[3830] VE6JY CQ 160 SSB

[Don Moman]

                              CQ 160 SUMMARY SHEET
    Callsign Used : VE6JY
        
   BAND   Raw QSOs   Valid QSOs   Points   Mults   Countries   
 ______________________________________________________________

  160SSB     341         337       1581      48         6 
 ______________________________________________________________

 Totals      341         337       1581      48         6 

    Final Score = 85,374 points.


Ft-1000mp, Alpha 77dx
Antennas:  bobtail curtain favouring east coast/Carrib
	   delta loop apex 180'
	   sloping delta loop apex at 140'
           inverted V at 145'
           dipole at 160/145' favouring east coast/Carrib		
           dipole at 150/75' oriented E/W

9 beverage rosette plus second 5 beverage array for sub rcvr.

Observations:

Conditions started decent the first evening with sunset reception of
YS1/V47 etc but it would remain only as a reception. Between the static
levels many you have described (it was fairly quiet here)  and the one way
propagation brought about by the disturbed conditions, this was to be a
re-occurring problem.  

East coast was very scarce and most couldn't hear me.  The best/consistent
east coast signals were from K1ZM and W1NA, noted both nights, and they
even heard me!  KH6 signals were observed best on the JA (310 deg)
beverage, another sign something was up - the K index. Conditions peaked
around 0430 -0600 UTC the first evening and the hilite was a 133 hour with
quite a few mults included. 

I found listening on two different beverages (or a beverage and the Tx
antenna) simultaneously helped separate stations calling - now if only the
rate would have continued.  Unfortunately, after that, it was all
downhill, including the second day. Nobody new to work and couldn't get
much started by CQing....  having time to experiment with the various
antennas during the contest showed the best domestic antenna was the
sloping e/w dipole (hooked up the coax at the last minute as there is only
a 6 pos ant relay on 160 and one of the Vees had a poor match so it made
room for this one). It was often several S units better than any of the
others. It was resonant near or below 1800, but the SWR was still only 2
near 1925, which is pretty broad - more than one shud expect, and
certainly the higher antennas are sharper than this.  Still, it was the
best this weekend.  Since the bobtail should be the best for longer haul
stuff, it was used for the Carrib/CAm stations. Heard most of them but
could only work TI1C (easily the best signal both nights), P40K and PJ9JT. 

Anyway, there's always next year....and meanwhile ARRL SSB isn't far off.

73, Don

VE6JY is Don Moman               email: ve6jy at freenet.edmonton.ab.ca 
Box 127 Lamont, Alberta
T0B 2R0  (403) 895-2925


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