Stew Perry Topband Challenge - 2019
Call: K1WHS
Operator(s): K1WHS
Station: K1WHS
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: FN43mj
Operating Time (hrs): 12
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 642 Total Score = 4,201
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
I had good intentions of putting in a big effort in the Stew Perry. I even got a
good night's sleep the night before. As the Sun started going down Saturday
afternoon, I was working in my shop and heard W1UE come on calling CQ at 20:30
or so. I figured that Dennis knew what he was doing and I should get on and try
to keep up, but my feet were in the starting blocks, the starter gun went
"BANG", but I stayed put and my feet never left the blocks! I think
my goals in ham radio and contesting are changing. I had no real desire to
start working the pileups! Instead, I did a Honey-Do project and went to the
dump on a trash run. I had been there earlier in the day, but the line was so
long to throw out trash, that I went home. My second dump run at 4PM was
greeted by a CLOSED sign. The trash compactors were all filled up and they
closed early! (busted Christmas toys!) Not a good way to begin a contest. It put
me in a less than stellar mood.
I did get on at 21:30 UT. First contact was SK3W so I was off to the races. I am
pretty slow on CW but did manage a 100 QSO hour. I quit for dinner then came
back in an hour and started calling CQ again. I did mostly running, hoping that
the stations would come to me eventually. I am not sure how that went, but that
was my plan. I then noticed that I was developing a huge headache. I have a
feeling it was due to hearing all the noise and key clicks. As time went on, I
felt less and less like sitting in the chair. I have been restoring old boat
anchor radios of late and had just setup an HVLP paint sprayer, a spraying
booth, and Lab style paint oven. I had three Collins R-392 receiver cases that
needed a second coat of OD gloss. They started calling out to me softly....
"Dave.... Dave...... Paint me..... Paint me...." This was about 01:30
UT, and I really felt like quitting. I guess I just do not like pileups! What
is wrong with me? I resisted the urge to fill up the paint sprayer. Instead I
took small breaks and went in the house and had a cup of tea to rest my ears.
Then back again, find a clear spot and call CQ. I thought conditions were good,
but not great. Some stations were very loud, while others seemed normal. This is
a lot better than everyone being weak or missing however.
Every time I found a clear spot I would start out and it was a joy to work
stations with no big QRM, but, sure as shooting, in no time at all, a very key
clickey station would show up and completely cover up the weak stations. This is
very unfortunate, because many stations sound pretty clean, while others are
wide as a barn door. I noted some bad key clicks on two stations who parked near
me and made any copy of weak stations impossible. If they did not leave but
started running, I would have to move and find a new spot, but in no time,
another excessively wide station would move in. I noted some stations would get
on my frequency and send QRL. I would respond, only to be greeted with a CQ! I
guess they could not hear me, but I sure could hear them! OK enuf griping. As
the evening wore on and the band got less crowded, my enjoyment increased. I
stayed up until the Sunrise in Europe. If there was a peak it was in the hour
before the Sun rose there. As the terminator crossed the western part of the
continent, the signals dropped to a whimper and then were gone. The last hour of
darkness in Europe brought many QSOs in the log. It was running about 80% Europe
vs NA. I quit at 08:30 UT and slept for 2.5 hours. I was back at 11:00 UT in
hopes of finding some VK or ZLs. I took a break from running and tuned up from
the bottom of the band. I picked up KL7RA at about 1.812. Strangely, there was
no pile up on him. Many CQs went unanswered. A quick tune showed up no piles on
any DX so I went back to CQing. NL7S called me from Anchorage, but no other DX
was evident. In past years I have worked several KH6s. Not a one this time.
I was really amazed to hear how the European signals got into the rest of the
USA. I heard W5 stations working stuff that was quite weak at my place. That is
pretty awesome. Too bad the reciprocal did not occur. I heard zilch from the
Pacific. ZIP, ZILCH, NADA. The 2 KL7s were the sum of my entire DX catch from
the West! All in all, a very interesting evening! Thanks to the Boring Radio
guys for sponsoring this fantastic DX Challenge.
My station consists of a K3 and 160M amp to a single vertical. Receive
antennas are beverage wires running through the woods. I have seven wires in
various directions: 180, 220, 260, 290, 330, 45, and 90 degrees. Lengths vary
from 860 ft to over 1100 ft. I probably need a few more wires for the SE and
maybe due north.
I am not sure if my hearing is OK. I would appreciate any comments from callers
who had trouble with me hearing them. I know I had trouble with some calls.
There are many prefixes that get me totally flummoxed. I still have a CW tin
ear as well.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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