[3830] ARRLDX SSB G1A(@G4BUO) SOSB/20 HP

Tue Mar 8 10:34:01 EST 2005

                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: G1A
Operator(s): MØCLW
Station: G4BUO

Class: SOSB/20 HP
QTH: Penshurst
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    x     x
   80:    x     x
   40:    x     x
   20: 1268    58
   15:    x     x
   10:    x     x
-------------------
Total: 1268    58  Total Score = 220,458

Club: Worldwide Young Contesters

Comments:

Equipment
=========

* FT-1000MP + Ten-Tec Titan
* 8el Tennadyne LPDA @ 73ft + delta loop @ 40ft

This was my first serious single-op effort in a major international contest for
as long as I can remember, normally being a member of the G6PZ multi-op team.
And, what can I say?! I had a ball!

Saturday
========

Went on for a quick run at 0730Z on Saturday and got a couple of stations in the
log, namely a VE6, K3LR and WØAIH. Had an hour off, and came back at 0900Z, when
things were still relatively slow. Got VY2, another VE6 and a VE3 in the log.
Soon after 0930Z, I was called by quite a few more 'big guns', W3LPL, KC1XX,
N3RS, K5ZD, VE1JF etc.

By 1400Z on Saturday, I had 50 mults... Things were going quite well, but still
I could not get a *decent* rate. My last 10 QSO meter peaked 310/hr, but my full
clock hour rate was never better than 150/hr (!).

Had a 30 minute snow shower at about 16Z on Saturday, just at a time when I was
running west coast - typical! It's kinda tricky to hear the weaker west coast
stations with S9+ of rain static as well as all the splatter etc ;-)

By 1700Z Saturday, I had 57 mults, and that's the way it would stay. I needed
Nevada... Not a problem, I was kinda expecting someone from out that way to call
in as there was quite a nice opening to the west coast. However, that was not
the case. I finished Saturday with only 825 QSOs, which was down on my target
(1000 QSOs). The run dropped off just short of 2100Z, where I picked up a few
more stations and had my last QSO at 2122Z.

Sunday
======

As for Sunday... Hmm, well, tuned around at 0900Z to hear absolutely *nothing*
from NA and no sign of Europeans CQing. "Oh dear", I thought. The Sun gods knew
it was a major international contesting weekend, obviously! Had my first QSO
with VO1 at dead-on 1000Z.

Decided to have some breakfast, a cigarette, relax for a little and then
returned to the rig at 11Z to find a run frequency. Fruitless CQing until 1123Z
when I logged N6NWS from North Carolina. K5ZD called in at 1127Z, who was a
dupe, but it's nice to know there is *some* propagation there - although
admittedly he was really weak! So, I knew that condx were really quite bad.

At 1130Z, I'd logged a total of 6 stations since 1000Z. Hmmm, not really what
I'd call a "run"! Decided to tune around for a bit, but K3LR was only an S3. Eh
oh! My next QSO wasn't until 1220Z, when stations from more southern states
started calling in (FL, GA etc). Then, finally, starting putting in a few
stations from NY & NJ, then CT, and at last the band starting picking up.

Sunday was generally slow going with daylight hours rendering rates no higher
than 60/hr (clock hour)! That is until 1900Z, when I had dead on 60 QSOs in the
clock hour. And then, all of a sudden, 20Z hour generated a rate well over 120
QSOs. I guess there were fewer stations from Europe on the band (band already
dead in eastern Europe) which sure helps.

W7RN called in at 1845Z for the last mult of the contest - Nevada. Thanks, guys!
 Yeah, I have to admit, I was biting my nails until that time as it would have
been daft to have missed the NV mult! 

Conclusions
===========

Ended on Sunday at 2124Z with 1299 QSOs in the log (31 dupes = 1268 QSOs).
Missed LB, NT, YT, NU as well as DC. 

Loudest signals on the band were K3LR and VY2ZM. KØTV was also incredibly loud
on Sunday afternoon. These guys were hitting +30dB on the 1000MP meter! Loudest
west coast stations were W6YI, W6YX and W7RN (ironically), all around the +20dB
marker. Great job, guys!

Many, many thanks to Dave G4BUO for the use of his fine station and also to both
Dave and his XYL Denise for not only putting up with me but for keeping me very
well fed and watered. I really enjoyed myself, so thank you both. I was most
appreciative of being supplied with food, fruit juice and tea as and when
required. Now, if only I could have a toilet which could be remotely controlled
to come to me! ;-)

Need to do more second VFO work next year to increase the QSO total.

Thanks to all the stations who called and/or spotted me (having analysed the
spots now I see I was spotted by a number of stations in G-land)...

Once again, I used Win-Test which performed flawlessly. This is one very awesome
piece of contest logging software. I will try to use this in every contest it
supports... More contests are being added all time! Thanks once again to Larry
F6FVY for the support in the run-up to the contest.

Please do listen out for G1A in upcoming events - it's the short call for the
"UK Young Contesters", of which I am founding member (I myself am 19 years of
age). If you require a QSL card, please send via the bureau.

Many congratulations to Siggi TF3CW for a great score! It seems that erecting
that 4el monobander for the SSB leg was really worth the effort. 

The top 20 most worked states/provinces:
NY	127
FL	81
PA	79
NJ	73
MA	72
VA	57
OH	54
IL	43
CA	40
TX	37
ON	37
NH	36
MI	35
MD	34
NC	33
GA	31
CT	30
WA	29
TN	22

See you in WPX SSB!

73,

-- 
Simon Pearson, MØCLW
* CDXC * WWYC * UKYC

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