Well I thank the many folks on the List who sent me e-mails encouraging me to
get involved with some RTTY contesting or CW contesting instead of trying to
fight it out with the big boys in SSB contests.
This weekend I thought I would put a few hours towards the TARA Melee RTTY
contest. Not to big a contest and it gave me a chance for a few good runs
instead of just S/P. I must admit I completely enjoyed myself. I was using my
Kenwood TS850 into a ground mounted 10-40 meter antenna. I made several
hundred-state side contacts and quite a few DX QSO's as well. I was using
MMTTY
running in contest mode for logging. That's when "Murphy" struck (Although I
didn't know it for a few hours after the Contest). At about 2318z - 12/04/04 -
I logged my last RTTY QSO with a "YS1" when my trusty old computer hic-upped
and I got the blue screen of death. I thought "oh well, now is a good time to
stop anyway", so I pulled the switch.
Latter that night I couldn't sleep so I came back to move the MMTTY log over
into my regular log book and then into LoTW. I pulled up the MMTTY Log list
and there were only four QSO's in the log.!!! I LOST AT LEAST 300 QSO's!!! I
seem to remember exiting MMTTY after the first few QSO's to chase a DX
station on 17 meters for a bit, then I came back to MMTTY. It looks like I
lost
everything from the point I came back. The big loss was PY0S/PS7JN on 20m. -
Sorry to those guys that send logs to LoTW.
As I sat there at the computer really ticked off I fired up the TS850 and
listened a bit on 30m. Heard a VP8 so I thought I would give him a try.
That's when I discovered "Murphy" wasn't done with me. The TS850 was only
putting
out about 30 watts. Checked it into a dummy load, and sure enough 30 watts.
What did Murphy do to my shack !!
In a fit of pure masochism I jumped to 160m and loaded my 10-40m Gap
Vertical. The meter was peaking at about 20 watts out. I called the first big
station I heard and actually managed a contact. In a 40 min span of time I
managed
about 25 QSO's with 13 states and a VE3. So if any of you guys worked me
during the 160m contest this weekend THANKS. You've got great ears.
Today will be spent trying to figure out what happened. So I can be ready
for the next contest. Hopefully Murphy won't feel the need to make another
appearance.
Bob K8KWT
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