[3830] CQWW CW VK2IA SOAB HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: VK2IA
Operator(s): VK2IA
Station: VK2IA

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Sydney
Operating Time (hrs): 40
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:    1     1        1
   80:   42    20       35
   40:  930    28       82
   20:  753    32       84
   15:  975    26       68
   10:   68     8        8
------------------------------
Total: 2669   115      278  Total Score = 3,062,256

Club: VKCC

Comments:

Had to postpone my trip to Cocos on very short notice which meant that I had to
find an alternative in Sydney really quickly. Fortunately this didn't turn out
to be too difficult – thanks to Fishers Ghost Radio Club and their location
at Cataract Scout Park, where our club call VK1CC has been activated in CQWW
SSB over the last three consecutive years. No serious M/x effort was planned
this year from there, so I gave it a go.

There are mono band yagis for 10-15-20 on site each of them sitting on an 18m
pole as well a ground mounted 40m quarter wave vertical. All I had to do was
putting up some low band (wire) antennas. The site is typical Aussie bushland
with quite a few gum trees around which made it tricky to navigate wires
through the trees. Antenna work started on Thursday afternoon. I decided to put
up a 3 ele inverted vee wire beam on 40m (Europe) and an 80m inverted vee with a
director element towards NA. For 160m, the pick of the day was an inverted L
antenna combined with a quarter wave wire for 80m. While the 40m antenna was
performing superbly - it allowed me the first time to run EU at any time from
opening to closing of the band, 80m was very disappointing and 160 was a
disaster... (guess here is where much more effort needs to go in in the
future).

Used a semi automatic SO2R set up consisting of a K2, an IC-735 (plus amps) and
an SCK II box with a USB only notebook and a SixPak for antenna switching.  Did
not use second radio at all when signals were too weak and noise level too
high. A few hours into the contest had to switch to 'manual antenna connect'
mode as the SixPak started to do weird things...

The biggest problem on site was the power line noise peaking to S7-8 or even
above on 160, so apologies to those who I just couldn't hear.


10 - Band open to JA for quite a few hours per day, but many weak signals below
noise level

15 - Good opening to EU the first day with a wide range of signals. Think I
missed out on quite a few contacts who I just couldn't hear.    

20 - Stayed on purpose too long on 15 the first day, caught up Qs during day
2.

40 - Best band, focus on EU

80 - Only S&P, struggle except during 30 min sunrise peak.

160 - One QSO only - hard work to get VK2BJ across town into log.


Really enjoyed to participate from Sydney again after many years of travelling
elsewhere.  Great to see strong VKCC participation this year which hopefully
made it easier for many to tick off VK and zones 29 & 30. 

Thanks for the Qs and see you all in RDXC as VK9AA.
73
Bernd VK2IA


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