CQWW WPX Contest, CW
Call: AC6DD
Operator(s): AC6DD
Station: AC6DD
Class: SOSB40 HP
QTH:
Operating Time (hrs): 30
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160:
80:
40: 858
20:
15:
10:
------------
Total: 858 Prefixes = 407 Total Score = 1,234,024
Club: Slovenia Contest Club
Comments:
My plans for this year's WPX weekend kept changing due to personal and work
reasons. At first I was going to go back to the South Pacific (see 3D2NC last
WPX), than to Slovenia for family reasons, and than three weeks ago it turned
out that I was staying home. After my last few adventures, contesting from home
is just not enough fun and punishment. So I ordered a Comtek box for 40m, and
by the time it arrived, I already built four verticals out of scrap aluminum
tubing and old tribanders. A roll of unmarked coax obtained from the phone
company turned out to be 75 ohms, perfect for the phasing lines. Working late
into Thursday night I had all the parts ready for the portable operation the
next day.
I set up the four square at the end of a 3/4 mile long pier above salt water.
(See www.qsl.net/ac6dd for info on the pier) The setup took me most of the
afternoon. The antenna was never erected before, so if I said that it all
worked right away, I would be lying big time.
The contest started pretty slow, as propagation was basically one way. As
darkness fell it was getting clear that I won't be working many European
stations. All EU stations worked were pretty weak, and pretty much from the
southern part of the continent. The opening was short, and now I started having
doubts about even getting on 40m this late in the year. By the time Asia
opened I forgot all about it. As the Japanese station with birdfeeder antennas
were filling my log, daylight arrived. Shortly after it was over, with 620 QSO's
for the night.
I was hoping Europe would be better the next day, but unfortunately not much
changed. An interesting tactic was noted from some east coast stations. As I
would call CQ and a weak EU station would reply, the station would break in
trying to steal the QSO. I lost a few contacts due to this phenomenom, as I
could not copy the exchange. Folks, you are my heros.
The second night was s l o o o o o w. Only a bit over 200 QSO's, but I got
North Korea (or South, or Japan or wherever he was).
So in the end how did the antenna work? I think it was great. At the flip
of the switch a station would turn from barely readable to booming. I routinely
kept switching directions during CQ's and getting replies from all over the
place. The big problem was noise. I wish that I also had a horizontal antenna
to switch to on receive. I would like to hear from stations that worked me, and
also from California stations that were using a yagi so I can compare notes. I
would like to know if all this effort with salt water is worth it. I might do
an 80m four square for CQWW at the same place.
I will post a couple of pictures on www.qsl.net/ac6dd in a few days. I am
leaving to Europe tomorrow, so time is tight.
USA calls = 402
VE calls = 41
N.A. calls = 13
S.A. calls = 36
Euro calls = 16
Afrc calls = 7
Asia calls = 36
JA calls = 263
Ocen calls = 44
Total calls = 858
73,
Niko - AC6DD
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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