[3830] ARRL UHF K2DRH Single Op LP

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                    ARRL UHF Contest

Call: K2DRH
Operator(s): K2DRH
Station: K2DRH

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: EN41 IL
Operating Time (hrs): 20

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  222:   59    33
  432:   78    35
  903:   30    23
  1.2:   37    28
  2.3:   16    14
  3.4:   14    13
  5.7:           
  10G:           
  24G:           
-------------------
Total:  234   146  Total Score = 171,258

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

After the last two totally off the rails summer contests this one felt slow
paced and stodgy.  However looking back, it was actually a very good UHF
contest and I’m amazed that my score is right up there with my previous best
since I felt like I was running behind the whole contest and should have been
doing much better.  Participation was high and conditions were good to
excellent most of the time.  It started on Saturday very well with lots of Qs
going into the log the first hour and very reasonable conditions up to 1296. 
As evening approached conditions on the higher bands got better and better and
by Saturday night 2304 and 3456 contacts were going into the log with stations
at distances that had not been possible in June or January.  A few out to 300
miles that had to go CW on 903 and 1296 got stronger on 2304 and then were loud
enough for phone on 3456!  I only went to bed around 1AM because I ran out of
stations to work!

Sunday morning conditions were really good again, especially to the south and
east but there were few new stations to work until well after 6AM.  AG4V in
EM55 and I finally worked on 903 and on 1296 but not on 2304 (have to save
something for next time!).  Unfortunately a huge thunderstorm came in from the
west about 8AM and by 8:30 I was shut down for most of the next hour as it
violently shook the house.  Afterwards it was like someone threw a switch and
the QSO’s slowed down radically, especially to the east where things had been
so good earlier.  I didn’t work another 2304 or 3456 QSO after the storm went
through.  Repeated CQs towards the north and west, the only areas still
reasonably open, went mostly unanswered.  Towards the end I called CQ for
almost an hour with no takers!  Five minutes before 1800Z I finally caught up
with N0DQS/R in EN20 after trying to get his attention for almost 15 minutes. 
While we only had time enough for 3 bands, they were 3 new mults. 

Rovermaina was a definite plus as some of the NLRS gang started looking south
from time to time for more Qs and were quite workable on many bands.  W9FZ/R
and W0ZQ/R went into he log in several grids as did WB8BZK/R out of Chicago.  I
heard many of the others too, but most times couldn’t raise them.   It’s a
lot more difficult to get a rover’s attention on 432 than on 2M if he is not
looking at you, even with CW!   I heard a lot of stations in grids out past
300-400 miles when the bands were up, but I couldn’t quite get their
attention using low power and they would QSY off never to be heard from again. 
Need more gain in the antennas on 432; 21dbd is just not enough!   My 222 seemed
down from normal most of the time too and that didn’t help either.  I suspect
I’ve developed an intermittent problem in the power divider between the
antennas that was getting more noticeable as the contest went on.


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