[3830] TBDC N6WG Single Op QRP

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                    Stew Perry Topband Challenge

Call: N6WG
Operator(s): N6WG
Station: N6WG

Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: Newark CA
Operating Time (hrs): 13

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 131  Total Score = 2,772

Club: Northern California Contest Club

Comments:

The SP got off to a good start Sat morning with a decent rate for
a QRP station on 160m in near daylight hours. My best hours were
1500 (21 Qs), 0100 (21), 0400 (15), 0200 (14), and 0700 (13).  All
my other hours were under 10 Qs per hour.  0300 was the worst, at
only 3 Qs.  As you would expect, West Coast grids were worked the
most, with CM87 and CN87 giving 10 Qs each.  All others were in 
single digits.  I wound up with the same number of QSOs as last year.
I almost worked JA.  I heard one CQing and got a ?? out of him,
but he couldn't copy me, so I gave it up as a bad job.  At least I
had two HI QSOs and one FM07 in VA.
I was pleased with the way the point values of the Qs worked out.
For 3 pts I had 45 Qs, 6 pts 32 Qs, 9 pts 40 qs, 12 pts 3 Qs, 15 pts 
5 Qs, 18 pts 3 Qs and 24 pts 3 Qs.  Could have been a great deal
worse :-)
My new rotatable terminated delta loop got its first trial by fire.
It worked well, as I could make a local noise source disappear
in its null.  Of course, this then exposed all the lesser
noises that had been masked by the major noise :-)  Fortunately, I
have a stable of receive antennas with different noise reception
characters. I use a full size Flag loop aimed east.  Also a forty
meter dipole up about 40 ft, and another very low 40m dipole at 
10 ft.  I used all these antennas during the contest, as for any 
given signal one antenna would be better than the others.  I may 
have to buy a new coax switch, though, as it is beginning to wear 
out from all the switching.
My impression was that there wasn't much activity, as I never heard
any signals east of the midwest except when I worked W4MYA in VA.
Later I saw a post from an east coast station who claimed he hadn't 
heard anything west of the Mississippi.  So I guess that describes
the conditions we had.  I enjoy the SP.  I just wish it were a 
two nighter.
Thanks to all for the Qs.
73 and Happy New Year.
See you in the next contest.
Bob N6WG
The Little Station with Attitude


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