CQWW WPX Contest, CW
Call: WQ8RP
Operator(s): N8XX
Station: N8XX
Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: MICHIGAN
Operating Time (hrs): 13
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 0
80: 35
40: 103
20: 71
15: 41
10: 0
------------
Total: 250 Prefixes = 163 Total Score = 65,200
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
Wires Antenna - ~130 ft. (~40 Metres) Inverted V about 32' (~10 metres) high at
center, a few ft (~2 metres) at each end, fed with ~400 ohm ladder line.
Rig is an ancient TR-5, power adjusted with a Heath QRP Wattmeter/SWR Bridge.
Matching device is a LDG Z-100 followed by a LDG 1/1 Balun.
Friday evening (early morning GMT) was slooowwww - conditions were marginal on
both 40 and 20 metres, and very few folks were on 80 metres. Worked a few more
than 50 Q's in 4 hours, only the very LOUD could hear my pipsquoke signal!
Woke up about 6 hours later, the bands were el-stinko, even the "loud" signals
were weak. Gave up, did some chores around the house, went back 1700Z. A few
hardy souls were on 40 - probably multi-multi, which I worked fairly quickly.
20 was better, but still mediocre. 15 opened up marginally, added a few
multipliers. Between 2300 to 0300Z things were mainly on 40. 80 metres was
"fair" but few stations were there......
About 1200Z Sunday 40 was a bit open, but, most activity was on 20, even though
it was still a bit marginal for a QRP station with an antenna not much better
than a dummy load. Only had an hour to work before other family activities.
Came back @ about 2000Z and - voila! 20 and 15 were open!
Total of 250 Q's (claimed), 400 QSO points, 163 multipliers. is a personal
best, even with marginal conditions for most of the event. A thunderstorm was
getting closer @ about 2230Z, so valor is the better part of discretion,
antenna disconnected and grounded, and power disconnected from the rig and
computer. Possibly, if lightning hadn't been a factor, I might have made
another 50 Q's in the last 1½ hours. But, one lightning strike and I wouldn't
be writing this.
Fun, fun, fun. Tnx to the organizers of the contest. Maybe one day I'll learn
how to operate in contest. :)
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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