[3830] CQ160 CW N5IA Multi HP

[miltj at aepnet.com]

                     CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW
                    
Call: N5IA
Operator(s): N5IA & WA6CDR
Station: N5IA

Class: Multi HP
QTH: NM
Operating Time (hrs): 30
 

QSOs: 884  States/Provinces: 54  Countries: 23  Score: 184,954

Comments:

STATION INFO:

Transceivers = Yaesu FT-1000MP and Kenwood TS-940S.
Amplifier = The venerable Alpha 91b used at XZ1N 98 & XZ0A 00.
Logging = Two old 486's running CT 957.
TX antenna = Full size, elevated 1/4 WL Ground Plane.
RX antennas = 20 Bevs and two large horizontal loops.

RAW QSOs = 933

One year ago, Robin, WA6CDR and I operated the CQ WW 160 CW contest together 
with Ray, G3NOM and George, V73GT, as XZ0A from Thahtay Khun Island in Myanmar. 
 Having enjoyed that outing, Robin and I decided to try the Multi-operator 
entry this year from my home station in Southwest New Mexico. 

Robin drove over from LA and arrived at 2200Z on Thursday afternoon.  That gave 
us just 24 hours to put together a multi-op station.  Thursday night was spent 
preparing a lockout relay board, networking the computers operating CT-957, and 
providing separate, independent receive antenna selection for each operating 
position.

Friday morning we ran out three additional Beverage antennas.  Then two more 
remote antenna switches were installed and another feedline was completed back 
to the shack.  Operation commenced on time at 2200Z with the sun still 2.5 
hours from setting.

Hour one put 18 into the log, hour 2 added 20, and hour three as the sun set 
ramped the rate up to 53.  The first New England contact was CT at 0103.  Then 
the band finally opened to east of the Mississippi.  Hours 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 were 
the most productive of the contest.  The rates were 68, 68, 71, 64, & 57.  Hour 
9 dropped to 53.

During this period EA8 was worked at 0434, three KH6 stations entered the log, 
and P4, VP5, YV, V31, FM, ZF, FY, KP2, plus XE were added mults.  The EU 
signals did not make it west of the Pecos.  Absolutely none heard.  The most 
disappointing few minutes was being told that VY1JA was answering my CQ, trying 
to hear Jay for a half dozen overs with nary a whisper detected, and then 
letting the other station work Jay.

Hours 10, 11, 12 & 13 were tough.  Most every station on the band had been 
worked.  Those four hours yielded 18, 23, 12, & 24.  The first JA was worked at 
0828.  KP4 was worked at 1003.  WY, NE & DE rounded out 47 of 48 states.  A 
mini JA run gave us a total of 20 for the first night and a total count of a 
few more than 600.  Not bad, but not real good.

A review of the first night operation told us we needed an additional 
omni-directional receive antenna to feed the mult transceiver.  So Saturday 
afternoon a large horizontal loop was deployed about 5 feet above ground, 
supported by mesquite, chapparal and yucca plants.  It worked great.

We started the second night at 0000Z.  It was very slow with few stations and 
little propagation.  MS was state # 48 at 0217.  The pre-dawn lift from EU 
finally worked for us as CT3, 4X, ON, I, were worked from 0330 to 0410.  HI was 
found at 0518.  KL7Y showed up at 0541, KL7RA at 0644 & AL7R at 1307.  

The EU sunrise brought G, F, & S5.  V73CW was a tough one at 0855.  Another 
mini JA run came in three separate spurts providing an additional 20 of the 
highly rare 10 pointers.  The last JA was worked with the sun 10 minutes into 
the sky.  

CO and AZ stations were heard giving reports to VK6VZ, but Steve's signal was 
not audible at this QTH.  The 08, 09, 10, & 11 hours Z were all less than 10 Qs 
per hour.  

There were lots of dupes, most likely from guys frustrated that they couldn't 
find any "new meat" stations to work.  Our log was 5% dupes.  I think I heard a 
DC station but he was too weak to copy.  Blanked on that one again.  We worked 
VE2 through VE7 but none of the Maritime or northern Provinces.  Thanks for 
trying Jay.

Thanks to everyone for the Qs.  Congrats to the eastern tier stations who put 
up some awsome Q totals and scores.  Robin and I learned a lot about 
multi-operator station setup and operating and that was the main object of this 
outing.  We plan to use that knowledge on future outings.

73, and CU all in the SSB 'test in four weeks.

Milt, N5IA and Robin, WA6CDR


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