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[3830] CQWW CW VO1AAM(VE3DZ) SOAB HP

To: 3830@contesting.com, ve3dz@rac.ca
Subject: [3830] CQWW CW VO1AAM(VE3DZ) SOAB HP
From: webform@b4h.net
Reply-to: ve3dz@rac.ca
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:36:02 -0800
List-post: <mailto:3830@contesting.com>
                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: VO1AAM
Operator(s): VE3DZ
Station: VO1MP

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: St. John's, NL
Operating Time (hrs): 46
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  637    19       75
   80:  900    20       74
   40:  749    27       94
   20: 1182    30      103
   15:  930    25       86
   10:   71    15       33
------------------------------
Total: 4469   136      465  Total Score = 7,067,760

Club: Contest Club Ontario

Comments:

This operation was kind of a last minute desicion. A big thank you to Gus VO1MP
who agreed
to to give up his own opearation and agreed to lend me his station after I
cancelled my Zone
2 trip.
Prior to my arrival Gus did fair amount of job with his chain saw to free the
space for 40/80 
dipole on his remote hilltop tower 750 feet ASL) and actually did all the main
job connecting 
and testing all equipment.
I arrived Thursday at noon and we started to set everyhting up. As I mentioned
already Gus had
everything needed for SO2R operation, including a pair of ICE419 filters and
SCK box, but he 
never tried it, so we decided that I would bring my own SO2R box (DX Doubler)
and cables. I also
brought my laptop and RigExpert USB interface, partially because I like how it
works with every software 
that I tried and mostly because I wanted to impress Gus and show him what could
be done if you
don't have COM or LPT ports on your computer (only USB). Unfortunately, I kind
of embarassed 
myself in front of Gus, trying to set up my RigExpert that did not want to work
for almost 3 
hours. Finally the problem was found and it appeared to be a human factor (as
usual) - I forgot
to activate RigExpert in the Device Manager menu after installing a REAUDIO
driver...
Anyway, it was just around 00 UTC when I decided to finally check the bands. I
knew about 80 m 
from my previous trip to VO in August of 2005, but when I heard first European
with S9+ sugnal 
on 160, I almost fell out of the chair... Later, after the Contest Gus will be
telling me that 
it's not really typical and I was just lucky (so everybody else) to have
excellent low band 
conditions... But, still, no doubt - Marconi was right to pick up this place
for his first 
trans-Atlantic communication. :-))
On Friday morning I checked all bands, 10 was dead as expected, but 15 was in a
good shape. Then 
Gus cut his 17 m 2 el. Delta Loop to convert it into the 2 el. 15 m Delta Loop
fixed South and we
went to town to meet with Paul VO1HE and have a lunch at the best (according to
Paul) "Fish and Chips"
place in town.  
After fixing a couple of more minor bugs on the computers I even tried to get a
short nap, which
never happened to me before major contests in last 5 or 6 years. I never
managed to fall asleep though,
but after about an hour an a half I got up well rested and ready to hit the
waves.
Started on 80 and 40, but never got a good going on 40. Probably too late ( 9
P.M. local time). However 
80 and 160 really amazed me! Sometimes I was feeling like I'm on 20 meters in
Ontario...
Worked 74 countries on 160 alone during the first night! Heard last European on
160 and 80 as late as 0800
UTC.
Unfortunately, something happened to 160 m antenna during the 2nd night, so no
160 m QSOs in the LOG after 
0430 UTC Sunday... I could work few more countries, since I was still lacking a
lot of Carribean and AF 
multipliers.
My usual problem is when I maintain a good rate, I don't change bands too often
when needed and it hurts my
multiplier totals. On Saturday I completely missed short EU opening on 10 and
only picked few EU multipliers
on early Sunday morning. Usually when I hear the station on a noise level I
don't even bother to call it. 
Here in VO1 on 10 meters you just need to get another station call properly and
- they come back to you 
right away!
Since I was well rested I managed to stay in the chair up to around 0830 UTC on
Sunday, then took about 2 
hours nap and could carry on without any big problem. I was also able to
maintain at least 6-7/hr rate on 
the 2nd radio almost all contest long, which never happened to me before. Next
time I should take the whole 
week off before the Contest! :-))
A lot of people moved for me. Even too many to mention. It was indeed amazing
since I was not even a multiplier
for them. Thank you all for that and for all the QSOs.
The only frustration was with JAs. Can someone explain me what is going on with
Japanese contesters nowadays?
Among my 4500 QSO I managed to work only 1 (one!) JA on 20 m. Spent good half
of an hour calling JA6SHL on 40 m 
for double multiplier, but he never came back to me. Same thing with CE4CT on
80 m, who was solid S9 and never 
came back even with "?"... Spent about an hour at the end of the contest trying
to call S9SS on 20 m with 
same results (no luck). However my disappointed was sweetened when I found
Chris A45XR on 40 m for a multiplier on
a second radio and managed to work him for his and mine last Contest QSO. We
even chatted a bit with him after 
the contest...
Another problem was my call. Though it was already in the MASTER database, some
people had real problem getting my call
sign right. For some reason the most confusion was created by my call among
PY/LU operators. For some of them I had to 
repeat my call 10 or more times! And yet, they were getting it as 4O1AA or
VO1AA or whatever...
Anyway, to make a long story short - I had a real blast, I enjoyed it very
much. Of course, it wouldn't be possible 
without great care of Gus and his lovely wife Kay. Again, my sincere thanks to
Mr. and Mrs. VO1MP and family!
I fell in love with Newfounland, and not only because of great low bands
conditions, but also because of magnificent 
nature and ocean shores, and wonderful and friendly Newfounland people.
Hope to come back one day!

Equipment and antenna used (all courtesy of VO1MP):

2 x FT1000MP Mark V Field
Alpha 87A @ 1500 watts, SB220 @ 1000 watts.
2 x ICE419 BPF

160 m: shunt fed tower 64 feet (tower 1)
80 m: dipole @ 60 feet (tower 1)
40 m: 2 el. switch. Delta Loop NE/SW @ 60 feet (tower 1)
20 m: 4 el. monobad Yagi @ 66' (tower 1)
15 m: 5 el. monoband Yagi @ 42'(tower 2), 2 el. Delta Loop @ 50' fixed to South
(tower 2)
10 m: 5 el. monoband Yagi @ 42' (tower 3)

Hilltop tower (750' ASL) 80 m dipole, 40 m dipole

N1MM software. RigExpert USB-to-transceiver interface (the only my own thing).

73  Yuri  VE3DZ / VE2IM / VO1AAM


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