[3830] VK3TZ - 1997 CQWPX Scores (TS Category)

[Jenny Burt]

Station : VK3TZ
Operator : Tony Burt EMAIL to jennyb at alphalink.com.au
Category : Tribander Single Element
Equipment : FT-107m (yep its old!!), FL2100Z (400 Watts max)
Antennas : TH6DXX at 50ft, Homebrew rotary dipole 40m @ 53ft (90 degrees to
TH6 elements, 45ft vertical for 80m on garage roof suspended from tower.

RESULTS:

Band    Qs      Pfxs      Pts     Score
10m     57      39        165
15m     308     166       873
20m     352     222       1029
40m     337     188       1974
80m     11      11        60
160m    0       0         0
All     1065    428       4101    1,755,228

Comments:

Three months work of changing the antenna over went to hell in the first 2 
hours of the contest. My homebrew software had a bug in the dupecheck 
algorithm and my hombrew headset developed RF feedback (bad). Headset is now 
fixed but I had to use a desk mike throughout the contest. Software fixed 
during the test. At 0300z on day two, nice neighbour came to abuse me! 
Subsequent operation was sporadic and lost about 400 Qs (day1 700 Qs, day2 
300 Qs)

Propagation was very poor. 10m QSOs were all Ja's and VK via sporadic E. 
Thank heaven's for 40m and 6 point QSOs. 20m path to US was very very poor 
and I could not raise a run. Path to EU was just as bad. Only the very big 
stations were heard or worked. The prefix total was consequently very low 
compared to previous years. E.g. no Gs at all!!!!

At 1400z on day two I was about to go to bed, nothing new to work on 40m and 
20m was dead..... 2 minutes later the sporadic E layer disappeared and I 
worked XE2, 2 mins later and heaps of EU sigs. Never heard 20m like that 
before, only 10m in the 1990, 1991 tests.

I think that 1 point QSOs for in country is the go! Scores from USA are low 
considering the massive stations there! I work a VK6 (3000km plus) for no 
points. VK is almost as large as W, but far less hams. Can make it very 
difficult to get Qs as not many multipliers either. Would love to know how 
many Vks the ZLs work.

If you worked me thanks! If you need a card I am OK in the callbook but hey, 
the buro is cheap and reliable in VK. See you next year

Tony

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/3830faq.html
Submissions:              3830 at contesting.com
Administrative requests:  3830-REQUEST at contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-3830 at contesting.com