[3830] IARU N7ZG(@N7WA) M/S HP

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                    IARU HF World Championship

Call: N7ZG
Operator(s): K8NZ N7WA
Station: N7WA

Class: M/S HP
QTH: WWA
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Mults
---------------------------
  160:                   
   80:   48     15     13
   40:  321     34     34
   20:  346    206     68
   15:   33     23     11
   10:                   
---------------------------
Total:  748    278    127  Total Score = 435,610

Club: Western Washington DX Club

Comments:

Dink, N7WA and I have been doing this one as a multi-op from his place for the
last 4 years.  This year's score is the best yet, even as the cycle declines. 
I'm not sure if it is because of the station improvements or could we be just
getting better with age?  It arguably could be the variability of prop here in
the pacific NW.  Last year the A index was about 10 or so and the start of the
contest and rose to about 25 if I can remember correctly.  More on this later. 
This year we were joined by former WRTC'er (2000 in Slovenia), Ron K8NZ.  Ron
was in town visiting his daughter who is attending the University of Washington
(go Huskies!).  He spent a few hours in the chair on Sat afternoon showing us
West Coast types how it's really done.  ;-).   

The contest got off to a great start with a very quiet 40M band.  The opening
was broad and we could hear very strong JA's working stations in SA, as well as
stations in deep OC.  After spending a fruitless 10 minutes on 40M phone we went
to CW and enjoyed good rate into JA.   We then went to 20M phone.  The band was
open to EU, but the QRM in EU must have been tremendous as we felt that we were
QRP with our KW.  15 was open so Dink took the helm and worked some of the WRTC
stations on CW.  We worked some 15 phone and then headed back to 20.  For the
next few hours we switched between 20 and 15, phone and CW.  Never getting much
rate.   Ron came by and settled in on 20 and got the rate up a little.   Later
in the afternoon, Ron bid us farewell and then 20 started to pick up.  By this
time 15 was done and 10 never came to life despite constant checking on the
recieve radio.  We spent the evening alternating 20 and 40 (and swapping
chairs).   It is surprising that the best rate hours were from 0500-0800Z with
an 83 rate from 0700-0800Z.  A blistering JA run with the rate meter at over
230 on 20 CW, followed by a good run into JA on 20 phone.  Thankfully some good
multipliers called in to help the score.   Short lived but good runs on 80/75
and then back to 40 CW into asia.


Some interesting comparisons to 2005:
                                                              2005   2006
Percentage of North America QSO's                            82.9%  56.4%
Percentage of Europe QSO's                                    1.8%  13.3%
40 Meter CW QSO's to Asia                                       9     89
20 Meter CW Overall                                           297    346
20 Meter Phone Overall                                        264    206
Overall SA Q's                                                 43     84

Longer and stronger propagation over the pole was largely responsibile for most
of the difference.   While we only did a handful of Q's and mults more than last
year, the average points/Q increase accounted for a 28% increase in our overall
score.  The 15 meter totals were comparable.  We had an increase in 20M CW
QSO's and an offsetting decrease in 20M Phone.   Perhaps this is due to the
cycle decline as 20M phone becomes more difficult as a result of crowding.  
This year, Dink put up a separate trap dipole cut for 80/40 phone.   This gave
us a slight increase in SSB Q's on these bands.

Every so often we would monitor the WRTC scoreboard and root for our homeboys
Ward, N0AX and Chris, KL9A.  They should be walking a little taller now that
they put forward a FB effort in Brazil.   What fun it was to work these WRTC
stations on 40 CW one after another.  Good deal.

Dink has a 100 foot tower with a 40M shorty forty at 100ft, a C31XR at 90ft,
and a TH6 at 60 feet.  All separately rotatable.  He has a second 40ft tower
with another TH6 and a trap dipole for 40/80.  This tower is primarily for the
multiplier radio for M/2 or SO2R.  He has also made a number of improvements to
the antenna switching on the primary tower.  He is constantly improving and
rearranging the shack to make his station more muli-op friendly.  This year he
spent alot of time building W3NQN bandpass filters.  This is a huge improvement
in 2nd radio capability.   Good stuff...

As always, hat's off to my good friends Dink and XYL Diane for the fine hosts
that they are.

Hopefully we will CU again in next years IARU.  I will be QRV in the upcoming
NAQP CW, CW Sprint, and CQWW CW.  Phone is too tough from my little station, so
hopefully I will be at NK7U for CQWW Phone.

73 - Guy, N7ZG


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