Stew Perry Topband Challenge - Summer
Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: Ohio EM89ps
Operating Time (hrs): 4
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 86 Total Score = 169
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
I checked on the integrity of all the 160 meter antennas the day of
the contest. The transmit antenna had a 3:1 SWR so I assumed that the
splice connector in the 800-foot hardline had gone flaky again. But
when I got there, one of the tophat wires had come down because the
ancient poly rope had broken. I fetched the 3/16 black Dacron I had
on hand for this purpose and used what was left of the old rope to
pull the new one into place. I had not "proactively" replaced this
rope because I want to relocate it higher in the tree that supports
the east end which calls for sling-shots and considerable patience.
The relocation task is still pending.
I also did the usual amount of reconnecting F connectors on the phased
array verticals. However, several of the newer verticals are showing
their age. Either the series capacitors that trim the loading coils
have shorted or something else is dragging the resonant frequency down
to the broadcast band. Oh well, the arrays will still work reasonably
well. Someday I need to determine how much performance loss comes
from a badly tuned short vertical.
Conditions at the start of operation seemed reasonable because most of
the noise sources were to the west. I called KV4FZ about 30 minutes
before sunset expecting not to be heard, but he came back immediately.
Then we spent 10 minutes trying to communicate EM89. I am very
impressed with Herb's persistence. I don't know if there is anything
I should do to make myself understood better. I tried speeding up and
slowing down slightly but that didn't help. I sure Herb will let me
know.
Later I heard EI5KF between static crashes. I expected that contact
to be difficult, but I got lucky and heard his grid between static
crashes and he apparently didn't have any difficulty copying me. The
only other hint of DX activity was K1KI calling people I could not
hear. I assume those were other European stations. The only grid
west of EM or EN was K7RAT. No DN or DM grids at all heard!
It is fun to swap NO3M go swooping across the band with his MOPA and
zero in one someone to call. One of these days I'm going to arrange
for video of one of the spectrum displays.
I stopped around 0500Z and came back at 0930Z and found only 2 more
stations to work. I didn't try CQing at that point.
Since I started this last year, I have to keep it going:
raw raw points
year QSOs score per QSO power weather
2011 86 223 2.59 high noisy west
2012 81 224 2.77 low noisy
2013 72 141 1.95 low noise west
2014 77 142 1.84 low not noted
2015 64 136 2.13 low noisy
2016 119 241 2.03 low quiet
2017 86 169 1.97 low noisy
The one quiet summer Stew allowed many more contacts than normal. So
far I don't see a relationship between static and the average
points-per-QSO.
Equipment: K3, P3, 2x4 phased array of short lossy verticals and SDR
receiving system and a second 2x3 array of the same. Computer
controlled audio routing apparatus to feed each SDR output to a
distinct ear. Transmitted on a 65 foot "Tee" antenna with somewhat
less than 75 radials 125 feet long fed through 800 feet of 3/4 inch
cable-TV hardline lying on the ground. It is getting past time to
revamp the radial system.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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