Hi Guys
What a week-end it has been. What simply incredible conditions on 10
and 15 especially. First let me give you the numbers... then a few
comments...
CQ WORLD WIDE PREFIX CONTEST -- 2000
Call: 8P2K Country: Barbados
Mode: SSB Category: Single Operator - low
power
BAND QSO QSO PTS PTS/Q PREFIXES
160 0 0 0.0 0 - dipole
80 60 260 4.3 14 - dipole/sloper
40 120 540 4.5 22 - v-beam
20 367 1081 2.9 118 - TH6, TH7 tribanders
15 1029 2497 2.4 394 - TH6, TH7 tribanders
10 2037 5327 2.6 431 - 5-el mono, TH6, TH7
--------------------------------------
Totals 3613 9705 2.7 979 = 9,501,195
All reports sent were 59(9), unless otherwise noted.
I operated as a guest operator at the wonderful 8P9Z site which has
been assembled by Steve - K4FG and Jack - K3KG. If you're interested
in the details, follow the link to http://users.erols.com/k4fj/ .
Equipment Description: TS850, TS450, 400MHz AMD Computer
Heil Boomset w/HC5, CT 9.49 with rig control
Timewave DSP 9+, Dunestar bandpass filters
Dunestar 2-radio headphone mixer
Conditions were simply phenomenal especially on 10 and 15 where I made
the bulk of my QSO's. Running 100 watts was relatively easy on 10 and
15m, but very difficult on the other bands. During the first day, I
tried moving stations from the high to the low bands on the second
rig, but even that seemed to be a bit slow but it did result in a few
extra Q's.
So why would anyone want to run low power anyway?? Well, when you look
at the results, I figured I might be able to make top ten again in the
HP category, looked at doing 10m SOSB, 15m SOSB, but of course SA
stations do better there normally. Then it jumped out at me that a NA
station VP5E I think had won the LP category in 1999 meaning I at
least start with an even chance.
The rest was all conditions. Had to do a lot of tuning. Normally I sit
on a frequency for hours, but I found I had to move around a bit
especially when stations would report that either a P4 or PY station
was right next door. The extra Kenwood 1.8KHz and IRC 2.1 KHz filters
made an incredible difference!!
As all ops who have operated at 8P9Z will agree the 10m monobander at
100ft is a killer. In fact late on Sunday night I was turning power
down to 10 watts - fully counter-clockwise on the TS 850 and still
running stations with ease. Wow!!
Oh and BTW the QSL's for 8P2K go to KU9C - Steve, my manager.
73, Dean - 8P6SH / 8P2K
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