[3830] CQWW SSB K1LT SOAB HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB

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

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Carroll, Ohio
Operating Time (hrs): 30

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:   55     9       33
   80:   40     9       26
   40:  104    19       45
   20:  207    22       79
   15:  187    19       68
   10:                    
------------------------------
Total:  593    78      251  Total Score = 536,599

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

This is the first time I have operated the CQ WW SSB test full time.
The past three years or so I've chased a bit of DX on 160, but have
ignored the other bands.  This summer I swapped out the full size 40
meter 1/4 wave antenna for the 4-BTV I've had since high school.
The mounting point is on the ground with 32 32 foot radials.

My 80 meter vertical is a pair of quarter wave wires hanging on the
outside of my 160 meter "T" antenna, folded back at the top since the
tower part of the vertical only goes up to 49 feet.  These wires are
tuned for the CW end of the band, and have a lousy SWR from about 3625
up.  So, I operated low power on 80 & 75.  The 80/160 vertical lives
over 75 125 foot radials.

I was quite impressed at how well everything worked during the CQ WW
RTTY test, that I decided I could tolerate messing around on all the
bands for the SSB contest.

So, I did.  I slept too much during the night from the perspective of
a 160 operator, but maybe not for the contest overall.

The antenna relay in the basement started screwing up again after
about 18 hours, so I had to run down-stairs in order to change between
80 & 160 and 40 through 10.  The IC-765 started to drop out on receive
on 15 and 20 on the second day.  On the other hand, the Beverage
antennas were very useful on 20 meters to suppress some of the QRM,
and they occasionally helped receiving on 15.  They also provided a
receiving capability while the 765 was acting up.

So, some observations:

SSB is just *not* my preference.

I need an antenna tuner.

I need new relays for my antenna switch.

I need to find out what makes the 765 unhappy after running for a
while.

Being loud on 160 with just a vertical does not mean one is loud on 20
with a vertical.

CU on SS CW.

Victor, K1LT

IC765, ETO 91B (thanks, Jeff!), antennas as above, WriteLog 10.54C


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