CQWW WPX Contest, SSB
Call: ZY7C
Operator(s): PS8DX, PS8HF, PS8NF, PT7CB, PT7CG, PT7WA, PT7ZAP, PT7ZZ, PY7DI,
PY7RP, PY8AZT
Station: PT7CB
Class: M/2 HP
QTH:
Operating Time (hrs): 48
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 2
80: 386
40: 825
20: 2374
15: 1318
10: 94
------------
Total: 4999 Prefixes = 1264 Total Score = 22,542,176
Club: Araucaria DX Group
Comments:
In ZY7C are always looking for improvement of the technical and operational
team. Between 2003 and 2008, we grow in our Score from 9 million to 20 million
last year.
This year we tried something new in ZY7C. In place of the traditional Multi-Op
Single-TX (M/S), we decided to face the challenge to compete seriously in the
category Multi-Op Two-TX (M/2). For those who do not know, this category is a
tiny version of the Mult-Mult. We have two transmitters operating at the same
time in two different bands. The configuration of ZY7C gives us the flexibility
to turn into M/2 without changing virtually anything in the station setup.
Our goal was to compete directly with 6Y1V with some strategic adjustments. Our
goal was 30 million, but again Mr. Murphy decided to appear in a way that we
will never forget it.
In March we made 3 major contest from ZY7C, all had some kind of minor problem
like noise, antennas and computers. But nothing to compromise the operation,
however in WPX SSB the story was quite different. I believed that Mr. Murphy
had forgotten us. Huge mistake!
On Friday, when we got there, around 20z, there was no electricity at the
station. Moreover, the problem was not lack of energy, but over: we had 220V in
phase, on the neutral and even in grounding bar! Luckily, only one nobreak was
damaged in the station.
Call in an emergency the "Gambiarra", electrician providing service to Barreto,
PT7CB. After much waiting and stress there guy, "Gambiarra", arrived and
identified that there was a short, caused by rains in underground power cables
supplying the station. When the installation was finally repaired, it was 23z.
We had an hour to prepare the station for the contest. With electricity
restored, we began to prepare the linear and computers. We found that there was
a problem of the rotating antenna of 15m: very high SWR. Mr. Murphy again!
On Saturday, we decided to replace the rotating Yagi at the top of the tower of
15m, an operation that consumed much of the first day. So, we were limited to
use the fixed Yagi for Europe. By the evening, when the new antenna was in
place the same problem of high SWR. So I checked with the antenna analyzer for
the SWR on the cables passage box, after disconnect and connect again the cable
to 15m, the SWR simply returned to normal! (Mr. Murphy, I'll kill you). So, we
worked 15m North America only on Sunday. The lack of almost 1000Qs in 15m
hurtled a lot our score.
High Bands
28MHz. We experienced a marginal opening between 15-19z. We worked 15 DXCC and
only 1 from Europe (CT Land).
21MHz. We have had enough with the loss of rotational Yagi for 15m. With the
fixed Europe Yagi and without that sunspots, operate on 15m was an act of
heroism! Without the working conditions for Americans in 21MHz, our plan has
failed to compete seriously with 6Y1V. We closed the first day with just over
300Qs in 15m. Yagi replaced during the contest and the second day we were back
to business in 15m and put more 1000Qs in the log.
14MHz. The band of 20m, being the only really productive, became almost
impossible at times when we got simultaneous opening to USA and Europe. The
lack of propagation to USA-EU in 21MHz became blocked in the 20m band. Operate
under these conditions required much experience, technical operation, patience
and good ears. Logged 2300Qs, and still could be better if the
Low Bands
7MHz. Our first night was hard, with much noise and very slow pace. The rate
has never been greater than 70 and after the 06z always less than 30.
3,5MHz. Our strategy included a strong effort to make 30% of the QSOs in the
low bands. In the ARRL DX SSB did 900Qs at 80m, then the estimate 1000Qs. The
conditions were very good, despite some noise on the first day, there weren't
food available. When in S&P a single call was enough to a work station. I
suspect that the good conditions in 40m decreased considerably the band time on
80m of casual contesters.
1,8MHz. A band just for the record... but yielded a mult.
We had two objectives: to compete and improve the operational level of team.
Our team of operators was made by experienced operators, already accustomed to
the setup of large station operations and others that for the first time
competed seriously. To promote the training of new operators and not compromise
the operation, we use a distribution system of the audio from one of the radios
for up to 4 different operators, which could monitor the operation of the most
experienced and help in the pileup (the more ear better theory).
Sometimes we use the Call Stack of N1MMLogger to help the operator during the
Pileup. The system is very simple and really help at times more difficult.
We hadn't great rates this year, but the PY7RP and PT7CB do it great:
Max ZY7C Rates:
2009-03-29 1842Z - 8.0 per minute (1 minute (s)), 480 per hour by PY7RP
2009-03-29 1856Z - 5.9 per minute (10 minute (s)), 354 per hour by PT7CB
2009-03-29 1858Z - 4.9 per minute (60 minute (s)), 294 per hour by PY7RP
On behalf of ZY7C, I thank all visiting operators who came to Fortaleza and
helped us in the operation. I hope it was worth for you guys.
Thank you all for QSO. Hope work you again on Manchester Mineira All America
Contest and WPX CW next May.
Please, visit our web page: http://www.zy7c.org.br
QSL via PT7WA.
PS. Apparently the 6Y1V not participated in the Contest. Dave KY1V, one of the
owners of the station, suffered a heart attack this week and left the hospital
on Thursday. Possibly, this resulted in the cancellation of the operation in
Jamaica. Let 's hope for Dave to be back soon to activity Contest.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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