ARRL DX Contest, CW
Call: N1UR
Operator(s): N1UR
Station: N1UR
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: VT
Operating Time (hrs): 44
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160: 75 46
80: 378 66
40: 689 74
20: 888 84
15: 830 91
10: 416 72
-------------------
Total: 3278 427 Total Score = 4,254,027
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
Sometimes you kind of "back in" to a great contest result. I was looking
forward
to this contest as always. This is a great "running contest" for sure. I
spend
more time running on this one than CQ WW. 2 years ago I had a personal best
score
of 3.5 Million. Last year, I was sick and conditions were not good. I tured
in a
3.1 Million score that year. As I looked at the weekend approaching it was
clear
that the SFI would not support a likely record effort. I was hopeful for at
least a resonable geomagnetic and a chance to do a personal best. As I started
the contest, I noticed that 40M started dropping off way earlier than the past
few years which was not a good sign. But 80 & 160 were in great shape Friday
night so, I enjoyed the night conditions. The first day was fun although not
spectacular, although rates were great - similar to the past couple of years
on
20 and 15. It was feeling very much like 2011 actually as 10M was very light
with virtually no Europe. The Saturday JA on 15 and 20 was pretty good
although
I was working 40M pretty hard instead to EU to recover from the short start.
At
the half I had 2.1 Million points and remember saying, hmmm, if 10M would open
tomorrow, a record chance was still possible.
I took my 3 hour sleep and woke up to again pretty darned good 80 and 160
although
less activity than the EU morning before. The start of 20 and then 15 was
pretty
much a repeat of Saturday, again with great rates. I always start swinging
through 10M around 1230Z unless the SFI is very high (how often is that
really?).
On the first pass I heard nothing. I started hearing something interesting
around 1315Z and by 1330Z I tried a few CQs with very few takers but the
strength
was decent. I tried again at 14Z and got more callers but decided to hang
there
since many EU calls were mults. I started S & Ping 15 and CQing 10. By 1430Z,
I
was over 100 an hour on 10 and it stayed there for about 2 and a half hours. I
could
tell that it was not deep but the Qs were coming and it filled in quite a few
EU
mults. By the end of the run ~ 1730Z, I started realizing that the record was
was actually in sight and really pushed for it all the way to the end.
I missed the gross record by only about 80,000 points. It was really fun to
chase
since I did not expect it at the start or even half way through. I notice that
the
record in 2001 by N2NL (at K4XS) was with an SFI of 150 vs 105 this year and
that
Dave had 48 hours to my 44 hours. However, I doubt strongly that I could have
added the 75 - 90 Qs and 6 - 8 mults I would have needed to set a new record
by
putting 2 more hours in vs the 4 hours I took off based on when I take them.
I have also noticed as I push SO2R harder and harder that when I go over 44 -
45
hours the Sunday afternoon fatigue is much more intense, so I have kind of
"settled in" at 44 - 45 for my serious contests. I doubt I will go for more
than
45 in the future...certianly not after the "peak" is done..this is the "peak"
right?
I also saw that K4XS - Bill put up a great low power assisted effort for this
one.
Its a different station than the record in 2001 but I would guess its similar
to the
other one before he dismantled and moved to KH6. He beat my score and the
record for
LP but had the help of 100 more mults from the internet connection.
I know a lot of people complain about the "skimmer" blasts but I say "bring
them
on!"...who am I to complain about a bunch of people calling me. I will figure
out how to work them quickly...but keep calling. Personally, unless you have a
MONSTER signal...I would think that running around the bands in those calling
messes would get seriously old...but some people like it.
Lets hope that the SSB contest is as good (or maybe even a tad better). I
have
learned my lesson though...until noon local Sunday...don't assume the record
can't
be broken...for a few more years anyway.
73
Ed N1UR
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