K4MA NAQP SSB

[Jim Stevens]

    Contest Dates : 18-Jan-97, 19-Jan-97

    Callsign Used : K4MA
         Operator : K4MA
     Station Used : AA4NC

         Category : Single Op

 Default Exchange : Jim NC

        Team/Club : PVRC


   BAND   Raw QSOs   Valid QSOs   Points   Mults   
 __________________________________________________

  160SSB      58          58         58      28 
   80SSB     201         201        201      49 
   40SSB     135         135        135      38 
   20SSB     208         207        207      33 
   15SSB      91          91         91      23 
   10SSB       3           3          3       1 
 __________________________________________________

 Totals      696         695        695     172 

 Final Score = 119540 points.


 Soapbox Comments
 ________________

 Given what Murphy served up today I guess I should
 be happy, but I'm not.  Not even close to my
 pre-contest goals.  Actually I have PVRC to thank
 for what effort I do have and here's why.  
 
 I get to Will's about an hour before the test.  
 I've brought my new MFJ Voice Keyer that I want 
 to try out in this test, but I don't have the 
 correct cables to wire it into Will's setup.  
 Next I turn on the radios, and I find S7+ line noise 
 on all bands.  And finally the coax switch position 
 for the 402CD is crapped out and unless I want to 
 climb to 120 feet in 25F and 25 MPH, it will stay broke.
 At this point, I'm ready to bag it and go back home,
 but I remember my PVRC teammates, and I decided to
 make the best of it.

 Well it was the best of time and the worst of times.
 It is my best QSO total and score in NAQP.  But I think
 the line noise on 20 & 15 hurt my mult total.  See
 the line noise is from the NE/E, so I can't use the
 lower fixed NE antennas on 20 & 15 to attract NE
 stations to call me while running out West.
 Luckily the line noise drops considerable during
 the dark hours, so 80 & 160 aren't the total bust
 that I had figured.  In fact, the 80 mult total is
 my best ever on a single band for NAQP.  On the
 worst side, 40 goes long way early.  I check 40
 for the first time at 3:30 PM local and the
 EU broadcast is already S9+ with the Pro67 (my
 only working 40M antenna) pointed West.

 If you can't tell, I'm just disappointed
 after last weekend!  Wow what conditions,
 wow what an endless supply of stations to
 work, wow no frequency fights.  I had very
 high hopes for this weekend, and it just
 didn't materialize.

 Most surprising QSO: WB0O
 I ask Bill if he is snowed in, and he says
 no, "it is 30F here" which is probably 10-15F
 warmer than it is NC.  Amazing!

 Most enjoyable QSOs: KE4RHU
 Erin is a local budding contester.
 I believe she is 8 or 9 and General
 class.  At her request, I move through
 the bands for her.  She is silky smooth in
 her operating.  By the way, she obviously has
 good genes.  Her older sister is AD4PU who 
 you know doubt have seen in several contest
 write-ups.

 Finally let me thank AA4NC, Will, again
 for the many opportunities to use his fine
 station.  Maybe someday I'll truly do it
 justice.

73, Jim Stevens, K4MA (ex KI4HN)

NEW ADDRESSES:
email -- k4ma at mindspring.com
WWW   -- http://www.mindspring.com/~k4ma  -> vanity call info


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