CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: NS3T
Operator(s): NS3T
Station: NS3T
Class: SOSB/80 LP
QTH: MD
Operating Time (hrs): 20
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160:
80: 286 21 78
40:
20:
15:
10:
------------------------------
Total: 286 21 78 Total Score = 77,715
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
Once again this year, I opted for a single band entry at night, to give me more
time with the family during the day on the weekend. When I was on the golf
course with my five year old son on Sunday afternoon, that was just as much fun
as chasing DX from the basement.
Conditions seemed okay on 80 meters. I was worried the elevated sunspot
numbers might cause problems, and when the contest started, every contact was
difficult. But as the hours went by, the band improved. There were only 4
zones where I heard activity, but never made a QSO - zones 13, 25, 29 and 30.
I managed to get 9K2HN and 7O2A for new DXCC.
The most interesting propagation I witnessed was how signals from KL7RA &
VK6LW appeared for a few minutes at my QTH, and then slipped back into the
ether. I didn't hear any zone 1 on the first day and was worried I would miss
Alaska again. But about 40 minutes before sunrise on Sunday morning, the band
started making odd noises. I found a spot where a few stations were calling,
and about a minute later, the signals rose and I copied "5NN1"
followed by KL7RA's call sign. I quickly called him, he called me back, we
gave our exchanges, and no more than 30 seconds later his signal had faded out
at my QTH.
Unfortunately during the contest, I heard very little from the Pacific on 80
meters; a VK station appeared for nine minutes on Saturday just around sunrise
and for 14 minutes on day two. Both times the pileup was horrific, and my low
power signal couldn't get through.
I heard only one JA all weekend, right at my sunset on Saturday night (2200z).
You could hear European stations down in the noise when suddenly a huge signal
from a JR5 boomed in. He was obviously calling one of the EU stations, but had
no idea his signal was also reaching the USA at 20 over 9.
I used four antennas for my 80 meter entry. One was a 210 inverted
"U" over my 160 meter radials; another was a pair of inverted L's
phased together in order to aim then at Europe. I also had an end fed wire
that broadsided E/W and a sloper aimed at EU. The phased inverted L's were the
best, as CQ'ing accounted for about 20% of my QSO's. Not bad for 100 watts.
Thanks to everyone for the contacts. 73 Jamie NS3T
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