ARRL 160-Meter Contest
Call: W4PK
Operator(s): W4PK
Station: W4PK
Class: M/S HP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 16
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 767 Sections = 78 Countries = 22 Total Score = 163,900
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
I had important functions I needed to attend to during the day Both Saturday and
Sunday so I did not stay up late either Friday or Saturday nights.
I used packet spots hence the M/S category. However, I find them to be of
dubious value as often when I went to a spot it was bedlam with many calling!
On the other hand I did encounter some pileups when I was running, and it must
have been due to my call being spotted.
More than 80% of my Q's were when I was running. I have 11 Beverage positions
I can select here and I was continuously having to send "AGN" while I switched
through them to find one that I could copy on. I ended up combining my NE with
either NW or W Beverages while I was running, and switching one of them either
E, SE or SW if I thought there was a whisper of a caller. I have two NE
1125-foot Beverages which I can phase in that direction and I did have several
Europeans call me when I was running. Even with this arrangement copy was not
that great. As far as I could tell propagation to Asia was non-existent.
I shunt-feed my 72-foot tower which has a Force-12 520-240 beam on top (36-foot
boom) and this provides plenty of top-loading capacity. Also, there are about
60 radials buried around this tower. I have been happy with this arrangement
as it has always performed well for me. The amp I use is an ancient ACOM 2000A
(serial no. 137).
I did manage a contact with Hawaii but I could not hear KL, NB, NT or KP4, at
least when I was on. But overall it was an enjoyable contest as CW speeds of
22-28 wpm were more in tune with my CW capability.
Thanks for all the Q's and especially thank you for putting up with my "AGN"
messages when I was switching between my Beverages to find one that I could
copy on. Overall, I had fun!
73, Sam W4PK
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|