[3830] ARRLDX SSB G0MTN SOABLP

[g0mtn at qsl.net]

                     ARRL DX Contest - SSB
                    
Call: G0MTN
Operator(s): 
Station: 

Class: SOAB  Power: LP
QTH: 
Operating Time (hrs): 25

Summary:
 Band     QSOs  Mults
----------------------
  160:      0      0
   80:      0      0
   40:     11      9
   20:    125     32
   15:    294     48
   10:    337     50
----------------------
Total:    767    139  =  319839

Club: 

Comments:

Equipment:  TS850 barefoot, 3 el triband yagi @ 60 foot, 60 foot long wire @ 20
foot.

Times:  Saturday  10:30 till 23:00,  Sunday 11:30 till 00:00

This contest normally clashes with my club's local radio rally (hamfest) so
I've never really had a proper go before (i.e. Search and Pounce only - never a
CQ calls !) 

Another Single band effort would be a bit tough with 100w, so I thought I'd
have a go at SOAB LP and have a bit of fun. 

For the first few hours I operated on Saturday morning I could S+P through 10,
15 and 20 and work most of the big guns easily.   Then things became more
difficult - I was forced to call CQ but I could not hold a frequency or make
myself heard.  The other EU stations calling CQ seemed to have a little more RF
out judging by their reports. 

I took a break and entered the RSGB 144 / 432 MHz contest in the six hour
section, and hope to have done well in that ! 

At 8pm, it was back on air proper and I finally made some inroads on 10 and 15.
 20m was still disappointing - there had been some times in the afternoon when
I took a quick listen I could not hear anyone at all from the US / Canada ! 

On the Sunday I operated a similar pattern - a few hours either side of midday,
a break in the afternoon, and then 110% effort in the evening. 

SSB was really hard for most of the time with 100w - search and pounce was fine
until I ran out of stations.   After that my rates were only 15 / hr so I took
a break in the afternoons. But when the 10 and 15 m bands were closing in the
evenings I was finally able to hold a frequency, and my best rate for last 10
QSOs went up to 280 / hr !! 

When did 20m close ?  I couldn't operate overnight, but I suspect I could have
repeated my limited good runs on 10 and 15 if I had been around at the right
time on 20. 

I didn't bother with 40m until right at the end of the contest - I had tried
earlier on in the contest but didn't get anywhere at all.   Hence I was very
surprised to get through second call for my first 40m station - quick - time to
grab a few much needed mults ! 

I also need a voice keyer - I can't call for long without losing my voice.  I'm
a bit hoarse today.  After a little while I also start to sound sniffly - and
I'm picked up as Golf Three, and also Golf Zebra Mike Tango November ! 

Overall it was a superb contest. Conditions seemed really good - and being able
to park the beam in one direction, and for a little while at least have a good
pileup going made this a great contest for me.   I also had the highest ever
last 10 rates I've ever had using my own callsign. 

Lee Volante G0MTN
Solihull, UK
g0mtn at qsl.net
http://www.g0mtn.freeserve.co.uk


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
G0MTN        767  139    319839SOAB    LP 

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