CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: OH0V
Operator(s): OH6LI
Station: OH0V/OH0K
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Getaberg
Operating Time (hrs): 40.5
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 426 12 56
80: 790 19 64
40: 1610 33 108
20: 1081 32 88
15: 1185 33 101
10: 852 31 91
------------------------------
Total: 5944 160 508 Total Score = 7,000,640
Club: Rhein Ruhr DX Association
Comments:
For this CQWW CW, I planned a semi-relaxed operation atop Getaberg.
My aim was to test the station and do the necessary fixes for the future
contests. There are so many new relays, connectors, cables, boxes and stubs for
the future SO3R setup. I expected to get into the Fun of fixing things.
The first surprise was the station worked fine even when changing bands.
My only issue was to tune OM3500 to 20m using only 1500W output.
OM3500 is not designed to only 1500W or I have a faulty amplifier.
The tuning was barely acceptable at 1500W out level. If I would have taken more
power out, the OM3500 would have tuned nicely.
That was my only technical problem for the entire weekend.
I encountered only a semi-problem.
The other amp was an AL1500 which tuned perfectly using maybe 70 or
80W drive from my old FT1000MP. I run my radios semi-cool.
Comparing to the other stations nearby, all my equipment is old.
But they function. I have a semi-glossy station.
On mainland Finland, my OH4A SO2R automation is a fully functioning package. As
a contrast, atop OH0V berg, the two radio automation did not really exist yet
before the contest.
After about 8 hours into the contest; still with no problems to solve and
wanting to have some action; I started to think how to add more real SO2R
features to the station to allow a more semi-serious entry.
I got that done by about 12UTC. I had a semi-automated SO2R station with manual
amplifiers. A semi-SO2R.
As the contest progressed, I had to change my band at times because my neighbor
OH0Z was spreading through the whole band and did not fix his transmitter
tuning
despite I asked. I had strong semi-good feelings about the whole contest at
times as I simply had to quit the best bands when they were open and go
elsewhere with my CQ and S&P.
My 20m country multiplier was a semi-disappointment. Less than 90 countries
despite more than a kiloQSO. At times, when avoiding OH0Z bands, I had to spend
so much time on 160 that my 160 numbers are higher than Scandinavians have
normally. I had no set score build up targets. My band selections were
semi-normal.
The weather was semi-freezing. Friday temperature was on plus side. Saturday
was freezing, Sunday not really freezing and Monday was again on the wet side.
The cottage I sleep in atop Getaberg is not at all built for our winter
temperatures. As usual, I had my arctic sleeping bag with me. Trying to sleep
in it before the contest, I was sweating. Could not sleep. Had to change to a
semi-arctic sleeping bag but could not relax and fall asleep anymore.
I took a sleeping break right after the first 24 hours. I set the alarm clock
to wake me up after three hours. I finally woke up with the alarm clock in my
hand as the Sun was rising. I had slept almost 6 hours. Break period was
6h19min. I knew I had no chance to make a good score for the full 48 hour
contest anymore. I returned to the station and operated the remaining 17.5
hours without any technical problems to fix. Only OH0Z was spreading around and
forced me to change bands a few times.
All in all, my semi-relaxed planning changed to semi-serious, using
semi-glossy equipment leading to a semi-SO2R in a semi-freezing weather.
The result was a semi-strange score.
I met Tomi OH6EI, op @OH0Z on the ferry when returning towards Finland.
I was totally surprised about his score. I did better. The usual stay on the
ebst DX band - strategy was not the winning one.
We discussed various things about amplifiers and contesting in general. Main
future topic will be contesting endurance as we grow older. Our stomaches,
muscles, bones and joints get more features (sore) each year. The brain seems
to loose features.
The contest endurance is a completely different (engineering?) science than
what we need for the cables and relays. Tomi was on for the full contest. I
slept many hours. He used a fall-asleep medication before the contest. That is
one way to develop contest endurance - more on that later.
Thank you all for QSOs.
Jukka OH6LI @home, returned from OH0V
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