ARRL DX Contest, CW - 2022
Call: K1DW
Operator(s): K1DW K1EBY N1EN NO5W W1UJ W1TJL
Station: W1TJL
Class: M/2 HP
QTH: FN32na
Operating Time (hrs): 47
Remote Operation
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160: 95 43
80: 367 72
40: 887 94
20: 1311 98
15: 625 96
10: 107 34
-------------------
Total: 3392 437 Total Score = 4,425,936
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
So this was really our first serious effort with remote contesting. We had done
a bit of it during CQWW but this time we had remote ops really being a large
part of the effort. Only 3 of us were here at the shack and all the others ops
were remote. Also for the first time in recent memory we were not on the air as
N1MM as Tom was using his call from home. So we used K1DW and Dallas was one of
the remote Ops. Lots of changes this time.
W1TJL consists of 2 stations, an FT-5000 on station 1 which was entirely used as
local radio. On station 2 is a new Flex 6400 which has a very good receiver but
all three of us local Ops kept reaching for the VFO knob! :-) It seriously is
a big adjustment.
The antennas consist of a 3 element 40M KLM beam, two 4 element SteppIRs, a full
size 80 meter vertical with raised radials and a nearly full size 160 folder
radiator vertical with raised radials. Both of the beverages were out of play
due to tree damage from the winds and storms.
Speaking of wind and storms the wind up here was AWFUL! Huge gusts and all amid
really intense snow squalls. Temps were at 8 degrees last night which reminded
me of my years in the arctic. Watching the elements on the 40 was scary at
best.
Conditions were not terrible, but I seldom get too upset with conditions as no
one has yet figured out a way to not deal with them. They affect everyone.
I’ve heard a few bemoaning the conditions as being poor but I didn’t find it
too bad. The numbers weren’t great but it was open and even 10 meters gave us
contacts and mults.
We learned a lot about remote operating and have some fixes to do before ARRL DX
SSB in 2 weeks.
Things that went well:
• The first time we tried remote we used an audio software package touted
to have very low latency called Mumble (the server) and Murmur (the client). It
worked OK but is a real PIA to set up and God help you if something goes wrong!
This time we used a different (easy to set up and use) package written by DF3CB
called RemAud (Remote Audio). It does some other things too but it was a breeze
to set up and was amazingly fast transfer of sound. Not exactly like being
there but not far off.
• The FLEX only had a few issues which always were solvable by powering it
down and back up. Not sure what was going on - maybe RF (but wouldn’t you
think that an electronic device meant to be used in a high RF environment would
be tolerant??) but it would occasionally just not want to communicate. It is a
computer after all. But other than that was quite good in the heat of battle.
The receiver is excellent – not only I thought that but the other ops too.
• The Yaesu FT-5000 was as always, ROCK solid. Best transceiver I have
ever used (so far).
• All the other hardware in the shack was working great, the antennas
performed well (and stayed up in the strong winds!) but sometimes the tower
would not turn easily due to wind pressure.
Things to improve:
• We had some inter-station interference. Previously that had not been
much of a problem but this time we could occasionally hear the other station and
sometimes it de-sensed the receiver. Just this year I replaced all the inside
the shack cabling with double shielded RG-400. Both radios has an DuneStar 6
band band-pass filter. Grounding is very thorough. So another thing to figure
out… And why only occasionally??
• We need better in-shack use of the remote station. The Flex 6400
doesn’t really have good ergonomics (does it have any??) So when not being
used remotely the control is with a keyboard and mouse. We will either have to
get used to it OR figure out a way to hot swap the 2nd FT-5000 into place when
the station is being used locally.
• We need better weather! I am tired of the cold!
I want to thank all the ops (K1DW, K1EBY, N1EN, NO5W, W1UJ) for participating,
Dallas K1DW for his call and Susan who as always helps with food, hospitality
and putting up with this bunch of crazies 4 times a year!
On to ARRL DX SSB...
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