[3830] IARU N3GXY SO SSB QRP

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                    IARU HF World Championship

Call: N3GXY
Operator(s): N3GXY
Station: N3GXY

Class: SO SSB QRP
QTH: EPA
Operating Time (hrs): 15

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Mults
---------------------------
  160:   0       0      0
   80:   0       0      0
   40:   0       1      1
   20:   0      83     36
   15:   0      52     24
   10:   0       4      3
---------------------------
Total:   0     140     64  Total Score = 25,152

Club: 

Comments:

Greetings,

Well, the 2002 IARU HF Championships was quite an experience.  The prospect of a
major DX contest and the excitement surrounding WRTC 2002 had anticipation for
the weekend running very high.  When it was all over, it was quite an experience
– one that I will not soon forget, and one in which I learned some more valuable
lessons about contesting and me.

>From my previous postings, you are no doubt aware of my circumstances and
contesting set-up.  I live in a townhouse, and do not have room for a permanent
station, so all my amateur radio activities end up being like miniature Field
Day operations.  I usually set up the FT-817 and computer on a card table in the
laundry room in the basement, and string antennas from the second story window
and the kid’s swing set in back yard.  Because we are a doing work in the
basement, I had to set up the radio in the living room.   For antennas, I went
all out and put up the R6000 and the multi-band dipole.  I did this all the
afternoon and evening before the contest.  I’m getting pretty good at putting
together the R6000 – sticking it on the end of a 12 ft. piece of 1.75 in. aught
508 aluminum tubing and wrestling it into place on the swing-set – in about an
hour.  The dipole takes about half an hour to unravel, untangle, and erect –
also using the swing set as the center support.  In hindsight, I should have
spent more time checking out the dipole.

The impression I get from reading this list and from perusing other sources is
that the best contesters make a plan for how they will work the contest.  That
night, I sat down and started thinking about how I wanted to operate the
contest.  As I was learning from some of the other contests I have been working,
summertime contesting is different from what happens in the fall and winter. 
Regardless, I still thought it would be better to start out on the high bands
and work my way down to 40 meters in the late evening and early morning.  I
though I would pick-up the DX on 10, 15 and 20, and then lots of stateside
contacts on 40 in the evening.  Using my experience in the ARRL DX Contest as a
guide, I set a goal of 200 contacts for myself.  I went to sleep a little later
than I would like to, but got a good night’s sleep despite my nervousness.

I awoke around 7 AM and headed downstairs for a cup of coffee and to check
conditions.  From what I heard, it seemed like the bands would be slow to open. 
Fifteen meters sounded the most promising, so I figured I would start there,
then move up to 10, then rotate through 20, 15, and 10 for the rest of the day. 
At the starting gun I got busy on 15.  In the first three and a half hours, I
made 32 contacts on 15.  I then started rotating through the bands to see who
else I could pick-up.  My rates dropped off as the morning wore on and afternoon
approached.  By the 6 hour mark, I only had 54 stations in the log.  It looked
like 10 meters was not going to be very productive, and only was open very
modestly trans-equatorially.  In the end, I only picked up 4 contacts on 10.

By the half way point, I had amassed only 87 contacts.  The rate had slowed
tremendously with the expiration of 15 meters and my concentration on 20.  It
was about then that I thought I would check 40 meters.  The only stations I
could find in the phone portion were W1AW/5 and a handful of others.  When I
tried to work 40 I found that my SWR on 40 was excessively high.  Earlier that
afternoon, I had no problem working NU1AW/4 on 40 but now it seemed I wasn’t
getting out quite as well.  Also, in listening around, there did not seem to be
much activity on 40 phone and, as one poster noted, the European’s did not seem
to be listening stateside on 40.  So I made the decision to skip working 40 and
concentrate on 20, 15, and 10 hoping that I might catch one of those freak late
night openings on 15.

It’s great to have support during a contest, and once again I must thank my YL -
Madeline - for her support and, most importantly, her encouragement!  When she
asked me how I was doing and I told her not too well and that I was feeling
tired – she told me soldier on through the night and do the best I could.  For
someone who doesn’t always understand the “ham radio thing” I must once again
state that I could not have done it without her.

So I stayed up through the night trying as well as I could to meet my goal.  In
the succeeding 12 hours I managed only an additional 54 contacts bringing my
total to 140 – well short of my goal.

I was disappointed with myself and very fatigued when I shutdown the station and
went to sleep – the birds outside our bedroom window singing me to sleep.  I
awoke a few hours later to the smell of Madeline fixing a wonderful breakfast. 
My feelings of disappointment had faded away during the night – I was now quite
content and pleased with how I had done.  It was a great contest.  It’s a great
hobby.  Thanks.

Random Note and Observations.

A dining room chair may be fine for doing casual radio work or writing a letter,
but it certainly does not cut it for 24 hours of contesting.  The lack of good
seating definitely contributed to my fatigue and lowered my productivity.

Speaking of fatigue, this was the first time I had stayed up for 24 hours
straight without rest.  Next time I will allow myself ten or fifteen minute naps
every four hours or so.  I read this from a poster on CQ-Contest and it is
excellent advice.

The ARRL DX Contest spoiled me.  This was definitely a different contest with a
flavor all its own.  I was surprised that I did not hear more stations calling
CQ.  Everybody seemed more intent on working the HQ stations and the OJ’s.  More
points were out there – they just did not make themselves available.

Speaking of OJ’s, I managed to work three – OJ6E, OJ3R, and OJ8K.

There was some good DX on the bands.  My best catch was 8N2JHQ on 20 at 6 AM in
the morning.  I heard V51NAM on 15 at 4 AM.  He called a few times, then made a
comment about wondering where all the Stateside stations were then turned his
beam towards Europe.  Rats!

The N3GXT Golden Antenna Award for the Station with the Best Ears goes to all
the OJ’s.  Despite being close to the noise at my QTH and buried by horrible
QRM, I managed to work all three on the first call.  Very impressive!

Thanks again to all the stations I worked.  It was great fun.

Regards,
Joel M. Gilly
N3GXY


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