[3830] DL-DX RTTY VA7ST SOAB-24 HP

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                    DL-DX RTTY Contest

Call: VA7ST
Operator(s): VA7ST
Station: VA7ST

Class: SOAB-24 HP
QTH: BC
Operating Time (hrs): 11

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Pts   Mults
-------------------------
   80:    9    80     8
   40:   99   965    24
   20:  168  1810    40
   15:    2    20     3
   10:                 
-------------------------
Total:  278  2875    75  Total Score = 215,625

Club: 

Comments:

* FT920 + SB221 (400-800w)
* N1MM + MMTTY
* 3 ele. tribander @ 45'
* 40M half-squares (EU/Pac, US-VE/Asia)
* 80M 3/4-size delta loop (new)

SFI=71, A=4, K=1>2

Conditions weren't the best: nothing on 10M, not much on 15M, and little
activity on 80M. I know 20M is short when I work VE7s. Knowing conditions would
be rough, I decided to run high power -- usually I'm LP in the 6-hour category.


Went in with no real expectations; BC Hydro still hasn't repaired the power
line sparker they found over 3 months ago on a nearby substation feeder pole,
so I didn't know if I'd enjoy myself enough to even put in a 6-hour effort.
Ended up jumping in several times for an hour or two, adding up to 11 hours.
Felt like a full 24 though. I was dog tired by the end, but quite happy with
the outing.

Began at 6:30 a.m. local, 2.5 hours after the start, to find 40M empty (I'd
hoped to catch some JAs). Went to 20M instead. Barely an EU opening on 20M on
Saturday morning, though I did find enough EUs to make the effort worthwhile. 

Overall, participation was light with rates in the teens (or, gasp, even less)
for many hours, except for a couple of heavy activity windows on 20M and 40M.
Many ops taking the 6-hours-or-less option. 80M was very poor Saturday night,
so couldn't give the new 80M delta loop a decent inaugural run.

15M was open Saturday morning (1 Q) and afternoon (1 Q) with fairly strong
signals for a change. Alas, hardly anyone was there, or they weren't turning
their beams to the Pacific Northwest. 

With the start of the next solar cycle (one day?), perhaps VKs and JAs will
find their way back on the air. Once again, never heard a single VK RTTY
signal. JA participation seemed almost non-existent -- 1 worked; saw 20M spots
from EU for 2 others. That's it. 

Watched livescores ( http://www.w1ve.com/livescores ) the whole time. Had a lot
of fun chasing Bill, K4FX, on the score ladder -- even worked him on 80M when
hardly anyone else was heard. He and VE2UP were the only non-VE6/W6/7/0
stations I worked. 

In the score dept., I spent the final four hours in 4 or 5 Q-per-hour mode,
hoping to at least break 200,000 pts. No one but me on 80M in those wee hours
of the morning, and 40M was bleak, too, though the stalwart ZLs made it at
least interesting. Finding JA1 on 40M for the double mult at last put me
through the 200K barrier. I hunted for more, but there were none. A flurry of
contacts in the final 15 minutes, as a few eastern stations got on the air,
added insurance.

Now ready for IARU next weekend. Hope to hear many of you on the CW bands!

Year  Qs  Mult Score
------------------------------
2007 278   75  215,625 HP 24hr
2006  77   29   27,405 LP  6hr
2005  55   29   18,995 LP  6hr
2004  83   41   37,105 LP 12hr


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