ARRL DX Contest, CW
Call: W8QZA
Operator(s): W8QZA
Station: W8QZA
Class: SOSB/80 QRP
QTH: Nobleboro, Maine
Operating Time (hrs): 26
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160:
80: 176 68
40:
20:
15:
10:
-------------------
Total: 176 68 Total Score = 35,904
Club: Southern California Contest Club
Comments:
Rig:
Elecraft K-2 set at 4.9 Watts
Antennas:
Inverted V with center up 60 feet
End fed 1/2 wave wire with transformer match
____________________________________________
80 Meter CW QRP DXing from the coast of Maine.
First I must thank Wilt (W1IPL) and his XYL Ellen for hosting me for the
contest for the weekend. I have always wanted to do a contest from the east
coast! Wilt and I have a mutual friend, Phil (N0KE) who introduced us over the
internet. Wilt and Ellen have a beautiful home in Nobleboro, Maine that is
about 8 miles from the coast and about 100 miles from the Canadian border. What
better place for an 80 meter QRP effort!
Wilt is primarily a 6 Meter DXer, and has a large 6 Meter yagi at the top of a
65 foot tower. But he offered to climb his tower in what may be the worst
winter in decades and install an Inverted V and and end fed 1/2 wave wire for a
second antenna.
I got there about noon Friday to find both antennas installed and tuned! In
addition he had installed a table and backup rig in a spare bedroom. There was
also a butane heater to ward off the harsh Maine winter temperatures!
I fired up the rig at sunset which was about 1 1/2 hours before the start of
the contest. I was astounded to hear European 80 Meter signals pounding in at
599+! I managed to work 7 stations BEFORE the contest even began including DL,
GW, IT9, OM, F, HA, and I was called by my friend Kurt, W6PH, who was doing one
of his many operations at VP9.
Once the contest started, it was surrealistic. It was nearly wall to wall 599
European stations. I certainly could not work all, but at that point I was able
to work many. Eventually I was able to work most of the strong stations
especially on the second night.
In all, I worked 68 countries. It would have been 70 if I could have worked the
USA and Canada! It took me 20 years to get to 63 countries from my QTH in San
Diego!!
132 of my 176 Qs (75%) were in Europe. 14% were in North America. I had 3 Qs in
Oceania: KH7X, KH6MB, and KH6LC, but I never heard any other Pacific stations.
Try as I might, I never heard a JA station. My best Qs were OY1CT, YO3APJ,
LZ9W, and 4O3A. I got as far east as a couple of Qs with Russia and Ukraine,
but they were tough Qs. Despite 20 years of trying to work DX on 80 meters from
San Diego, I had only worked one country in Europe, the Azores.
As if all this weren't enough, Wilt prepared a wonderful gourmet dinner on
Sunday night after the contest and Wilt, Ellen, and the two sons that were home
and I enjoyed a great evening re-hashing the contest and talking about many
interesting topics.
Another dividend of this trip was the beauty of Maine in the winter. I managed
to fit in some short drives and several walks to see the beautiful town, homes,
and countryside all covered with a beautiful blanket of snow. I took lots of
photos.
Doing this contest from the coast of Maine is an experience I have always
dreamed of and was finally able to do. The results exceeded my wildest
expections. Thanks again to Wilt and Ellen for a weekend I will never forget.
73, ....Bill W8QZA
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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