really wanted that one!), K8LV, N2BJ, W3GH, N9RV, K0RF (running JAs); maybe had
some brain malfunction in hitting "enter" before changing frequency. Wonder how
many I lost to THAT (Sorry to at least W7QC, I think). My policy is to work
anyone as many times as they like, just in case they "operate" (to use the term
loosely) like I do.
Well, there are a couple of more 160 events coming up in the next few months.
Challenges remain to simultaneously charm my wife into letting me keep up the
elevated radials for the balloon ("Just temporary dear") while working on a
better solution for a good 160 antenna. Would like to use my garage stall for
my car instead of the dirigible, too.
Best regards to all that took part, Happy Holidays.
-Brian N9ADG
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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