[3830] ARRLDX SSB N4KG SOAB(A) LP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: N4KG
Operator(s): N4KG
Station: N4KG

Class: SOAB(A) LP
QTH: ALA
Operating Time (hrs): 32

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   34    28
   80:   93    54
   40:  139    68
   20:  260    83
   15:  212    74
   10:   34    12
-------------------
Total:  772   319  Total Score = 738,804

Club: 

Comments:

ARRL SSB DX Contest 2006
N4KG SOAB(A) Low Power

Conditions for this event were surprisingly better than anticipated from what I
heard just prior to the contest.  Originally I planned on starting on 20 Meters,
but on impulse I checked 15 and was pleased to find 6 JA’s, LU, PY, ZP from
South America, along with  KH6, V7, VK, and ZL from the Pacific in the first 30
minutes.  Another 18 multipliers were worked on 20 Meters in the next hour.

40 Meters was loaded with strong signals that kept me busy for the next 2.5
hours, netting 34 multipliers.  At 0300Z I went to 160M for the anticipated ”top
of the hour’ activity and was rewarded with 5 Caribbean multipliers.in 20
minutes.  The following hour produced 31 multipliers on 80 Meters.  I continued
to cycle between 40, 80,and 160 Meters with good results until 0830Z.  To my
delight, the feared atmospheric noise from approaching storms was considerably
less than expected.

Morning found 20 Meters already open to Europe at 1200Z, just before my sunrise,
producing 35 multipliers in the first hour, before QSYing to 15 Meters at 1300Z
only to find 6 NA / SA stations.  Back to 20M until 1342Z and my first 15M
European (OE4A) at 1348Z.  I stayed with 15M until 1606Z when I took an hour nap
due to being overly tired and declining propagation to Europe due to increased
absorption with the sun midway between Europe and W4.

For the rest of the day, I cycled between 20, 15, and 10 Meters.in Search and
Pounce mode with moderate to low rates.  10 Meter openings were brief and
sporadic between 1700Z and 2200Z, primarily to CX and LU with an occassional
closer–in multiplier from FY, HC, HK, PJ, YV, and 8P.
  
Saturday evening I cycled between 20, 40, and 80 Meters looking for ‘fresh meat’
and an occasional new multiplier until 0244Z when I decided I needed another nap
if I was going to be functional during the European Sunrise peak.  I expect I
missed some 40 and 80 Meter Q’s and multipliers while napping.  Fortunately, 40,
80, and even 160M were in good condition when I awoke and I was rewarded with a
nice opening to Europe on 160M between 0500 and 0630Z.  Running only 100W to a
tree supported inverted L, I was VERY pleased to work 10 European multipliers on
160M SSB !  

I had hoped to get hours sleep after 0730Z but awoke a couple of hours later,
made 3 contacts on 40M, including TO1T for a new multiplier, followed by another
2 hours of fitful sleep.  Once again, 20 Meters was already open to Europe at
1200Z and to my delight and surprise, 15M opened to Europe just after 1230Z. 
The 15M opening was not strong and activity levels were low so I tried CQing
which resulted in a nice run for 30 minutes low in the band.  After spending 30
minutes on 20 Meters, I returned to 15M to find stronger signals but for some
reason I was NOT able to establish another run.  By 1600Z, a combination of
sleep deprivation, slow rates, and NO Voice-Keyer (BIG mistake) led me to take
yet another nap.   

Mid-day Sunday was frustratingly slow with 20M being the only band open to
Europe and 10M only open to CX and LU.  At 2000Z I decided to walk my dog and
missed the brief but productive 10M opening to most of South America and the
Caribbean that my neighbors were delighted to convey after the contest.   

Rates, and multipliers, picked up for the last 3 hours of the contest.  ON5SY
was logged on 40M at 2311 for a new multiplier but DJ1AA couldn’t even tell I
was calling through the Broadcast QRM on his listening frequency.  He was the
first DL I had heard on 40M even though I had many central European QSO’s.  I
went back to fight the Packet Pileups for TI8CBT (YAY!)  and ZF2NT (no joy) on
20M, returning to 40M at 2340Z.  FINALLY, DJ1AA was able to hear me.  That left
Z36W and TF3YH in my memories.  After 10 minutes of calling, Z36W was logged at
2356Z. On to TF3YH who was rather weak in spite of his KW and vertical. 
Amazingly, he pulled my 100W out of the QRM for my final QSO (and multiplier) at
2358Z.

Multi-Band QSO’s were more difficult in this contest due to the very poor
conditions on 10M most of the weekend.  Only 3 stations were worked on 6 bands,
13 stations on 5 Bands, 31 stations on 4 Bands, and 19 stations on 3 Bands as
listed below.

	6 Bands	5 Bands	4 Bands	3 Bands
	       (160-15)(EU 80-15)	
				
1	FY5KE	CT8T	6V6U	DJ1AA
2	PJ2T	FS5KA	8R1EA	EA6UN
3	TO5A-FM	G4BUO	8R1ZUM	EI9E
4		IR2C	9A15DX	GM7V
5		KH7X	9A7A	HB9AUS
6		NP2B	EA5DFV	HB9CXZ
7		P40A	EA8ZS	HK5CPH
8		P40W	F6DZU	HR2DMR
9		PJ4G 	G6PZ	IW3IE
10		TI8M	HG1S	J37K
11		VP5H	HG6N	JA0QNJ
12		WP3F	HK6PSG	JF1SQC
13		XE7T	HQ9F	JH4UYB
14			HR1CP	LT0H
15			IR4X	LU4WG
16			J88DR	OA4SS
17			JA1ELY	TO1T (FG)
18			KH6/K2YY ZP0R
19			KH6WT	ZX3S
20			LR2F	
21			LU4DX	
22			OE4A	
23			OE9XRV	
24			OK1RI	
25			OM5M	
26			P40CW	
27			PI4TUE	
28			RK2FWA	
29			V31BH	
30			VP9/W6PH	
31			ZX2B


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