[3830] ARRLDX CW VE6CNU SOAB HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: VE6CNU
Operator(s): VE6CNU
Station: VE6CNU

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Calgary
Operating Time (hrs): 23

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:           
   80:   24    12
   40:   86    39
   20:  401    82
   15:   41    16
   10:           
-------------------
Total:  552   149  Total Score = 246,744

Club: ALBERTA CLIPPERS

Comments:

Conditions were a whole lot better than last year, and running a small amp
helped things a lot too!  This was my first ARRL DX CW contest running HP,
although most of the time I ran my FL-7000 in the reduced power mode to avoid
having the noisy fan come on.  My score went from last year (LP) around 92,000
to about two and half times that - so I'm headed in the right direction.  I was
also able to put more hours in the chair, and usually that meant QSOs.  

Friday evening allowed for a bit of 20m before moving to 40m.  I was quite
surprised at all the loud European stations on 40m, which I haven't been
hearing for a LONG time.  With constant S7 noise on 40m and 80m, it made life a
challenge and the noise filtering on the old MP isn't quite what I would like. 
Still, I was able to work most of what I heard - which also could be improved. 
My 40m inverted vee is ok, but it refused to tune up on 80m (Alpha Delta loading
coils don't seem to work).  So I was limited to my Butternut HF9V for 80m.  I
don't have 160m working right now, but I doubt I would have made many DX
contacts from here anyway.  Friday night 80m was actually not bad, but still
had to fight a lot of noise and wasn't able to stay up late.

Saturday morning, I should have started earlier but I slept in (until 8AM
local) and missed some good DX to Europe and Caribbean.  Europe was better than
I've heard for a couple years, so I'm hopeful we're climbing out of Cycle 23. 
15m opened up a bit from time to time in the late morning and early afternoon,
but 10m was dead for the whole contest.  

Sunday was pretty much a repeat of Saturday.  Unfortunately, I never heard much
Africa (no ZS), although I did work Zimbabwe for the first time.  Asia was
pretty much absent except for JA, although I did work YB on 40m early Sunday
morning.  I was glad to see a lot of JA stations on 40m Sunday morning.  

Its amazing how much better I feel after this year's contest than last year's. 
I didn't have to struggle nearly as hard - although the last hour on 40m was a
real grind.  

Thanks to all who pulled me through on 40/80 as I know it wasn't easy at
times.

73 and CU in the next one.

Jerry, VE6CNU

Rig:  FT-1000MP
Amp:  FL-7000 (about 400W)
Ant:  TH6-DXX for 10/15/20, INV VEE 40m, HF9V Vert for 80m
Software:  N1MM


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