[3830] K5YP CQ160 CW SOLP

[LU FISHER]

1999 CQ 160 METER CONTEST CW

K5YP (located in NW Oklahoma)        SINGLE OP  LOW POWER

QSO'S    266
QSO POINTS    607
W/VE SECTIONS    51
COUNTRIES   5
TOTAL SCORE   33,992

Club: Oklahoma DX Association

Rig:   Yaesu FT-757GX (100 W)
Ant:    Inverted L (xmt & rcv)

First effort in a 160 contest.  Conditions seemed better than I expected or
the Inverted L worked better than I expected (only had it up for a few days
and had only tried it out once on some neighbors in KS, CO and TX  - so, all
I knew for sure about it was that it radiated good at high angles - yuck -
but I was gonna try it in the contest anyway).

Had a great time.  Worked 46 states incl KH6 and KL7 (have KH6DX/M0  ND/SD
to thank for ND, I guess....... -- that is to say, I took my pick: ND).  Got
my
first real DX on 160 in this contest; it was all Oceania.  Still don't know
what EU, JA and VK etc sound like below 80M.  Found the contest to be as
spirited as others, but without the lids and cops.  I strayed into the DX
window once and was somehow advised of that - but 10KHz and 10 minutes was
not used up by the cops in getting me out.  I don't think there was any DX
near me at the time.  I am not used to CQing in contests and had a great
time doing so in this contest.  Once, my freq was stolen, feloniously, by a
big gun who I know could hear me fine.  I was slowly and surely crowded away
from my spot a couple of times by others.  Not complaining, just learning on
the job and paying my dues.  The rewards included 8p, KH7, and 6D calling
me - and I to think I fully expected to have trouble working the coasts.

Although CT says I was only on for 11.1 hours, it was probably a couple more
than that, and it is doubtful that any more hours would have produced a much
higher
score.  I don't think it was much loss that I didn't get started until
11:00p local Fri night.  But, I pooped out and missed both Sat and Sun
mornings - sounds like a little bit of a missed opportunity there.  Probably
not, though, after reading N0AH's CQ160CW story.
My  Inverted L points to the SE (nowhere) and is radialless and probably
couldn't have
talked to the DX that was there, at those times, anyway.

All in all, I did about 3 times what I expected, therefore am a happy but
tired camper.

73 from Oklahoma,
Lu Fisher K5YP
fisher@pldi.net


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