[3830] CQWW-SSB W7AT S/O,A/B,Hi-Power, No-Assist,semi-awake..

[lew at teleport.com]

  Boxscore:   160   80   40   20   15   10      All
  Q's          18  169  286  618  689  470    2250
  Mults         6   44   57   97   76   49     329
  Zones         6   21   27   33   29   27     143

     for a claimed score of   2,945,280
 
   Op-W7EW               Time Asleep- 4 hours I'm aware of
   Zone-3                # of radios used- 1
   State- Oregon         # of hungry cats during test- 4
   Hardware:
Radio-Yaesu FT-1000MP   Amplifier-Alpha     Logging Program-TR
Antennae:
   10M    6/6 40' & 90'  DX Engineering rebuilt this year
   15M    6/6 60' & 100'  DX Engineering rebuilt this year
   20M    5/5 50' & 110"  DX Engineering rebuilt this year
   40M    3 element full size DX Engineering at 90'
   80M    3 element MSq at 90'
  160M    Hairball 4 square, angled vertical with elevated "tuned" radial
fed with quadrature box
   Accessory antennae:
     Log-Periodic by DX Engineering covering 10-20M inclusive
     4 - 580' long Beverages, terminated, short & long path, JA &
Carribean
    Discussion:
   Some years the tests are fun, average or real pains. This year, this
test was a Fun one! RF-free Zone 3 actually had a few signals from
elsewhere filter through to us. My goal was to break 3M points...but
my plan called for some sleep on the second night to be fresh for the
last day runs. A 1 hour nap turned into 4 hours..but oh well.
   Random thoughts...
   I knew that good things were going to happen when beaming 330 deg
around 2020Z HS0/G4UAV called in..8 minutes later interspersed between my
many JA friends, 4S7BRG called in...all on 20M. Last spring I had a early
nocturnal opening swinging up through Zones 17-18 and focusing around A61
land. This time of year a similar opening occurred, except this time the
conditions favored zone 17 & 18 again starting at 0200Z and lasting for 1
1/2 hours working many of the faithful including a short run including
AP2TJ, EY8MM,VU2JNA, and UN7PCZ in a row. Talk about getting pumped..
Worked a couple more each of the AP & VU stations during this run which
closed down over the pole into the friendly JA's
   Later on that evening 0526Z or so was able to work some Africans and
Europeans on 80M. I could hear the stations in AF & EU easily as they
transmitted between 3700-3745. Wish more of them would call there looking
split, listening up for us Zone 3 & 4 types. Real quiet for us out here on
those freqs. Tried to call up above listening down, but getting through
the wall of E. Coasties doing exactly that was impossible. Next test will
entertain skeds for AF/EU sunrise shortpath to benefit everybody's logs.
   Was entertained greatly by working on 20M 4Z4DX and a CU station a bit
later around 1516Z who both suggested we try to connect on 10M. Out here
in the wild west only the strange hiss that W7GG noted was tickling the
receiver. None the less I called for them..but to no avail. Thought we
might get a wormhole Q as they were hearing me very well..but no dice. Was
able to work a few Euro's on 10M later though.
   Was able to generate runs on both 20 & 15M into Europe both days,
although the second day was better....Things are getting better.     
    The station did better than the operator. More pre-contest sleep
should have been banked..but this will be remembered for next year.
  Projects needed before the CQWW-CW and more importantly the Stew Perry
Topband DX Challenge sponsored by the Boring Amateur Radio Club will be to
erect a transmitting antenna for 160M that actually radiates!
   Not sure why this test was more fun than others...Would consider the
better propagation, chance at busting the 3M mark from the West Coast,
Great competition in Zone 3, goofing up DX stations by calling them by
name utilizing a secret feature of Tree's program, or the fact that there
were no thermonuclear type events emanating from any of the electrical
powered gear on Mt Domitrix....Plus the XYL didn't try to shoot me this
year.
  Yes..this test was fun..and I guess thats why I do it.
  73 and I remain,
    Lew

         Lew  Sayre   W7EW/W7AT           lew at teleport.com
         P.O.Box  3110                    Fax 503-391-2258
         Salem, Oregon 97302              160M thru 1296MHz

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