Stew Perry Topband Challenge - Dec 17
Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Ohio EM89ps
Operating Time (hrs): 13
OpMode: SO2R
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 657 Total Score = 2,252
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
While I had a bunch of vacation time after Thanksgiving that I had to
use, I spent that time rebuilding my deck. I've made no progress with
the new beam steering stuff since last year.
I did spend some time checking the phased arrays for "accuracy" by
observing the reported phase difference from each element relative to
the first element using my transmit antenna as a signal source. Over
several days, I observed that some of the elements would become
"inaccurate" and that transmitting about 10 watts for a couple of
seconds on each element would restore the expected phase difference.
I attribute this behavior to type-F connectors used outdoors. Blech.
The day of the contest there were 2 new noises blasting away
continuously, raising the noise floor about 20 db. One source was a
consistent buzz, as might come from an arcing power line arrestor.
This source seemed to have the same strength on each array element
suggesting the source was at least a few wavelengths away. The noise
peaked at about 60 degrees. So much for working New England or
Europe.
The second noise source sounded like an arcing power line arrestor
that just could not keep going. It would sputter between periods of
buzzing. The second source was weaker than the first source and I
couldn't find a distinct peak in the presence of the first noise
source.
Steering the array to about 44 degrees minimized the loudness of both
noises taken together. There was no appreciable noise to the west.
The south Beverage heard the noise although less strongly.
During the contest, I could hear most of the Europeans calling me and
they were loud enough to override the noise with the array steered to
the minimum noise direction. Often W1s were hard to copy.
The Europeans started early. The first DX was LY7M at 2148z, a few
minutes before sunset. After that the DX trickled in at a constant,
moderate rate with emphasis, perhaps, on Northern Europe. Best DX was
one of several 9000 kilometer QSOs with RW7K, RM4F, SV3RF, and RK4FD.
The Europeans seemed to stop abruptly with the last QSO with G4IRN at
0700z. Best DX west were 3 KH6 QSOs and KL7SB.
I took at 90 minute nap from 0915z to 1045z. When I came back there
was yet another buzzer screwing with reception from the west. Again
the 3 noises could be minimized but not eliminated by steering nulls
in some particular direction, which was different for each array. I
listened for VK by nulling out part of California and I listened for
JA by nulling some of the US northwest. No VK or JA heard.
Here is the annual propagation and participation "trends" table:
raw raw points cooked cooked points cooked-raw
year QSOs score per QSO QSOs score per QSO ratio
2005 491 2033 4.14 483 2439 5.05 1.22
2006 604 2224 3.68 didn't submit log in time
2007 691 3712 5.37 669 4293 6.42 1.19
2008 633 3328 5.26 617 3895 6.31 1.20
2009 761 4006 5.26 737 4871 6.61 1.26
2010 642 2477 3.86 623 2931 4.70 1.22
2011 656 2501 3.81 642 3169 4.94 1.27
2012 679 3214 4.73 667 3986 5.97 1.24
2013 723 3559 4.92 710 4525 6.37 1.30
2014 667 1937 2.90 655 2474 3.77 1.28
2015 620 1934 3.12 614 2440 3.97 1.27
2016 759 3381 4.45 742 4204 5.66 1.27
2017 transmit feedline disaster - quit with only 101 QSOs
2018 785 3587 4.57 764 4238 5.55 1.18
2019 828 4947 5.97 809 5846 7.23 1.21
2020 882 3661 4.15 866 4455 5.14 1.24
2021 676 2574 3.96 661 3130 4.74 1.22
2022 657 2252 3.43
Note: the raw numbers are before log checking while the cooked numbers
are after log checking. The cooked numbers exclude busted QSOs and
include the per-QSO multiplier for low power and QRP contacts. The
points per QSO metric seems to be a good indicator of goodness of
propagation whereas the QSO count seems to track participation.
DX worked: 9A, DL (4), F, G (6), GM, I, KH6 (3), KL, KP2 (3), KP4, LY
(4), OH, OK, OM (3), OZ, PA, S5 (2), SM (4), SP (2), SV, UA (4), UR,
YL (2), and ZF for a total of 51 QSOs with 24 entities.
Equipment: Elecraft K3S, P3, K3, P3, Alpha 8410, homebrew SO2R stuff,
too many computers, 60-foot "tee" vertical over 70 125-foot radials,
2x4 broadside end-fire array of short verticals and SDR receivers for
beam steering to the east, 2x3 broadside end-fire array of short
verticals and SDR receivers for beam steering to the west, and 2x2
broadside end-fire array of short verticals to the north or south (not
used). 6 2-wire Beverages of varying lengths (12 directions), some of
which don't work and most were unused.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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