California QSO Party
Call: W7YAQ/6
Operator(s): W7YAQ
Station: W7YAQ
Class: SOCntyExp LP
QTH: DELN
Operating Time (hrs): 19
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs
--------------------
160: 0 0
80: 70 33
40: 201 64
20: 172 14
15: 47 15
10: 0 0
6:
2:
--------------------
Total: 490 126 Mults = 55 Total Score = 94,710
Club:
Comments:
This was a single operator expedition to Del Norte (really pronounced Del NORT
by the locals) county. My wife and I rented a house in Smith River, a few
miles south of the Oregon border, sight unseen except for checking the terrain
on Google Earth. Del Norte county doesn't have much flat land. I considered
the location acceptable since the hills to the east rose only to 500 feet about
a mile away. What we didn't notice was the 100-foot high rock outcropping
directly across the road, fortunately to the northwest. We also didn't
anticipate the occasionally high QRN levels. Not sure if it was salt spray on
the power poles or the several nearby commercial establishments, including a
24-hour liquor store. Anyway the ocean view was great, the weather
spectacular, and I had a spacious yard in which to plant antennas.
I brought 2 DK9SQ telescoping 10-meter poles. On one pole I taped two wires to
load as quarter wave verticals for 40 and 20, with 3/4 wave on 15. I used the
other pole to support an inverted L for 80 meters. I spread 8 33-foot radials
around each pole. Each antenna weighs about 7 pounds. I operated with the
same antennas two weeks ago in the Washington State Salmon Run, from a hilltop.
While the antennas were adequate for CW (and will probably be fine for my next
holiday style DXpedition), they lacked the punch to be noticed on SSB on 20 and
15 from this QTH. I would listen to the SSB ops moan that they were missing Del
Norte, and then call them to no avail. I only had 2 replies to SSB CQs on 15
and none on 20.
Highlights: Working 2 VY1 stations. Hearing folks say "Thanks for Del
Norte!". 550 QSOs Saturday.
Lowlights: Missing MS, NE, and VT. Regretting that I didn't take up the CODX
Club's offer to use their club call NE6LE (3 dashes and 10 dots), rather than
W7YAQ/6 (14 dashes and 14 dots)! 66 QSOs Sunday.
73,
Bob W7YAQ/6
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