[3830] SP-DX RTTY - ZC4DW - SO AB LP

[Dez in Cyprus]

SP-DX RTTY Contest


Call used: ZC4DW
Location:  Eastern Sovereign Base, Asia

Entry Class: SO, AB, Low Power

Band   Q   Pts        SP   DX    Cont
80        49   475         9      17       2
40        74   720       10      24       2
20       171  1650     16      35       5
15       250  2377     15      41       5
10       273  2660     15      42       5
-----     ----    ----     ----     ----     ----
Total   817  7882     65    159       6

Continents counted only once (not once per band)


--------------------------------------

Claimed Score: 10,593,408

Software: RTTY by WF1B  v5       (now freeware)

Transceiver: Yaesu FT1000mp MK-V

Power Output: 100w

Antenna: 80m dipole, (balanced feed)

Club Participation: CDXC - Chiltern DX Club

Comments:

The SP-DX RTTY contest was really a test for the new 80m doublet
(132 feet long) which I installed at our club site - ZC4ESB,
Eastern Sovereign Base the morning of the contest. The doublet is
only 9m high at the centre and slopes down inverted-v fashion.

I was surprised how good it seemed to work on 10m, 15m, 20m & 80m.
However I thought we had poor conditions during the contest.

WHERE WAS USA?
My log shows only 2 x USA stations worked in 24 hrs - and both on 20m.
Were condx really that bad? Did Western EU stns work any N.Americans?

40m was disappointing - the intruder jammers on 40m did not help.
I also heard radar type jamming on 20m In the RTTY sub-band at 0400z
just as the band was open at local dawn. The jamming was not lower down
on 20m CW.

10m was unusual Sunday morning, the band opened nicely with
what seemed like Sporadic-E to Europe. I hoped to have a great finish
running EU for the final few hours, but 10m died to EU about 1000z.
Strangely I was still hearing VK6GOM nice and strong. That's why
it seemed like a brief Sp-E opening to EU.

I noticed over 27% of all stations were from SP - thanks guys. That
is a great percentage, and that means lots of SP stations to work.
I was very pleased to work all 16 x WOJ on 20m, and 15 x WOJ on 15m & 10m.
WOJ 'M' seemed to be the rarest province, whatever band. Why is this?

I know this was a DX contest, but it also an SP contest, so
I chose to work whatever band would be open to SP. I also knew
that EUROPE would also be strong if SP were strong, and EU are 10 points
from Cyprus, not to mention there are lots of DXCC mults in Europe.

Looking at my strategy, it didn't really matter if the USA path
did not open, because thankfully the continent multipliers only
count once. Good rule I think.

I'm not sure what the low power (100w) record is for this contest,
but hopefully 10,593,408 is a respectable score. I will definitely work
this contest again as it was such good fun.

I wish the RSGB or BARTG would consider a UK-DX RTTY contest,
with the UK Counties being mults, with DXCC and continent mults also.
Maybe there are not enough RTTY ops from Britain to suppor this.

Many thanks to stations who QSY'd for band mults. Next year I must
look into getting an auto-ATU for faster QSY-ing.

Thanks to all worked, the organisers PK RVG, and sponsors PZK.

Finally, thanks to Steve for the supply of minced beef & onion pie,
chips and gravy - British readers will be familiar with this delicacy.

QSL thru buro via G0DEZ or direct to:

Dez Watson
C.A.O.
JSSU (AN)
BFPO 59
via London
U.K.

e-mail: dez at cytanet.com.cy 

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