[3830] Commonwealth G4TSH(@G0KPW) Open HP

[webform at b4h.net]

                    RSGB Commonwealth Contest, CW

Call: G4TSH
Operator(s): G4TSH
Station: G0KPW

Class: Open HP
QTH: 
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
   80:  68/
   40:  110
   20:  118
   15:   43
   10:    8
------------
Total:  347  Total Score = 6,735

Club: 

Comments:

I am neither a BERU or SO2R veteran, so the KISS principle was used to keep my
goals achievable.  Station was an Ft1Kmp5 with Alpha 87 and TH5/402CD at 100ft
and a full size 80m 4sq.  Had to get up bright and early at 07:30 Saturday to
crank up the tower amongst other things.

Don't remember too much about the first 6 hours, just concentrated on making
QSO's.  Interesting to see that while it was possible to work ZS on 10m the 5B
and 9H guys were no where to be found.  40m to ZL/VK and far East started
around 15:30 Late in the afternoon the amp started playing up and I eventually
had to change it out for the spare, which cost me about 20 mins while I also
made dinner. Or should I say, put the pasta meal in the microwave next to the
operating position.

Made a point of making a good run of VE's on 40 m in the late evening before
the band started to get muddy.  As the rate started to plummet after midnight I
was feeling pretty fragged out and was getting a headache with the headphones
on.  So I spent 4-5 hours running on speaker.  Around 02:30 I was feeling
pretty terrible and decided that a nap might be in order.  But rather than walk
all the way back to the house and a proper bed I set the alarm on my phone and
decided to nap in the operating chair.  So after a series of micro sleeps in
between almost falling out the chair, I felt a bit better and continued.  I see
a gap of almost an hour between QSO's here.

I noticed the LP opening to ZL/VK on 20m which seemed to go on all night so far
as I can see, but few new calls to work.  Heard two 9m6's on both 40 and 20 LP
in the morning, so absorption at low/mid latitudes must not have been too high.
 Still broad daylight in 9M6 when I heard them!

80 was not as good as I hoped considering the fire power I had at my disposal,
the aurora saw to that, with the VE's being more patchy than 40m.

Nice to get another opening on 10 m in the early morning, so managed to bag the
5B's and a couple more Africans.

Had a few issues with frequency guardians telling me to 'go away' on 40m. 
Seemed to think there was some DX about and that I should only be DXing, but I
am sure I would have heard it if there was.  They eventually went off after I
proceeded work a few ZL's through the jamming.

Breakfast around 06:30 was macaroni cheese in the microwave.  Other food and
drink was water,  a small Lucozade, penguins (the chocolate variety), grapes
and 5 cookies.  No caffeine.

Went to bed just after the contest and was out till 16:00 when I had to get the
tower down and pack up before the 3 hour drive home.

Had some issues with Win-Test and Winkey plus some PBKAC issues and wished for
the HF and 40m beams to be on separate rotators, but otherwise not too bad for
my first serious effort since I ran GB5CC some years ago down at Brian, G4ODV's
old QTH.  Now I see I worked him out in 9M6  he seems to get around these
days...

Finally, I wish to thank Bob G4BAH for letting me loose on the air again and
Andy G4PIQ for retuning the 4 square to the proper end of the band after Jiri
M0ITY used it in ARRL SSB last weekend.

73
Justin, G4TSH


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/