[3830] WPX CW K4XD SO(A)SB80 HP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: K4XD
Operator(s): K4XD
Station: K4XD

Class: SO(A)SB80 HP
QTH: Raleigh, NC
Operating Time (hrs): 8:45

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:  233
   40:     
   20:     
   15:     
   10:     
------------
Total:  233  Prefixes = 182  Total Score = 149,604

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

It was not easy deciding to do a single-band effort, although based on mediocre
conditions for a couple of the last major contests, I figured I wouldn't be
missing too much.  Naturally, as I tuned across 20M, 15M, and even 10M on
Saturday, the bands were popping!  But I had enough other commitments for the
weekend that I knew I had to pick a target, and having read lots of comments
saying that the best way to really get the feeling for a band is to do a single
band contest, I decided to let it ride on 80.  Why 80?  Probably because it's
the band I usually spend the least time on during most contests.  

I was able to get right into things as the starting gun fired at 0000Z
Saturday, and a number of EU's were coming in pretty nicely.  Unfortunately,
after a quick success with TM5Y, it was 13 minutes before I could find another
EU who heard me.  Things got a little better after sunset at 0020, and I had a
rather leisurely S&P through the band for the next couple of hours.  My
approach to the whole thing was more exploratory than frantic, as I knew I
wasn't going to break any personal records -- and certainly no "real" ones! 
The majority of the contacts were Southern and Eastern EU, with the occasional
G thrown in. I was surprised to see only 2 NA's in the first 80 minutes - I
guess most NA stations who ran were on other bands.  Then 6 NA stations in a
row at 0218, and way more NA stations after 0300.  I think that's when they
started coming "down" from 40.  

In the spirit of getting the feeling for the band, it was very noticeable how
conditions improved as the evening wore on.  Overall QRN was not bad, but
signals were stronger and copy was better towards midnight.

I did about a 30 minute run at 0400 on 3544, then about 30 minutes of S&P, and
then I "pounced" into bed.  Must have been tired because I didn't get back to
the dials until 1135, at which point I had exactly one Q before declaring the
band spent!  Kind of a funny feeling on a contest weekend to be done at 1135. 
It could grow on me...

I did tune quickly through 40M and 20M -- man, even though 80M was in pretty
decent shape QSB and QRN-wise, the quality of copy on 20M -- and later on 15M
and 10M, was a huge difference.  I had to ask for a lot of repeats on 80M  (was
that dah-dah-di-di-di or dah-<crash>-di-di-di with <crash> hiding a dit?), and
there were quite a few callers that were just below my noise level -- sorry
folks! -- but the other bands sounded very clear by comparison.

We had folks over for an early Memorial Day weekend picnic Saturday afternoon,
so I didn't return to my SB80 effort until 9PM local.  Pretty nice conditions
again, very similar to the first night although I started running earlier,
around 0200, and no surprise, the K and VE stations were coming out of the
woodwork when I called CQ.  My heading was nodding into the keyboard around
midnight, and the Q rates were dwindling under 20, so in the name of "getting
up early to see what I could hear then" I wimped out and went to bed.

All-in-all, not a bad decision, as I got back on the bands at 1015 and after 25
minutes of S&P, settled into a nice slot at 3513 and enjoyed a nice run
including a KH6 and a YN.  

I hung up the headphones at 1118, a few hundred points shy of 150K, but feeling
a bit more familiar with 80M and enjoying the fact that I could get outside and
get some yard work done and spend some time with the family on this holiday
weekend. 

Thanks to all for the Q's and fun and see you in the next one!

Gear:  Icom 756pro2, THP HL-1.5KFX amp, Cobra Ultralight Sr. linear loaded
doublet as an inverted V at 50 feet.


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