[3830] ARRLDX CW KP3/N2BA SOSB/15 LP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: KP3/N2BA
Operator(s): N2BA
Station: KP3/N2BA

Class: SOSB/15 LP
QTH: Puerto Rico
Operating Time (hrs): 19

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:           
   80:           
   40:  194    44
   20:  289    49
   15: 1572    59
   10:    6     2
-------------------
Total: 1572    59  Total Score = 278,244

Club: Frankford Radio Club

Comments:

We rented a house right on the beach at Aricebo and set up a VE7CA wire beam
oriented vertically a few feet from the water's edge. It worked great. For 40
had wire vertical with 2 radials. Rig: TS-690. Originally I'd hoped to enter all
band LP but when I saw that WP3C had switched to the same category, I changed my
mind.

I tried to only work 15, but I couldn't resist a few Qs on the other bands. In
fact the best hour was the last one when I moved to 20. I always wanted to know
what it was like to be on the other side of one of those last minute packet
pileups and now I know. It was FANTASTIC! It sure beats 1 Q per 8 CQ up on 15.


Does anyone have experience with antennas at the water's edge? I set up my VE7CA
in the morning and everything was great, but when the contest started the SWR
was 5:1. I replaced the balun and the coax and that didn't do it. The antenna is
made from Wireman  17 ga. insulated wire, but there are exposed bits at the
insulator ends. Finally, I washed down all the exposed bits (including the
hairpin match) and wrapped them with electrical tape, and voila, it worked.

By the end of the week my 40 meter vertical had also gone wonky, with 4:1 SWR
where it had once been 1:1.2. So now I did the same thing but no dice. I
replaced everything, cleaned everything, and taped all exposed wire but couldn't
get it to work again!

Any ideas? Also, do you think getting salt water on the outside jacket of
insulated antenna wire will hurt?

Anyway, it was a lot of fun, and being able to sleep probably means that I did
the right thing by going single band.

I might have found a pretty good rental QTH for 2 single-band entries, or a
modest multi-single if anyone wants to join me next time.

73, Brooke


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