[3830] CQ160 CW AD8P Multi-Op HP

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                    CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW

Call: AD8P
Operator(s): AD8P
Station: AD8P

Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: Ohio
Operating Time (hrs): 17

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 723  State/Prov = 58  Countries = 28  Total Score = 171,484

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

Single Op with packet here.

The CQ160 CW contest is one of my 3 favorite contests. The Stew Perry and ARRL
160 are my other 2. I had a great time even though I was a part timer. We had a
wedding to attend in Columbus on Saturday so I got out of the chair early on
Saturday morning to sleep before we left. We returned on Saturday night at 10 PM
so back in the chair I went until 2:30 AM. I teach a Sunday School class so I
was unable to stay up for any kind of far Pacific opening. Someone please let me
know if there was one. 
 
The band was very quiet and conditions both nights for DX were great. The first
night I concentrated on rate only. I had the rate meter over 165 a few times
which was the best I have ever done. The first 3 hours ended up at 120 per,
again, personal best. 
 
I managed to miss W1OP in Rhode Island for my only lower 48 missed. I did not
work KL7 either. In Canada I missed NT, YT, and LB. 58 domestic mults were in
the log however.
 
On the DX side I pulled out 28 multipliers. I think I ended up with about 60 ten
point QSO's. I was called by a couple of VK's which in terms of distance was the
best I could do. I did not chase multipliers on the first night at all. I would
only go there if it was a new country for me. I did get 2 new countries, HK and
LX. I know this would not normally be a good strategy to follow but I also knew
I stood no chance of doing my personal best or winning anything so I wanted to
work as many as I could and get any new countries. Now I have 102 worked on 160.
Not bad for a city boy.
 
I had great plans to install a beverage this year but with the ice storm and
snowfall afterward I just didn't have the time. I have 5 pennants up in the farm
field behind the house and they work awfully well for what they are. I just feel
a beverage will do so much better. Maybe next year.
 
I finally scrap heaped the very old Sigma XR-3000 D amp I bought from N4ZZ some
25+ years ago. I replaced it with a Ten Tec Centurion to match the Omni 6+
The equipment performed flawlessly as expected. However I was having some arcing
problems in the tuner. It's homebrew and about 30 years old but it never arced
before the ice storm. Late Sunday afternoon I was talking to a local DXer, W8ZD,
and discussing the antenna trouble. I realized what the trouble could have been
and checked.....sure enough I fixed it. It was a problem in a splice on the open
wire feed for the antenna. Open wire feeders are great but do require a bit of
maintenance and it needs to be done right.

Thanks for all the Q's. It was a blast....


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