CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW
Call: W4YOK
Operator(s): W4YOK W8FN
Station: W4YOK
Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: NTX
Operating Time (hrs): 21
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 691 State/Prov = 56 Countries = 17 Total Score = 119,647
Club: DFW Contest Group
Comments:
This was a "retro" effort from the W4YOK station using a Drake C-line
and an elderly AL-1200 amplifier. Although the hardware was state of the art
1980, computer logging WAS used. We're enthusiastic, not masochistic!
The old C-line worked very well. It wasn't completely stock; the R-4C has a
narrow 1st IF filter installed. At no time did the modified receiver show the
slightest distress handling the many closely spaced strong signals encountered
in the contest. The T-4XC soldiered along nicely, putting out a solid 100W
across the band. The AL-1200 happily made around 1000W with the available drive
anywhere we went across the band. Beast that it is, it shrugged off the high
antenna VSWR at frequencies away from resonance and just kept making watts for
us.
The 1/4 wave sloper worked surprisingly well -- we seemed to have no trouble
being heard, even by the modest number of DX stations we were able to work.
With no dedicated receive antenna, the station was a classic alligator. We
struggled mightily pulling out signals from many stations who could obviously
hear us just fine. Our apologies are extended to those who had to put up with
our poor receive performance. The QSO total would have certainly been higher
had we been able to hear better.
The lack of computer control for the radio was the biggest challenge using the
old gear. Even though we did have packet spots up it turned out to be all but
impossible to navigate the N1MM+ band map, and with a single VFO there was no
way to jump around and work multipliers efficiently.
Conditions the first night seemed very good. Many of the Caribbean and South
American stations were very loud, and we even managed to pull off a couple of
EU QSOs and work 4 or 5 JA stations at our sunrise Saturday. Sunday wasn't
nearly as good for DX, and having worked the vast majority of the serious
operations the previous night meant a relentless grind of 20-30 per hour for
the entire night.
It was plenty of fun going retro, but next time it's back to all the bells and
whistles of modern radio equipment we know and love and have a new-found
appreciation for after this brief excursion in the wayback machine.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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