Callsign: VK1FF
Operator: Jim Muller (Home Call: WB2FFY)
Section: Single Operator, High Power, All Band, Unassisted
Mode: CW
Operating QTH: Fadden, Australia Capital Territory, Australia
Mail Address: RD#1 Box 129a, Greene, New York, 13778 USA
Station:
- Antenna: 4 Element Wilson @50'
Dipoles for 40, 80, 160 @30'
- Txcvr: Kenwood TS-520 (with 250hz filter)
- Power: 120 Watts
- Key: Homebrew Accu Keyer with bencher paddles & computer
- Logging Pgm: N6TR version 4.05
Number of Valid Contacts: 1811
QSO Points Claimed: 5286
DX Multipliers: 245
Zone Multipliers: 108
Total Claimed Score: 1,865,958
160 80 40 20 15 10 Total
--- --- --- --- --- -- ----
QSO 3 104 628 433 599 44 1811
DX 2 28 67 86 55 7 245
Zone 3 16 29 32 23 5 108
Comments:
- I had a GREAT time this year. Improved on my personal best by more
than 700 QSO's. All of the bands, except 160 & 10, were in great shape.
Signals were generally strong and there was plenty of activity from
around the world.
- Biggest disappointment was not working 5V7A or D44BC in zone 35.
I've been chasing zone 35 for WAZ the past three years and purposely
tailored my band selection and operating (S&P vice Run) this year to
hunt down my last one. Spent several hours of prime run time on 20m
in S&P mode looking for them - which is why my 20m QSO total is low
in comparision to 40 and 15m. I found D44BC on both days running US
(but ignoring Asia/Pacific) and called for over a hour straight without
any luck. It was really frustrating not working zone 35 because of
the time "wasted" searching and knowing how easy it was to work other
African stations like 3DA, 5X, 5Z, 7X, J2, EA9, EA8 (on 80m), CT3,
and a maritime mobile in zone 35. But missing zone 35 this year was
just "par for the course" for us down here in the South Pacific.
- 80m: Had a pretty good run into the US the first night with my
modest dipole. Signals were at or just above the noise floor which
made it difficult to get the QSO rate much higher than 1 per minute -
thanks to everyone for their patience. The second night I decided
to try 80m into Europe which was somewhat successful, but the opening
was fairly short.
- 40m: The band was unbelievably crowded both days. Only spent a
short time on the band Saturday (around 10-12z) because I wasn't getting
much response to my CQ's and was having trouble getting through the
QRM to Central and South American stations (like CP6AA). Had a great
6 hour run on Sunday from 8-13z with the band open simultaneously to
North America, Asia, and Europe. I've never had so many stations call
me at one time. The "pileup" was literally 1-2 Khz wide at times.
Unfortunately most signals were of equal strength and blurred into
one dull roar. I certainly have a much better understanding of what it
must be like to operate from somewhere rare and have great respect
for the operators who can pick out full calls the first time through.
At times the best I could do was a letter or two. The old (non-vanity)
callsigns definately had an advantage in that it was easier to guess
calls in the pileup from hearing just a couple of letters. Notably
N8BJQ, W1WEF, WA5VGI, W1OO, and N2RM all made it through the pileup
quicker because of callsign recognition.
- 20M: Mostly S&P. CQ's to US above 14.025 were disappointing in
that I didn't seem to attract the number of general/advance class
ops as I had hoped for. CQ's toward Europe were also somewhat of
a disappointment as I never really got anything going. Long path
signals were great and I was amused to see how many US/central American
stations couldn't believe what they were hearing. I got called VE1FF,
VO1FF, OK1FF, and several other calls until they received my zone 30
report and then things started making sense for them. Had some problems
breaking Caribbean stations who were running the US/Europe even though
they were 10-20 over here. Even heard a couple US stations inform
Caribbean stations that I was calling (thanks), but unfortunately the
Caribbean station didn't even pause their US pileup to have a listen
- which is a real mystery to me? My main problem on 20m however, was
a pre-occupation with working Africa which in the long run didn't pay
off this time.
- 15M: Had a pileline to Japan the entire weekend. Runs were
great with strong signals and well disciplined operators. Had
brief openings to North America and Europe which oddly enough
resulted in the same number of QSOs each way.
- 10M: Didn't have much time to spend on this band. It was
generally quiet when I checked, but did manage a short run into
Japan. I understand other south Pacific stations managed to
work the US, but I didn't hear anyone when I checked.
- About ten stations asked for a QSY to another band for a multiplier.
It only worked (OT6T) one time in my case which makes me question
the value of wasting the time trying. HC8N and FS5PL asked me to go
to 15m from 20m long path which (almost predictably) didn't pan
out. (I even swung the 4El Beam 180 degrees to the short path to
see if I could hear them). Interestingly it seems the stations who
ask for QSYs were generally "big guns" who spend nearly all of their
weekend calling CQ instead of spending some of their time searching
for multipliers like the rest of us.
Hope everyone has a happy holiday season and see you all next year
in the contests.
73, Jim VK1FF (WB2FFY) Email: VK1FF@contesting.com
- Below are a couple charts showing where the QSOs came from.
Continental Distribution
160 80 40 20 15 10 ALL
--- -- -- -- -- -- ---
USA calls = 0 49 209 93 79 0 430
VE calls = 0 1 9 5 1 0 16
N.A. calls = 0 1 9 16 2 0 28
S.A. calls = 0 0 2 5 0 0 7
Euro calls = 0 27 214 103 79 0 423
Afrc calls = 0 2 3 9 1 0 15
Asia calls = 0 4 35 42 81 5 166
JA calls = 0 11 134 145 335 36 661
Ocen calls = 3 9 13 16 21 3 65
Total calls = 3 104 628 433 599 44 1811
Zone Distribution:
1. 25 666 21. 33 9
2. 05 209 22. 1 8
3. 15 183 23. 23 6
4. 04 135 24. 37 4
5. 16 116 25. 29 4
6. 03 105 26. 22 4
7. 14 99 27. 9 3
8. 17 36 28. 7 2
9. 24 30 29. 10 2
10. 19 28 30. 6 2
11. 20 28 31. 39 2
12. 18 22 32. 38 1
13. 32 17 33. 12 1
14. 28 17 34. 35 1 (Maritime Mobile)
15. 08 15 35. 34 1
16. 26 13
17. 27 12
18. 21 11
19. 30 10
20. 31 9
QSLs are welcome. You may QSL using one of the options below:
1. Direct to: Jim Muller
PSC 277 Box 152
APO AP 96549 USA
* This address will be valid only until Nov 1997
* No SASE, IRC, or Money necessary
2. Via the VK1 Bureau. (I am currently the inward and outward QSL
bureau manager for the ACT (VK1)).
3. Via the W2 Bureau to my home call WB2FFY.
4. Direct to: Jim Muller
RD#1 Box 129a
Greene, New York, 13778 USA
* No SASE, IRC, or Money necessary
73, Jim Muller Packet: VK1FF@VK1KCM.ACT.AUS.AUNZ
VK1FF/WB2FFY Internet: VK1FF@contesting.com
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