[3830] ARRL 160 K0HW Single Op QRP

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                    ARRL 160-Meter Contest

Call: K0HW
Operator(s): K0HW
Station: K0HW

Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: South Dakota
Operating Time (hrs): 17

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 225  Sections = 50  Countries = 0  Total Score = 22,500

Club: 

Comments:

Well I tried it in the QRP class this year in the 160 Meter ARRL Contest and I
probably will try it again based on this years success.  I feel that a lot
better score could be reached with higher antennas.  My plan sometime is to try
a 5/8 wave vertical hung from my 9’ delta wing kite.  My only problem would be
the steady wind to keep the kite in the air for the night hours.  I have 40
acres here at this QTH so I will be trying the kite vertical at some point but
it may be for Field Day instead.

My apology to KO9S who sent me a report and had to wonder what happened when I
didn't come back after he sent his report.  My computer died with loss of rig
control and I tried to go to the straight key and it just didn't work out with
my weak QRP signal and no logger.

About 17 hours of time spent in the QRP Power Level with low antennas on 160 is
about all I could handle for the weekend.  I appreciate all those stations that
pulled out my signal.  I felt good that I did as well as it seems.  My antennas
were a double bazooka inverted V at about 45' high in the middle and 16' on one
end and 25' on the other end.  A temporary inverted L from the ground to about
45' then level for the rest of the 135'.  This inverted L started with a ground
rod and 9 133' radials at the base and was expanded to 11 radials on Saturday
morning.  It was about 15 degrees out so I quit adding them.

I had planned about 17 radials.

I felt like to two added radials helped the second night, as I was able to work
a few stations that didn't copy me the first night.  Some time
on Saturday night I lost one of the ropes holding the inverted L in the air and
it partially came down.  I thought something had happened, as the double bazooka
seemed better.  I did make most of the QSOs on the 
inverted L with about 30 on the bazooka toward the end of the contest.

My rate averaged at about 1 QSO per 4 1/3 minute and about 14 QSO per hour.

13 QSOs the 1st hour
11 QSOs the 2nd hour
22 QSOs the 3rd hour
21 QSOs the 4th hour
20 QSOs the 5th hour
14 QSOs the 6th hour
18 QSOs the 7th hour
15 QSOs the 8th hour

I slept for a few hours early Saturday morning and then made 3 QSOs on Saturday
morning with the 1st QSO at 1320Z and the 3rd QSO at 1346Z.
I then started the contest in the evening again at 2256Z.

8 QSOs the 9th hour
7 QSOs the 10th hour
9 QSOs the 11th hour
6 QSOs the 12th hour
4 QSOs the 13th hour
16 QSOs the 14th hour
10 QSOs the 15th hour
14 QSOs the 16th hour
12 QSOs the 17th hour

My greatest thanks to all those stations I made contact with and to all those
stations that tried to copy me but we never made the contact.  I was unable to
get any of the DX to copy my signal but I did try with two of the XE stations
in the DX window.

For the last few contests I have been posting my scores via the live scores
using the "Live Score Poster by W1VE Version 1.0.3" but it would not work for
me
for this contest.  It kept saying "Could not connect with Writelog.  Is it
running?"  It worked great on all the other contests.

73 and see you on the next contest.  Jim  K0HW


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