[3830] ARRLDX CW K7RL SOAB HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: K7RL
Operator(s): K7RL
Station: K7RL

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: WA
Operating Time (hrs): 40

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   20    15
   80:  207    54
   40:  378    68
   20:  931    99
   15:   40    25
   10:    0     0
-------------------
Total: 1576   261  Total Score = 1,234,008

Club: Western Washington DX Club

Comments:

SO1R.  This was my first full-time effort in a DX CW test.  I consider myself a
“phone” guy, but find CW contesting addicting.  It’s much more civilized
compared to the unbridled mayhem of SSB.  And you can always find a clear
frequency if you try!  

As a side note, I really feel the disadvantage of not using SO2R in this mode. 
I can see how productive an operator could be searching for mults on a second
radio, while continuing to run on the first radio.  Like RTTY, CW seems ideally
suited for that, especially now, at solar minimum.           

Weighing in on my score, it’s light on mults.  Pretty tough getting into the
300 range when 10m and 15m won’t cooperate.  I’d tune past stations in CA,
NV, and AZ working stuff on 15m that was completely inaudible here.  10m was a
total bust – nada, zip.  In CQ WW last year, 15m surprised me with JA runs,
and with some SA on 10m.  This felt like we reached some kind of new solar
minimum.     

Unfortunately, I still have wind damage to my top 40m yagi’s reflector
element from a storm last October.  The riser that holds the linear loading
wires snapped off and are now touching the boom.  I hope to get the antenna
down soon for repairs, WX permitting, of course.  I’m not sure how much it
affected my signal, but I’m certain it did.  It also doesn’t help that the
band nose dives in the evening as the MUF drops.  Mr. Sol, would it hurt just
to have a few sun spots for contest time?  Please?  

Thank you to all the great operators that made it into the log, and for a fun
weekend.

73 de Mitch, K7RL


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