CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT
Class: SOSB(A)/160 HP
QTH: Ohio
Operating Time (hrs): 22.5
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 357 20 87
80:
40:
20: 88 11 27
15: 26 11 22
10: 47 15 31
------------------------------
Total: 357 20 87 Total Score = 96,193
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
No more "all verticals, all the time". The refurbished Cushcraft X7
is up 62 feet (19 meters). Nevertheless, the goal was an all-out
single band effort on 160 to get the highest Midwest US score and then
some high bands during the day to see how well the new antenna works.
The usual secondary goal is to beat last year's score, when I was
third in the US.
The first couple of hours on 160 were very disconcerting, because
conditions were very quiet, and the DX was reasonably strong, but I
could not be heard. I'm sure propagation was normal, but the apparent
loudness of the DX made this "normal" seem unusual.
For the first few hours my rate matched last year's rate. At 0630Z I
started a run that lasted for an hour! That put the QSO total well
ahead of last year. Then the after Eu sunrise S&P sweep brought in
about 10 Caribbean and South American multipliers. A two hour nap
later saw KH6 and Kermadec, but no Alaska or other Oceania. Then back
to bed.
Saturday afternoon I spent a few minutes on 10 meters chasing South
Americans, but conditions seemed kind of lackluster for a brand new
antenna, so I did chores.
I got back on 160 at 2130Z, but finding anyone to work was very, very
slow until about 2330Z. At least Zone 2 and 6 came in during that
slow time. Saturday evening was the usual slow but steady 10-15 QSOs
per hour. Eventually I got bored and snuck a peek at DX Summit. Now
I'm assisted but at least I can chase a new country (ZA). We'll see
if being listed in a "Single-Op Assisted" Top-N box brings as much
satisfaction as an "Single-Op" Top-N box.
However, being assisted permitted me to determine that 4L0A was that
extremely faint line in between the pile-up blobs on the SDR waterfall
display. Gradually he got strong enough that I could copy him, but
without knowing who it was at first, I might not have hung around.
Interestingly, he got stronger here after the East Coast big guns quit
calling. Perhaps his sunrise is later for me (thats supposed to be
humorous). 4L was new 160 country #1.
Since CQing worked so well at 0630Z Friday night, lets see how well it
works Saturday night at 0530Z. It works great! Never knew there were
so many DLs, Fs and Gs and others on 160 (ultimately 41 DLs, 20 Gs,
and 15 Fs). When the run ran out around 0745Z, I took another 2 hour
nap.
At 1430Z (!!!) I got up to see what I missed on the cluster. Darn!
VKs were worked! Actually, I got up after 2 hours, but there wasn't
anything new on the cluster (should never have peeked) and I went back
for another hour, which became 4 hours.
So I put the radio on 10 meters and the band sounds reasonable (not
full, or lively, just reasonable). About 20 new countries later, I
tried 15, which was fairly typical. Worked my boss (W8WTS operating
PJ2T), which hasn't happened since high school. Then I moved down to
20 to see how CQing would work on this new aluminum. Wow! 80 Qs in
35 minutes. Surely a fresh meat effect, but at least the antenna
plays.
Had to do some chores, so playing on HF was ended save for the last
couple of hours when one can usually make a few new contacts on 160.
However, it was truly difficult to find a station that I hadn't
already worked. Finally was able to work TC3A, who seemed to be
annoyed that I called him. Maybe he thought we had already worked, as
I had chased him a couple times earlier (Asiatic Turkey was new 160
country #2).
Found the pile-up for 9L5VT who was very easy to work on 10 and 15.
Cracking that pile-up took about 30 minutes, which seemed like a nice
way to finish the contest. So, even though the last 2 hours rate was
very low (6 non-zero point value contacts), 2 of them were new
multipliers. Finally tally includes 35 US contacts.
I missed Alaska and zone 1! Maybe the geomagnetic storm impeded their
appearance on 160 at the crucial time. Or maybe I just slept too
much. I also missed CE1/K7CA to sweep the SA zones.
Next year, family life permitting, I'll have to consider doing the 48
hour, 2 million point version of this contest.
DX worked: 4L, 4O, 4X, 5B, 8P, 9A, 9L, C5, C6, CN, CT, CT3, CU, CX,
D4, DL, E7, EA, EA8, EA9, EI, EU, F, FJ, FM, FY, G, GD, GJ, GM, GM/s,
GW, HA, HB, HC, HI, HK0/a, I, IS, IT9, KH6, KP2, KP4, LA, LX, LY, LZ,
OE, OH, OH0, OK, OM, ON, OZ, P4, PA, PJ2, PJ4, PJ5, PY, PZ, S5, SM,
SP, SV, T7, TA, TA1, UA, UA2, UA9, UR, V2, V4, VE, VP2E, VP2M, VP9,
XE, YL, YN, YO, YU, ZA, ZF, and ZL8.
Equipment: K3, ETO 91B (thanks, Jeff)
160: 65' "T" with 80 radials
20-10: Cushcraft X7 @ 60 feet
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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