ARRL 160-Meter Contest
Call: N9TF
Operator(s): N9TF
Station: N9TF
Class: SO Unlimited LP
QTH: IL
Operating Time (hrs): 15.3
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 442 Sections = 71 Countries = 5 Total Score = 67,184
Club: Society of Midwest Contesters
Comments:
Didn't really get settled into the chair Friday night until about 8:45pm as XYL
and I had an early date night. Still had issues left over from snow and ice
shorting at the feed point of my short half sloper. It was so bad I had to use
the external MFJ tuner (with one hand on the antenna matching knob), to make
quick adjustments as I was TXing. SWR was all over the place, and the internal
K3S tuner couldn't track fast enough, or tune! As everyone else has commented or
will comment, QRN from the nearby storms played a negative roll in band
conditions Friday night and Saturday morning. Along with the QRN, fast deep QSB
was experienced here. After 6.7 hours Saturday morning, I pulled the plug at
09:31UTC with 186 Qs in the log.
The rains Saturday cleared the log jam of ice at the 160 antenna feed point, so
SWR settled into it's norm. Reset the memories on the K3S ATU, and I could now
QSY from the bottom of the band to 1.870 with both hands on the keyboard! Focus
tonight in the 8.6 hours I would put in would be to get some runs in. I was able
to put together 7 short runs totaling about 3.23 hours and 166 Qs out of the 236
Qs Saturday night-Sunday morning. All 9 dups were worked in those runs! Best run
for Q count was an hour five minutes with 59 Qs. Got spotted three times in that
run and would always have a fierce flurry of stations hit about 30 seconds after
each spot. Unfortunately, there were at least half a dozen stations calling I
just could not pull out of my noise, and who knows how many I could not hear at
all. I felt like an Alligator! I guess I am since my RX antenna and TX antenna
are one in the same!
Things slowed down drastically for me after 06:00UTC. Mostly chased spots for
new mults or a try at a DX spot. Shut down for an hour between about
9:30-10:30pm local to let a band of thunderstorms pass. QRN seemed much better
after that and I could hear the DX better to the Caribbean after that. Three
(C6, PJ2, VP2M) of my five DX were worked the last 6 minutes (09:49-09:55)
before I QRTed the contest. Neither had any traffic at that time, I could hear
them very well, although each took several repeats on my part for a good Q.
Less QRN and antenna issues would have made the contest a bit better, but you
take what you get on 160, and make the best of it! I had a good time all things
considered. It was fun to watch the sections fill in, and see a few 5 pointers
grace my log. Lots of SMC in the log. For those I struggled with exchanges,
thanks for hanging in there. Especially K7JOE. Joe. Two other stations crowded
in on my call frequency calling CQ when you answered me. Between their two
signals and QRN, my brain was not deciphering and sorting information very
well!
Next up for 160, The Big Stew. CU all then.
73 Gene, N9TF
Rig, K3S 100 watts to a W8AMZ shortened half sloper at 35' apex at top of tower,
sloping to 2' off the ground. 6 radials 30 to 65' snaked in the back yard.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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