[3830] ARRLDX SSB EA5ON SOAB HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: EA5ON
Operator(s): EA5ON
Station: EA5ON

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: La Eliana
Operating Time (hrs): 

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:           
   80:   45    16
   40:   11     6
   20:  416    44
   15:           
   10:           
-------------------
Total:  472    66  Total Score = 93,456

Club: 

Comments:

Operated from my La Eliana QTH for this one.

Is the glass half full or half empty?

Well, if you look around at what local competitors EA5KV, EA5GS and EA5DFV were
doing, definitely half empty. Victor was up at the Torrent club station and
working stations with 100w that I couldn’t even hear. Also having my rotator
broken was not good news although I was able to coax it round to 300 degrees
and leave it there. Not having a KW to compete on an even level in the HP
category was also a bummer. The Tremendus is just too heavy to lug back and
forth from the apartment to the house and back again. The 500 that I said I was
using was more like 300. 

However, I prefer to look at the positive factors:

I was able to operate once again from what was my primary QTH for many years
and is now our 2nd QTH. This in theory meant peace and quiet, being just me and
the dog, but in the end the family came both days and I’m glad they did since
we got lots of chores done and I saved myself from desperation. 

Having the rotator broken brings to a head the antenna situation. The rusty
tower needs maintenance so I must now address the situation and take a decision
on what to do. This will probably mean a lot of work and a lot of money but
hopefully will bring around a more competitive station at the end.

This year I finally dispensed with the car batteries for the SS linear and
bought two 40A PSUs which I connected in parallel. These small switching units
are very quiet and power the amp without any complaints. SO much better! Why
did I wait so long to do this?! (Answer: PSUs used to be much more expensive).

I was able to make some low band contacts! For those of you who live in larger
houses this is no big deal but for me it is. In my apartment I am limited even
to the size of tribander I can install so absolutely NO low band antennas
there. And at the house, with the exception of a 40m dipole I had about 15
years ago, similar deal, small lot (60’ x 60’). So for this contest, I took
one of my 60’ spiderpoles (used from EA6 last CQWW), zipped it up next to the
tower with a wire attached, and ran it against a metal fence and one radial. 40
was unexpectedly poor but I managed to net 45 contacts on 80 which was
absolutely the best part of the contest. Had I slept less on Friday night this
would have been more. Saturday I had more noise and Sunday I took the antenna
down in the morning.

I guess that from here on, things can only get better :.)

Rig: 	TS850S w voice keyer and 1.8 inrad filter
Amp:	Ameritron ALS500M
Ant:	Mosley TA53M @ 40’ 
Ant2:	60’ vertical wire

73
Duncan EA5ON


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