[3830] 7J1AAI ARRL DX CW SOAB HP Unassisted

[Hal Offutt]

1999 ARRL DX CW  Results for 7J1AAI

Single Op All Bands High Power (KW) Unassisted

Band        QSOs        Mults

160             0                 0      (no antenna)
80             111             34     (rotatable dipole at 120')
40             208             37     (rotatable dipole at 120')
20             285             42     (4 el at 60')
15             334             45     (4 el at 60')
10             195             38     (5 el at 40')

Total       1,133          196    Score  666,204 points

Operating Time:  26 hours


Soapbox

Thanks to Shige, JH1GTV, for use of his fine station.

This was a semi-serious effort that ran out of steam halfway through the
second day.  I had been prepared to go to the bitter end (Monday at 9 AM
local) if things had gone well, but they didn't.  Rates stunk almost the
whole time, with the first three hours yielding rates of only 60, 90 and 48,
not good enough.  The peak hours of 2200-0100 at the end of day one yielded
hours of only 94, 60 and 95, in contrast to rates in the 140-160 range the
year before.

The one bright point of the contest for me was the fabulous east coast
opening on 80 meters during the first night.  Many eastern US ops reported
having high QRN levels on Friday night but the static must have disappeared
by early Saturday morning their time because lots of people were there to be
worked.  The band sounded almost like 20 meters, with honest-to-goodness S9
signals from the east coast.  W4AN was the first into the log at 0952Z but
there was no immediate follow through so I went back to 40 Meters.  When I
returmed an hour later, all hell broke loose.  K4AB in AL blasted through
with a huge signal at 1103Z, followed by a bunch of the east coast big guns
and lots of smaller pistols as well.  The next hour saw 4 ones, 3 twos, 8
threes, 16 fours plus another 25 fives, sixes, sevens and zeros.  Strangely,
only one eight and two nines made it, and they were very weak.  Come to
think of it, the Midwesterners were pretty scarce and not very strong on all
bands this year.  I wonder why.

Hopes of another good 80 Meter opening on sustained me through the next day,
but it just did not materialize.  40 just would not come alive for me
either.  There were quite a few ones, twos and threes to be worked on 20
meters during the 1200 hour but not much else.  I threw the switch at 1230Z
and headed back to my apartment in downtown Tokyo, giving up what was
reportedly an excellent 10 Meter opening during the last two hours of the
contest but at least being able to get a day's work done.  Having the
contest end at 9 AM Monday morning is not very easy on someone who needs to
be at work at 8 AM!

Frustrating but nevertheless lots of fun.  Congratulations to JH15FXP for a
great score.

73,

Hal 7J1AAI (W1NN)    (QSLs direct only)

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