[3830] Salmon Run W7DX M2 Cnty DXped HP

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                    Washington State Salmon Run

Call: W7DX
Operator(s): W7VV K7BTW W7SNH N9ADG
Station: W7DX

Class: M2 Cnty DXped HP
QTH: ISLAND COUNTY
Operating Time (hrs): 21

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Dig Qs
----------------------------
  160:   33     22      0
   80:   45     99      0
   40:   86    103      0
   20:  220    245      8
   15:   22      1      0
   10:    5      3      0
    6:    2      0      0
----------------------------
Total:  413    473      8  Mults = 99  Total Score = 259,974

Club: Western Washington DX Club

Comments:

W7DX was on Camano Island (Island County) this year; We had three stations set
up -- two for CW/Phone, and one for RTTY, swapping in the RTTY station when
there was activity. Our antennas were two BigIR verticals (40m-6m), one sloping
80m dipole, and a balloon-supported vertical for 160m (up from 8pm to 11:30pm
local). We had the verticals mounted at the edge of the saltwater, with radials
in the ocean. Ops were W7VV, K7BTW, W7SNH, and N9ADG. 

We tried to keep two stations on the air as much as possible -- despite the use
of ICE 419B and Dunestar filters we experienced some interstation interference
which sometimes didn't allow use of adjacent bands in the same mode.  The 20m
section failed on one of the ICE filters on Saturday afternoon due to a bad
capacitor -- this likely further limited concurrent operation. Overall activity
seemed less this year, as the weekend wasn't shared with other major QSO
parties. 

We experienced high noise levels on Saturday afternoon and evening, which was
challenging; we tried to be on any band that had reasonable openings. We
especially looked for RTTY stations for this event, but didn't find many at
all.  

Some memorable contacts include the other Island County hams, and eyeball qso's
once we revealed where we were. We tried to pull out anyone that contacted us,
and were rewarded with QRP contacts from W7JFF and NL7Z (1 watt, 40m, Alaska,
Sunday morning 11am). The 80 meter phone frequency was hopping most of the
time, and definitely a good place to be. We cobbled up a 6m dipole so we could
listen while working on the verticals, but only had two contacts. 
We could see Mitch K7RL's station across the saltwater from our QTH -- when he
was operating, we could tell.  

Our 160m antenna was a QFC special -- we used two mylar helium-filled balloons
purchased at the Stanwood store to hoist 135' of 30 gauge magnet wire. We
tethered both to a base insulator, terminating in an SO239. Two radials, and it
resonated at 1.780. The tuner flattened it on any frequency we needed. 

Thanks to all who answered our CQs, and those that kept us going during the dry
periods with encouraging replies of 'coho', 'humpy', 'chinook' to our unanswered
CQs... See you next year in the Salmon Run!


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