CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW
Call: K4XL
Operator(s): K4XL
Station: K4XL
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Amherst, VA
Operating Time (hrs): 19
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 928 State/Prov = 58 Countries = 43 Total Score = 266,135
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
I got a late start and had trouble finding a spot for running, so I did S&P
for much of what turned out to be the best evening of the test. Still, I
managed a pretty good rate and picked off quite a few Europeans plus a few from
the Carribbean. This time I decided to go unassisted since I planned to do
nothing but run. I know I missed some easy mults, but that was the plan. I had
worked 47 of the lower 48 plus Hawaii and most of the Canadians at the end of
the first evening. At the end of the test I still needed Idaho! I heard one,
so I know they were on, but they missed the thrill of working me! I crashed
around 2AM on Saturday morning and then back up around 6 for a few of the
morning crowd.
Saturday afternoon found me sitting on a good frequency which I managed to hold
for most of the evening. Despite the band not being in very good condition, I
managed some good runs before the well began to run dry. Once again, I crashed
around 2AM and was back up at 6.
In 2015 I managed 543 Qs. I missed several of the great contests in 2016,
including this one. In 2017 I wanted to do better and I managed 702 Qs. This
year I decided to go unassisted and run as much as I could. This was a personal
best for me with over 900 Qs. I guess that means I need to do my time
management a little better with my BIC when it counts in order to make it to my
new goal of 1000 Qs.
No one actually tried to take over the frequency, but I had a couple of
deliberate QRMers who threw a carrier on top of some difficult European
contacts. This wasn't for a prolonged period, so maybe it was just some lid
tuning up. Speaking of "lids." Right in the middle of a fairly long
run, someone chimed in "lid!" It stopped me in my tracks....for a
split second while I questioned the behavior of N1MM+ and decided that it wasn't
at fault. Not overdriving. I hate to be called a lid...especially when I don't
know what ticked the other guy off! My "?" didn't get a response, so
I'm still in the dark why someone thinks I'm a lid. Maybe I was on his choice
frequency? The other behavior that I noticed this time was some folks who would
call and give a signal report but not their state. Repeated requests for
"state" went unanswered. What was that all about? I counted 6
different stations who did that.
Despite being called a lid, I thoroughly enjoyed this contest. I always do. It
was fun! Thanks for the Qs.
Rig: Icom IC-7800 to an ancient Alpha 78.
Ant: Folded unipole for tx and beverages in 6 directions for rx.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|