[3830] WPX SSB OQ4B(ON4BHQ) SO(A)AB HP

[webform at b41h.net]

                    CQWW WPX Contest, SSB

Call: OQ4B
Operator(s): ON4BHQ
Station: ON4BHQ

Class: SO(A)AB HP
QTH: JO20at
Operating Time (hrs): 20

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:   84
   40:  211
   20:  466
   15:   83
   10:    0
------------
Total:  844  Prefixes = 513  Total Score = 978,291

Club: Rhein Ruhr DX Association

Comments:

Previous contests I mostly S&P, but this time I wanted to make a better score,
so most of the time RUN it should be.
Starting saturdaymorning at 06:00 UTC on 40 m, I first looked for some 6
pointers and as much WPX as possible by following the DX cluster. My RUN's were
kept for 20m, as I don't have a great setup for the lower bands.
So, in the afternoon, I gave it a try. Oh boy!! Tried twice running on 20m, and
each run gave me exactly 1 QSO after 10 minutes! So, S&P it is (again).
The problem is that in Europe we are fully blown away from East European en
Russian stations. I'm sure that lots of them are using far more power than the
1500W limit! Sometimes 20m was one S9+ from 14.100 till 14.350 Mc, without even
one comprehensible signal! This should really stop, otherwise the "modest,
honest" HAMs will skipp for these major contests! 

Saturday evening we had some nice openings on 15 m towards South America (long
time ago)

On sunday late afternoon, I tried to run again, so I turned the beam towards
USA, but most replies came from Russia, Ukraine, etc... They told me I was
booming there, huh?
OK, no panic, beam to 90°, and finally some pile-ups. Even a handfull of JA
stations called me!
A second run, later on sunday had result from USA, Canada and some Caribbeans,
but all with not to great signals.
15m didn't open as on saturday, but I could pick up some stations from southern
Africa, always nice!
10 m was dead all the time (what did you expect?)

Conclusion:
Made some very nice DX on 40 m, like JA, KH7, JT, OX etc...
Always nice with my very modest antennas!
I improved my score a lot, so it was fun!
Fun it is always.
The only thing I begin to dislike in SSB contests, are the overloaded signals,
to much power and no alc, mic gain and speechprocessor control.
I begin to like CW more and more, however I'm not a CW man at all.
For the moment RTTY is on top for me.

But... contest for ever!

Setup:
FT1000 MkV Field, 1 KW HA1YA amp.
Optibeam OBW 10-5 wirebeam, dipole for 40 and 80 m, Cushcraft MA8040 vertical
for 80 and 40 m.
N1MM logger and the great microHAM Microkeyer II.

Many thanks for all the QSO's and cu next contest!
73

Wim OQ4B (op. ON4BHQ)


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