[3830] ARRLDX SSB N2NT(W2GD) SOAB(A) HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: N2NT
Operator(s): W2GD
Station: N2NT

Class: SOAB(A) HP
QTH: NJ
Operating Time (hrs): 35

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   55    41
   80:  253    72
   40:  330    78
   20: 1023   104
   15:  317    78
   10:   23    14
-------------------
Total: 2001   387  Total Score = 2,315,034

Club: Frankford Radio Club

Comments:

IC781, IC765, Titan, 87A, many antennas, Win-Test Logging Software.

Conditions at the bottom of the cycle still gave us a few surprises, and
fortunately the heavy storms on the east coast had cleared out early Friday
morning leaving the bands virtually QRN free all weekend.  Poor conditions
combined with noise would have really been a double wammy.

Friday night conditions were punk, the path to EU on 160 was subdued, and
stations on 80 were not particularly loud either.  Whether to CQ in the new US
band segment below 3750 remains a question mark.  I tried both methods, and
going split produced the best EU rate by far.  Maybe this will change over time
and we'll see migration to fill the void below 3750.

Its been a few years since I've operated from the states in this contest, and
even longer since I've had to deal with the 20M mess when the higher bands are
not functioning.  Unfortunately I arrived on 20M a tad late on Saturday morning
and paid the price, having to settle for a CQ spot up near 14325.  What a mess
you get with just too many stations squeezed into too small a space.  15M had
one hour of runable time to EU for me on Saturday morning, not exactly
encouraging.   And 10M was totally dead, never heard a DX signal at all on
Saturday.  A late afternoon run on 40M was fun....and another challenge to find
just the right spot to call CQ when running split.

Saturday night/Sunday morning we seemed to have improved condx on 160 and 80. 
Signals were notably louder and in more abundance.   160M was never runable,
but plenty of EU mults made it into the log.  After another 3 hour nap, made it
to 20M at the open around 1030 UTC.  This time I managed to stake out a spot
just above 12170 and it produced a 165 hour, my best rate of the weekend. 
After looking over the results from prior years, set a goal of 2000 qsos and
400 mults at that point.  In the end managed the QSOs but fell short on the
mults....10M just did not cooperate.  

Speaking of 10M, there were a few signals Sunday afternoon.  FY5KE was the
first to peak, then 8P1A, and finally TI5N.  Otherwise, everything else was at
or near the noise level.  You had to ride the QSB 'waves' to work
anything....it was a real high antenna weekend on ten.

Finished up the contest with a nice run on 40M Sunday afternoon, with 3 mults
calling during the last 10 minutes. 

My thanks to Andy, N2NT, for the use of his fine station while he operated out
at K3LR on 20M.  

73,
John W2GD


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