CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW - 2019
Call: N4XD
Operator(s): N4XD K4HA W2XL
Station: N4XD
Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: NC
Operating Time (hrs):
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 1110 State/Prov = 58 Countries = 59 Total Score = 411,723
Club: Hudson Valley Contesters & DXers
Comments:
I need to fire my antenna engineer. Unfortunately, I can't as its me! Lesson to
remember, in addition to checking all beverages, check and verify most recent
changes were done correctly. Check on number 1. Found and repaired beverage
issues. Not so much on number 2.
I phase, using the Comtek box, my two 105' towers. One uses a simple series
variable vacuum cap, the other that plus another cap to ground, making it an
omega match.
I thought it might be beneficial to make them close to the same so I added an
omega cap to the other tower. BUT, I put it after the series cap and not, as in
the other network, before it.
Loaded up fine with no issues. BUT, when I reviewed rbn spots we were spotted
much, much later (hours!) after another nearby station, N1LN. NOTHING until
around 0600.
WHY? Well, in hindsight (I did remove the extra cap Sunday morning) I am
guessing the other cap messed with the phasing of the towers. At 0600 I'm
guessing one of our ops went to the omni choice for the phasing.
Of course, I had ALL Sat morning and afternoon to have thought about this and
fixed the issue but why do that when over half the contest is still to run? Its
SO much better to wait until almost the end :)
Sunday, just at 2200 we were spotted by TK0C at 6db. To me that pretty much
proves that the extra cap was the problem. That vs at around 0600 before.
Were we able to work EU? Yes, of course. Did it cost us in 10 point Qs? Evidence
seems to indicate yes, in a big way.
So, lessons learned.
All that said, it was fun if for no other reason than having both Bob's in for
company. And help as we did move our western BOG further from the base of one
tower to quiet it down. You'd have thought the wet ground here would make it
easy to pound in the ground stakes. Not so much :)
All in all, a fun, enjoyable contest. One of my favorites.
Used:
K3
Alpha 91b (still a fine amp)
phased (or not!) towers.
multiple beverages and bogs
N1MM+ (what a fine program with excellent support)
Thank you CQ for putting on such a fun contest. And thank you to all that
called. Having 3V8 call was a highlight. Having a stateside continuously call CQ
on top of a JA Sunday morning, not so much. Can't get upset as I did the same
(apparently) but finally figured it out when several stations, all
"dupes" called me (well, not really calling me). I did finally move
(sorry to the KH7 that I was too tired to copy the message that I was on top of
DX.)
And thank you to K4HA and W2XL for not beating me up too much for my blunder.
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