After months of preparation, to attempt a multi-single partecipation in the
CQWW CW Contest I have to declare that I wasn't so caute !
At IT9GSF's station (IR9T) antennas were ready:
KT34XA at 25 mts for 10-15-20 runner station.
3 EL. YAGI at 22 mts for 40 mts.
Half loop for 80 mts.
Slooper and magnetic loop for 160 mts.
3 El. Yagi vert. Pol. for 10 mts mult station
3 El. Yagi vert. Pol. for 15 mts mult station
GP for 20 mts mult station.
K9AY loops for low band RX
West direction Beverage 250 mts long.
The TRXs were ready:
IC765 (2) with W5XD+ Keyer (SO2R setup)
IC706 mult station.
The amplifiers were ready:
Home made QBL 5-3500 for 10-160 mts
Motorola transistor amplifier (16 per MRF150) automatic switch for
multiplier station.
Two sets of W3NQN filters with automatic switching circuits.
Stubs for all bands in the tube amplifier output.
On thursday my friend Marco, IK0YVV, told me he cannot come because his
father is at the hospital... the problem is to find an other CW operator and
it was not easy !!!
Marco is one of the best CW operators here in Italy and the multi single
attempt was studied on his presence. After some phone calls to find other
operators (with absolutely no luck) I decided to try a single op
partecipation.
But Mr. Murphy was at the door and I experienced a 40° fever (pain) on
friday evening... also a big problem on the W5XD+ home made keyer (if you
copied me during the first minutes of the contest you know what I mean)...
maybe something wrong inside the black box... so I tried to use one of the
old interfaces but the new Window XP doesn't see the LPT in my computer.
In 10 minutes I built a serial interface with optoisolators for CW keying
and PTT... But I was very sic and continue to try... at 07Z in the morning I
was at 650 QSO (40 meters only) with good american (3 points) rate (2.7
points/QSO). But my head was terrific and I trowed up... I went to bed with
a fit of giddiness.
Now it's sunday afternoon... I am at home QTH with my girlfriend. Sorry
that, maybe, Sicily multiplier is not in your log. I tried to do the best I
can...but where are the sicilian CW operators ?
Is it possible that everybody buys amplifiers (BIG!), new radios, many funny
gears but doesn't look for operators' operating practice improvement ?
Where is the amateur radio interest ? Where is the low signal philosophy ?
I want to say to all my SSB friends that they are loosing a great part of
fun if they don't operate CW... CW is not only the 50 % of the contesting
scenario... IT IS MUCH MORE !!!
I hope that in Italy we can have a new spring for ham radio.
Sorry...very sorry...if most part of you didn't have the possibility to work
IT9 multiplier on all bands !
73 de Fabio, IT9GSF.
---------------------------------------------------------------
The world's top contesters battle it out in Finland!
THE OFFICIAL FILM of WRTC 2002 now on professional DVD and VHS!
http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~jamesb/
---------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
|