160 114 x 34 1/4 wave vert 18 radials 1/4 wave long
80 206 x 42 1/4 wave vert (same gnd as 160), full wave delta loop
40 231 x 45 dipole at 35' delta loop west
20 187 x 46 A3 Fixed Ne at 45', 40 meter delta loop, dipole 30'
15 60 x 23 A3 Fixed NE at 45', any 40 meter antenna
10 25 x 12 A3 Fixed NE at 45'...anything that was louder than A3
823 x 202 = 166,202
Rig FT-102
I LOVE this contest. The NAQP is my favorite contest bar none. CW in
January is my favorite of the NAQP's. AS with most guys there is a
story and here's mine.
The 2l 40 and 4l 20 are still on the saw horse in the back yard going
15 months now. The 40 meter dipole at 85' developed a 3:1 swr and
sigs were way down on it in mid december. Couldn't make time to get
antennas up or 40 meter dipole fixed before naqp.
Friday before the contest around noon, it starts snowing here in North
Alabama. By 3 that afternoon, things are getting covered, schools
have been getting out early, etc..The weather men had said a dusting
of snow was possible but they missed this one big time. Leave work
early, I don't drive well on snow, ice etc. (most people down here don't
drive well on snow except the northern transplants and they give
us PLENTY of opportunities to pull them out of the ditch). We get
3" of snow here at the house.
Saturday morning..the kids want to go out and play in the snow, I have
to put up antennas. Its 17 degrees outside so I put on every shirt I own
and head outside. String a line between the tower at the 60' point
to a tree about 300' away. String up the dipole for 20 meters looking
down the slope to the west and get it close enough to the house that
the 100' piece of rg58 will make it all the way into the shack.
Kids come out with the wife. Wife stays out for about 10 minutes
and decides its too cold to be outside. She goes back in..still need to
build the 40 meter dipole but take the kids sledding. It still 2 hrs
til contest time. sledd for a while, build dipole with the help of
my 4 year old daughter and get it installed. Wife is correct..its is
too cold to be outside.
Get everything finsihed 30 minutes before the contest starts, go to
basement and crank up heat. gets hot quick until I realize I have
4 sweatshirts on.
tune the bands trying to decide where to start. Goal is 600 x 200
based on last years numbers and what I think conditions will deal
us. A index = 24 at the start of the contest. Hoping for a low band
affair. Start on 20 where the new dipole is working great. Last year,
I had 51 x 36 on 20 meters for the whole contest. I have 68 20 meter
q's in the log when I qsy to 15 meters at 1850. I had planned to take
my first off time at 1900 until 15 was pretty good. First hour ends
with 80 q's in the log.
Take my firs break at 2050 with 204 q's in the log. Off 51 minutes.
Start back on 10 where VE3EJ goes into the log. How long has this
been going on? 10 is much better than expected. Band seems in and
out back to 15 work a few. the 2200 hour nets 86 q's on 40/20/15.
By 0055, all off time is taken and I have 370 q' in the log.
In the 01 hour all on 40 meters, I log 85 q's. A VE1 calls in and I
should move him to 20 but don't because the rate is too good.
the Overall rate keeps creeping up from teh low 70's to high 70's
and I finally figure out that means I have a shot at 800 Q's.
Unbelieveable...I go to 80 and the band is quiet but guys are calling
me one at a time. I cq, one guy answers, I finish and there is one
station calling. This happens over and over while the rate is
going thru the roof. the last 10 and past 10 both are above 150.
I log 119 guys between 80/40 in the 02 hour, in the 03 hour,
103 guys go into the log. Thing sslow down a bit in the 04 hour
but 75 guys are in the log. Mults are down because I haven't
moved many guys.
I finally catch a Mississippi station N5ZX i think and move
him from 40 thru 10 meters at 0415 and sigs are good.
I keep a copy the jan 95 cw naqp scores by the radio and see I have
a shot of beating KM9P's winning score from last year. With a few
minutes to go, I beat last year's winning score adn go to 3830.
I was pumped to dump in my score, until I heard K4AAA's score.
Way to go Bill.
What a great contest anyway. I beat the goal I had and had a blast
doing it. Thanks for all the Q's.
Hopeto cu in naqp ssb.
Greg K4NO
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