[3830] ARRLDX SSB 8P2K(8P6SH) SOSB/20 HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: 8P2K
Operator(s): 8P6SH
Station: 8P2K

Class: SOSB/20 HP
QTH: Barbados
Operating Time (hrs): 

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:           
   80:           
   40:           
   20: 1927    60
   15:           
   10:           
-------------------
Total: 1927    60  Total Score = 346,860

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

Equipment:

FT 1000mpMK5
Acom 1000
F12 C3E & XR5
Writelog 


I decided to make a single-band effort on one of the toughest bands. It started
only reasonably well, finding it difficult to keep a frequency with my best hour
only yielding 80+ Q's.

The band finally died around 0700z, but I persisted and it opened again around
0900z and stayed open through the night. 

Stateside stations tended to focus on EU Q's during the times the band was open
so rates were pretty poor until about 1900z, when I finally got rates of 112,
114, 136 and 186.

I had a real battle against my own instinct to give up from around 1000z on Day
2, when there was absolutely no propagation and it was a real battle to keep
going. 
 
To put it into perspective for 10hrs from around 1000z, my best hour was 36.
Fortunately I managed to end strong with four good hours of 90, 135, 131 & 173.


Interestingly, by midway in day one, I had netted 59 of the mults, with
Labrador, NW Territories and Yukon needed. It wasn't until about 23:45 that
VY1MB called in to take me to the 60th mult and what I would call par on a
single-band effort.

I had also planned on a minimum of 3K QSO's, but eventually settled on 2K and
still did not quite make it.

On the plus side, I worked lots of new, young ops so that's good for the hobby.
On the down side first, the large number of stations who worked me as a dupe. My
policy on this is easy I just log 'em again but it does add up and by the end of
the contest I was letting stations know we'd worked before. Secondly, the fact
that stations are now moving in far too close to your frequencies. That was the
biggest problem all week-end. I felt like I was being clobbered by just about
everyone (contrary to rumour - NO the F12 Magnum 6el 20m monster is NOT on
order!!!)

Had a great time and it was good to hear some of my RTTY friends' voices in an
SSB 'test.


Dean - 8P2K / 8P6SH



 
1    1927/60   

Lost a few critical hours


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