CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: M6W
Operator(s): G3WW
Station: G4EHT
Class: SOSB(A)/80 LP
QTH: Lichfield
Operating Time (hrs): 34
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160:
80: 1049 18 99
40:
20:
15:
10:
------------------------------
Total: 1049 18 99 Total Score = 179,000
Club: Chiltern DX Club
Comments:
Fancied 80m this time around, thought it would prove lucrative for collecting
band slots. Despite a laughable antenna, I wasn't disappointed.
The antenna for 80 is nothing more than a 30 ft / 10 mtr fishing pole with wire
run up the side. The loading coil is about 1/3 the way up. Naturally the
bandwidth is narrow, around 40 kHz usable. To complete the picture it all fits
in a 25 ft x 25 ft garden surrounded by taller trees for extra RF absorption.
The noise on 80 the first night seemed none existent and despite being barefoot
I felt like I had a big gun signal working quite a few new ones, some of which
were really quite weak. At times though, 80 sounded more like 40 or 20.
When Saturday dawn broke and 80 closed, I fitted an auto ATU at the base of the
vertical. That made working 3500 ~ 3600 kHz comfortable for the remainder of the
contest. In sub-zero temperatures the little LDG ATU worked fantastic.
Sunday seemed noisier. The band opened and closed around the same time each
day. It was a good exercise learning 80m propagation as I've not spent much
time on 80 in the past.
In the end I surpassed my targets by quite a margin working 12 new band slots.
Almost all DX I heard I worked, except Japan, HD2A & 8Q7DV, the latter which
was booming but had a fierce pile-up. I never heard a whisper from VK, ZL, ZL8
or ZS.
And what happened to EA6, TF and HB0?
Most frustrating thing was HD2M busted my call and then told me I was a dupe!
I wonder which M6 worked them?!
FT-1000MP (100w)
30 feet vertical (homebrew by G4EHT)
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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