[3830] CQWW CW K1LT SOSB/160 HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT

Class: SOSB/160 HP
QTH: Ohio
Operating Time (hrs): 16.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  211    18       72
   80:                    
   40:                    
   20:                    
   15:                    
   10:                    
------------------------------
Total:  211    18       72  Total Score = 45,630

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

I have one word for my performance this year: d'oh!

The first night went pretty fairly smoothly: conditions seemed very
good, the local noises sources stayed quiet, and I didn't make any
serious tactical errors.

I napped from 0700Z to 1000Z.  Missed the V73 and VKs, and didn't hear
any ZLs.  Sunrise saw a very nice opening towards Asia with 5 JAs and
an RW0 in the log.  I worked JA7NI 3 times because I'm an idiot.
Also, the first time I wasn't sure.

The second evening started normally.  However, around 0230Z, I
restarted my "phased array beam steering gigaplex" in order to make
some minor change.  For whatever reason, I did not notice that I left
the beam steering component in "bypass" mode, which reduces the 8
element phased array to just 2.  All evening I kept commenting to
myself how noisy it was, and that the Beverages seemed to be
performing better than the array.  Around 0600Z I was "turning the
beam" so-to-speak, and noticed that the usual directivity was
completely absent.  D'oh!!!

After turning off "bypass" mode, so that my antenna was running on all
8 cylinders, conditions got much better.  Unfortunately, I got much
sleepier.  I took at nap around 0800Z and got up again at 1030Z, but
went back to bed when I couldn't quickly find a compelling reason to
operate (like a plethora of new multipliers).  I got up again at 1130Z
and made the same assessment.

Around 2200Z I started up again CQing.  After working 11 Ks, 2 VEs,
and a G, the rate finally began to pick up.  Too bad there was only 25
minutes left.  Nevertheless, I managed to log 6 more EU and 5 more VE.

My plan was to have an 8 element circle phased array debut during this
contest, but the software was not quite ready.  Hopefully, I can
finish it before the ARRL 160 test.  I also hope to add some software
that makes the transmitter (the Icom) track where I'm receiving.  Then
I can S&P twice as fast.  See you in December.

Rig: IC765, homebrew 8 el. steerable phased array, ETO 91B, 65 foot
"T" antenna for transmitting, and some Beverages that I didn't use
very much.


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