[3830] ARRL 160 N7IR Single Op QRP

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                    ARRL 160-Meter Contest

Call: N7IR
Operator(s): N7IR
Station: N7IR

Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: AZ
Operating Time (hrs): 33

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 490  Sections = 73  Countries = 10  Total Score = 83,830

Club: Arizona Outlaws Contest Club

Comments:

This was a best effort for me in this contest.  At the end of the first night I
had almost the same score as last year for both nights and was way ahead of the
first night of my previous best score in 2007.

1533Z 5-DEC-09 339 67 7 51,726
1551Z 7-DEC-08 369 67 4 53,463
1438Z 2-DEC-07 286 69 5 43,438

The first night was the quietest that I remember in this contest.  I solved two
long-standing local noise problems in the last year, which helped a lot.  The
zero A and K indices and the continent-wide lack of thunderstorm activity
contributed as well.  The band opened early and closed late both days here in
central Arizona.  I was hearing the east coast big guns, including C6AKQ, two
hours before local sunset on Friday.  Couldn't work them of course but it was
an indication of how propagation would go for the rest of the evening.  I
usually get one good run per 160 meter contest and this time it was a doozy:
2.3 hours on 1866 kHz netting 93 Qs.  I had a 50 hour rate and an 84 ten minute
rate during that run, which are the highest for me in thirteen years of running
this contest with QRP.  Like last January's CQ WW 160 contest, this year's ARRL
160 was probably a once in a lifetime experience.

DX worked included HC8GR, PJ2T, C6AKQ, XE2S(thanks neighbor), 6Y7J, G5W(!!) and
VP5CM the first night.  G5W was the first European I've worked with QRP on 160
meters in a contest.  Earlier this fall I worked YL2SM for my first Europe on
160 meters with QRP so this season just continues to produce amazing
propagation on top band.  The second night DX included ZF2AH, FM5CD and JA3YBK.
 YBK was the only JA station that was loud enough for me to work either morning.
 All of the DX stations worked have excellent receive systems, obviously.

Missing sections heard but not worked for various reasons: NNY, VI(not for lack
of trying; thanks Herb!), PR and MB.  Missing sections never heard: NLI(!), NL
and NWT.  Sections worked by extraordinary patience on the other end: SFL and
MAR.  K9VV and VE1ZJ both proved themselves gentlemen for piecing together my
info over many exchanges.  Last state worked to complete my first one-contest
160m WAS: CT.  K8PO and N1BUG in ME were the beacon stations here for New
England this weekend.  Must have been their location.

On the second night propagation was off compared to the first.  QSB and QRN
were problems, sometimes for even the west coast stations.  Signals from the
upper mid-west were missing for a lot of the evening.  As a result, only 151
more QSOs were worked in about the same amount of time as the first 339.  It
was a long night!

As usual thanks to everyone for the Qs and the fun.  See you in the Stew Perry
contest next.

EQ: Elecraft K3 with diversity receive
TX Antenna: 22 meter top-loaded, shunt-fed tower
RX Antennas: K9AY loop array and 4 meter diameter N6RK tuned loop

73
Gary, N7IR


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