Stew Perry Topband Challenge
Call: N5IA
Operator(s): N5IA
Station: NI5T
Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: DM52
Operating Time (hrs): 9.5
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 136 Total Score = 1,533
Club: Arizona Outlaws Contest Club
Comments:
I did my usual two operations; one at HP with a club call sign and one at QRP
with my own station call sign. This report will be for both operations as they
were interleaved and each one had a bearing on the other.
The sun is already about 45 minutes into the sky when the contest starts on
Saturday morning. I operated N7GP at HP for 30 minutes, making 15 contacts,
before having to go to work.
I returned to the station in the late afternoon and made another 19 contacts in
1:15 of operating time. The 2nd contact was with FM05 and that was followed 5
Qs later with a contact with FN13. OK. This is a good indicator and I was
ready for a good run.
I changed logs and started the N5IA, QRP operation at 0000Z. This time
corresponds with local sunset, and provides 14 hours of operation in darkness.
The anticipated good propagation just did not show up for this location. By
0530 I had worked only three "F" grid locations and had only 85 total Qs.
I was CQing (lots of open space = lack of stations) with the main radio and S&P
with the 2nd radio. I cam across Ben, DL6FBL, with the 2nd radio and NO ONE was
answering his CQs. Since Ben was one of my co-operators on Ducie, VP6DX, I just
had to give him a call and Q.
I decided to change back to the HP operation with N7GP and give him a call.
This was at 0530, and he came right back to me. No problem. I said to myself,
since it is VERY slow at QRP I might as well beef up the N7GP log a bit. I
S&Ped from 1.840 down to 1.810 twice and made 40 Qs in an hour and 20 minutes.
I logged two more EU stations, the Carribean stations and Al down south in
Huasco, Chile. Nothing to write home about, but it livened the evening up a
bit.
I changed back to the N5IA, QRP log at 0700. Conditions had improved slightly,
but as others have noted the eastern USA casual operators had all gone to bed.
I promptly worked KH6LC, and during the next 35 minutes managed to get PJ2T and
FM5CD in the log.
Then I made Al work. Fortunately he did not have any other callers at the time
so I took TEN minutes of Al's time so he could have N5IA in his log. Was it
worth it? Yes, for me. Thanks Al, for being patient. I had worked him
earlier with N7GP at HP and said hello, so I am sure he was not expecting my
personal station call sign.
I logged Herb, KV4FZ, at 0819 and VY2ZM answered my CQ at 0838 (good ears Jeff,
under miserable conditions). I decided at 1100Z, after 20 minutes of no one
answering my CQs and finding only one station with the 2nd radio who would
answer my calls, that it was time to put this one to bed and try to have some
fun with HP for the balance of the night.
I might comment at this time that I am still unable to understand how any CQing
station can listen properly when after sending my short baud count call sign
ONCE at 24 WPM and the first thing I hear in my earphones is the "Q" of CQ as
he starts calling again. I found a least a DOZEN stations which fit this mold.
LC on my end, but no response, not even a ?, from any of them. In fact, I
don't remember a single ? being sent to my calls all night long. It was either
there, or it wasn't.
Back to HP with the N7GP call sign and the first Q in the log at 1106. I S&Ped
from top to bottom two times during the next hour putting mostly "F" and "E"
grid stations in the log.
At 1200 I started to CQ in the JA window hoping to attract some attention.
JH4UYB called in at 1213. During the next 30 minutes five more JA stations
called in. And that was it for a JA opening from here.
The last Q in the log was a ONE pointer with AA7A. Then it was off to take
care of Sunday obligations.
Some comparative stats:
Call Power Time operating Qs Points KH6 Qs KL7 Qs
N5IA QRP 9:23 136 1,533 3 2
N7GP HP 6:00 200 983 1 0
Thanks for the Qs. CU all in the CQ 160 CW with a multi-op at this station.
Milt, N5IA
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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