CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY
Call: VA7ST
Operator(s): VA7ST
Station: VA7ST
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: BC
Operating Time (hrs): 26.5
Summary:
Band QSOs Pts State/Prov DX Zones
------------------------------------------
80: 110 214 36 8 9
40: 160 339 42 26 17
20: 408 1027 41 64 22
15: 25 63 7 9 7
10:
------------------------------------------
Total: 703 1643 126 107 55 Total Score = 473,184
Club: British Columbia DX Club
Comments:
* FT-2000, N1MM Logger + MMTTY
* 3-ele SteppIR at 47'
* 40M SteppIR dipole, mostly at 47'
* 80M two-vertical array (SE-NW, broadside NE-SW)
* 80M Beverage 270' aimed due east
* No cluster
2009 Flux: 72 | Ap: 2>9 | Kp: 2>0
2008 Flux: 67 | Ap: 3 | Kp: 1
2007 Flux: 65 | Ap: 26>13 | Kp: 4>1
Went into this as a low-power entry, knowing I'd have a struggle but wanting to
see how the new antennas fare against performance from previous years. Figured
on putting in 36 hours or so, but only got in 26.5 and still felt tired at the
end.
Hoped two sunspot groups would spark conditions a bit (opening with a 24 count
not seen in what must be several years). Flux was at 76 a day before the
contest but settled in at 72 for the duration. A welcome rise from SFI=67 that
has been the norm for months now. Alas, from here 20M didn't show noticeable
improvement, higher bands were still dead, and the lower bands were perhaps
worse that they have been recently.
Finished Day 1 with just over half of my final score....
QSOs Pts Cty ZN Sec
Total 401 966 85 48 96 Day 1 Score: 221,214
Finished with my best low-power totals since 2004, and wasn't too far off my
best high-power totals from last year. Would have closed the gap with a
stronger 80M performance this year but that band just wasn't in good shape.
Second-best mult totals from here, so the antennas work even without high
power. Special congratulations to Fabi VA2UP for an awesome low-power score
from QC in these conditions.
Highlights include:
* working Phil GU0SUP for the first time in many, many moons.
* working a couple new RTTY DXCC including Lebanon and San Marino.
* watching my good friend Ed VE4EAR make hay with those new antennas!
This was the pay-off for all the time and effort he put in over the
past year adding a tower+yagis to the Winnipeg QTH. Great outing Ed.
Lowlights:
* the sun. Ironic, huh?
* not having the FT-920 fixed to work SO2R. Would have made a difference.
80M ----------------------------------
Had to work the heck out of the knobs to get anything this weekend. Conditions
felt really bad. Those I worked had great signals, but seemed there weren't
many on.
Band QSOs Pts Cty ZN Sec
2009 >> 3.5 110 214 8 9 36 LP twin verticals
2008 >> 3.5 205 398 9 10 46 HP twin verticals
2007 >> 3.5 106 209 7 8 37 HP delta loop
40M ----------------------------------
Band was weak to EU from here, but managed a few polar-path Qs. Not good to
Asia or the Pacific, and only so-so to the rest of North Americal. Worked
pretty hard Saturday evening to bump up the total to 160 Qs. Pleased to equal
the State count of last year using only 100W this time. Running the amp would
have punched through to a lot more EU countries, but even with low power this
year I'm down by 8 country mults and only 2 zones, so I think the dipole works
just fine.
Band QSOs Pts Cty ZN Sec
2009 >> 7 160 339 26 17 42 LP rotary dipole @ 47'
2008 >> 7 204 441 34 19 42 HP twin half-squares
2007 >> 7 145 296 13 11 36 HP Single half-squares, EW/NS
20M ----------------------------------
Not quite sure what to make of conditions down in the real world (20M and
down). 20M EU opening was really strong -- and surprisingly early -- on
Saturday morning, well underway by 1430z and good until after 1800z. Sunday it
opened later (1500z to 1900z) and never hit the fevered pitch of Saturday's
opening. Still, wall-to-wall signals almost from 14050 to 14150 both days.
Found the bi-directional yagi mode worked well when JA and US were both calling
in, though splitting 100W two ways doesn't make you feel very strong anywhere.
Band QSOs Pts Cty ZN Sec
2009 >> 14 408 1027 64 22 41 LP SteppIR 3-element
2008 >> 14 358 876 64 22 39 HP Mosley CL33
2007 >> 14 320 726 48 20 39 HP Mosley CL33
15M ----------------------------------
For some out East, the slight solar flux bump offered some 15M openings over
the pole, but from out West high-band conditions were not improved one bit. 15M
did not really open other than the expected useful propagation to South America.
Band QSOs Pts Cty ZN Sec
2009 >> 21 25 63 9 7 7
2008 >> 21 17 35 4 4 8
2007 >> 21 28 64 6 7 7
----------------------------------
TOTALS QSOs Pts Cty ZN Sec Score
2009 Total >> 703 1643 107 55 126 473,184
2008 Total >> 784 1750 111 55 135 526,750
2007 Total >> 599 1295 74 46 119 309,505
----------------------------------------
Year-over-year Qs Mult Score
----------------------------------------
2009 CQWW RTTY SOABLP 703 288 473,184 SteppIR enhanced :)
2008 CQWW RTTY SOABHP 784 301 526,750
2007 CQWW RTTY SOABHP 599 239 309,505 1st HP entry
2006 CQWW RTTY SOABLP 561 242 300,322
2005 CQWW RTTY SOABLP 365 221 189,840
2004 CQWW RTTY SOABLP 760 220 482,062 1st contest w/tower
2003 CQWW RTTY SOABLP 257 168 101,304
73 and thanks for the contacts,
-- Bud VA7ST
http://www3.telus.net/va7st
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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