[3830] K3WW ARRL DX SSB SOA

[Charles]

K3WW  ARRL DX SSB   Single Op Assisted.


      BAND     QSO    QSO PTS PTS/Q COUNTRIES

      160       51      153   3.0       39        Inverted L (more or less)
       80      129      387   3.0       63        1/4 wave Vertical   shares
in ground radials with 160
       40      179      537   3.0       78         40 2CD  at 77 ft
       20      666     1998   3.0      108        TH6 90'  TH7 60 ' TH6 30'
usually used high pair for running
       15      848     2544   3.0      117         C3 at 50 ft multiplier
chaser  mostly to south
       10      108      324   3.0       39
     --------------------------------------
     Totals   1981     5943   3.0      444  =   2,638,692

48 hours in the shack...somewhat less op time due to equipment failures.
The 3CX800 amp for running
died 10 minutes into the contest,  opened up to look for burnt component and
couldnt find anything, I guess
I need a tube tester.   The Mult Station uses an ARD 230A...auto switching
amp from bankrupt company, that
predates the ALPHA instant band changer.  Its set up to work with the Mult
antenna...with IC781 driver I
set it up for about 1300 watts, which doesnt trip the safety devices as
often.  It tended to put out 700 to 1100 into any of the TH6 stack
components.  Just chased things the first few hours,  EVERYTHING was easy to
work in the point and shoot mode.  I was doing so well in the 160 pile ups
that after a few especially good ones, I moved off and went key down to
check the amp set up... 700 to 800 watts ...so if you want the angles on my
inverted L which is more of a check mark than an L I'll measure it some
time.

In the Wee hours Sat AM I dug out my old L4 Amp and put it on the Run
station.  It put out 1200 to 1450 depending on the frequency.  I also used
it on 40 the second night, as my SWR is pretty bad high in the band
and the auto tune amp trips a lot and has a SWR shutdown mode which makes
running over 700 watts
impossible, high up in the band.  As it turns out a lot of mults were
grabbed before the amp got switched ( it bypasses the PA until its tuned
up...so the 60 watts of drive was often plenty).

I was sure glad 15 was hot and the activity was spread out more than the
last few years.
I also cooked my relays which switch the Mult antenna and Stack between the
2 stations.  I think I got too
eager to get back to the stack after working a mult or something.  Anyhow I
worked a lot of mults thinking
I was on the High antenna pointed at them, when I was actually on the C3
pointed South... Didnt hear a
few for the same reason.   I replaced the relays in the mid evening Saturday
night.. Very hard to see even
with loops... but the exercise probably did me some good, as I felt pretty
much awake all night.

Major good news is that Im not pretty confident one of those neat solid
state 1000 watt instant switching Amps for mult chasing would be more than
fine, even on 160 and 80 where the psychological edge of running
1500 watts may be more than just psychological.  I still like to look at the
RF Applications Digital meter and
see 1476 or whatever it is just b4 1500 watts is exceeded, when I  am
setting and running, but I remember the days when W3GM and I both doctored
our Watt meters to make or Operators think they were king of the
hill... I even had a pal that thought he had an SB220 that would put out
more than it put in...

73 Chas  K3WW   k3ww at fast.net







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