[3830] NAQP CW W1AF(NF1R) Single Op LP

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                    North American QSO Party, CW

Call: W1AF
Operator(s): NF1R
Station: W1AF

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: EMA
Operating Time (hrs): 10

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   11     9
   80:  130    39
   40:  210    49
   20:  183    39
   15:   21    12
   10:           
-------------------
Total:  555   148  Total Score = 82,140

Club: 

Team: 

Comments:

Hi all,

This was my best personal contest effort to date, and the first full-time
contest effort from the Harvard Wireless Club in recent years.  

Like a lot of folks, I was hoping for a better opening on 15 and 10.  Our urban
site (assembled in the late 90s with the assistance of XX Towers), has great
high-band performance, including a 10-el log periodic that puts out a great
signal on 15 and 20.  40 is also strong, but 80 and 160 are vulnerable to urban
manmade noise (we're three blocks east of Harvard Square).

This year, we didn't seem to be at a severe disadvantage when it came to the low
bands, which were generally quiet, even with a local rainstorm.  Was able to get
some runs going on 80, and even had a few Californians call.  40 was the best
band in terms of rate, peaking at about 90-100 Q's hour around 6 p.m. local.  

As others have noted, doing well in this contest is really dependent on time
management.  I had a tough decision to make between maximizing early time on the
high bands (where we have best antennas and receive conditions), and hunting for
the necessary multipliers on the low bands.  I figured the high bands would be
more productive early on, and that the low bands would be a harder slog.  Took
off 1/2 hour around 7 p.m. local to get dinner.  I figured I would sacrifice
time running stations on 40, where I'd already met diminishing returns in
mults/QSO, in exchange for having an additional 30 minutes on 80 meters later.

Probably my last full-time contest for a while.  Second semester of graduate
school will be occupying my weekends for the next 5 months.

73,
Clayton
NF1R (ex-AA9RB) @ W1AF

Antennas:
80 meter dipole (tuned for 160!)
40-2CD 2 el 40 beam
10-element log periodic on 20-10
X7 (not used)
Rig: IC781.


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