[3830] ARRL 160 N8II Single Op LP

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                    ARRL 160-Meter Contest

Call: N8II
Operator(s): N8II
Station: N8II

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: WV
Operating Time (hrs): 12

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 859  Sections = 74  Countries = 19  Total Score = 167,028

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

Ever since the WW CW, I've had trouble sleeping, so just not up to anything
close to a full time effort. Considering that the results were very good, my
best LP effort ever. The solar flux dropped off just in time for the contest,
yielding condx not as good as last year, but better than expected. Only a few
EU's were really loud and around 01-03Z EU was pretty weak Saturday. Also,
activity from EU is not the greatest in this contest and I can understand why
with the wall to wall loud USA to loud USA QSO's. I literally operated less
than 3 hours until 1140Z Saturday, missing most of the first night. But, that
was the most fun of the contest with a pretty constant string of callers and
pile-ups at times. Seriously, I doubt if the score would have improved by more
than 10% running HP; I didn't miss the amp very often. Best rates were 23Z =
108 Q's (with 9 minutes off), 00z = 127, 12Z = 114.
Saturday evening was more than a bit of a sludge for a rate junkie, it seemed
like a long tiring 5 hours with rates in the 50's 22z and 23Z, then in the 30's
after that. I tried some S&P with best finds a weak VO1TA high in the band and
HC2SL who barely heard me; HC8GR was easy the first night.
My wife's snoring increased my score; she woke me up and I couldn't get back to
sleep. There is definitely a different crowd around at 06Z (made 77 Q's); I had
a very good 25 minute run, then a 15 minute run during which time VA5SAM, W6JTI
in SF, NN7ZZ in UT, and PA3FQA called in for mults. I also found F5IN and 2
other F's, WC6H in SJV, OZ7YY, SE0X, and EI2CN (last QSO) for mults mostly in
the window and made it thru pretty easily to all of them; I felt almost loud.
Also of note, I was able to add about 14 Q's by trying the band at 15Z Sunday.

Sluding away at 10-30 Q's per hour is not my idea of fun, but hat's off to N2WN
and the other top scorers for doing that which it takes to be competitive and
turning in very big scores. It was nice as always to say hello to contest
friends and I worked quite a few PVRC'ers, so we should be in contention for
the unlimited club title.


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