[3830] NAQP CW K0DXC Single Op LP

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                    North American QSO Party, CW

Call: K0DXC
Operator(s): K0DXC
Station: K0DXC

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: Jackson, OH
Operating Time (hrs): 10

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:  163    41
   80:  227    44
   40:  211    44
   20:   45    20
   15:   16     8
   10:    0     0
-------------------
Total:  662   157  Total Score = 103,934

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Team: SMC #2

Comments:

Rig - Icom IC-756PROIII  (100 watts)
Antenna(s) Hustler 6BTV vertical, Alpha Delta DX-B sloper at 35 feet, SBOG (RX
antenna, I never used it)


I had a GREAT time in the NAQP CW this time around!

      I recently moved into my new QTH in Ohio, so I have been longing for an
opportunity to test out my new and improved antennas. This morning at about
10:00 eastern (3 hours before the contest started) I went outside in pouring
rain to put down even more radials for my 6BTV vertical. Because of the bad
weather conditions, it took me about an hour - an hour and a half to get them
put down. (I had to make sure none of the stripped wire got wet, I didn't want
my radial plate under the 6BTV getting wet when I removed it's plastic cover,
it was so cold outside that I would have to run inside every 10 minutes to warm
up my hands....) I was also looking forward to using the new IC-756PROIII in
another contest outing. It performed spectacularly in the ARRL 160 meter
contest and the W1BB Distance Challenge but I really wanted to test it out in
an all band contest. Before the contest started I was planning on running my
version of "SO2R" (Sometimes 14 year olds get crazy ideas about making things
work without proper equipment.) but I could not get N1MM logger to cope with
two radios hooked up to the computer without an SO2R box to configure them. It
was fun trying... At Dayton this year I'll have to keep an eye out for an SO2R
box so I can start really improving my score!

      Before this January I had never even scored 30,000 points before in an
NAQP; neither CW nor SSB. I had always operated with one antenna, a 6BTV
vertical; mounted right up against the house with a handful of radials all
thrown out in one direction. That was good for about 270 QSOs but nothing more.
I could never hold a run frequency with it either.

      However, this NAQP is different. Since my dad got a job promotion we had
to move out to Jackson, OH this August. The shack has changed a LOT since
then.

      I started the contest thinking that I would be happy if I made 500 QSOs
and 70,000 points. I was ready/pumped up for the contest. Knowing that it was
coming up soon was the only thing that helped me get through school this last
month (HIHI).

      20 meters and up was junk for me. I couldn't even manage 50 Q's on 20! I
checked 15 meters right off the bat and that was totally dead. Then I spent the
first hour of the contest S&P on 20. That got me about 15 multipliers. Then when
I couldn't run on 20, I decided to go to 40 meters. Right when I got to 40
meters I had a 100/hour running. Propagation on 40 was obviously a lot better
than propagation on 20 meters! Soon afterwards I checked 15 meters to find it
open; I took advantage of the situation and picked up some more mults. I then
went down to 20 meters to make a few more QSO's and 5 more multipliers. N2NT
had me QSY to 10 meters but I could not hear anything. That was the end of the
high bands for me.

      40 and 80 meters were the workhorse bands for me. To be honest with you,
I felt like I was running a big gun station most of the time! I had the keyer
set at 35-40 wpm the whole contest when running! The only time I dropped the
speed was when someone couldn't copy my name (I used "KID" as my name) or when
I was searching and pouncing. It felt GREAT to be able to run stations! 

      Looking back at my decision to spend so little time on the higher bands
has frusterated me. If I would have spent at least another hour on 15 and 20
that would have meant probably at least 10-20 more multipliers for me which I
now know is REALLY important at the end of the contest! I certainly won't make
the same mistake next time.

      I worked a lot of fellow MWA and SMC members. It would be impossible to
list them all. I had a great time in the contest, it was a lot of fun to hear
all of the familiar callsigns coming back to me in the pileups!

HIGHLIGHTS:

- While I was running on 40 meters, I actually had a bunch of European stations
come back to me! Why won't this happen in the DX contests when they count as
multipliers? :) :)

- I always send the name "KID" when a name is required. It was funny when I got
a few "HI" or TU KID GL OM HIHI sent back to me.

- I worked Al, N5UM on 40 meters.

- I could NOT find Indiana! I spent a good portion of my S&P time looking for
Mike, W9RE. He was no where to be found! Then, with only 45 seconds left in the
NAQP I finally found him for a last minute multiplier on 160!

- I was happy to break 100,000 points.

THAT HAPPENED?!

- I busted up Al, K0AD's callsign! WOW! On 160 meters Al called me along with a
few other stations and I heard "0AD". I then typed "W0AD" into the callsign
field. Upon sending "W0AD KID OH" I realized my mistake and had it fixed before
Al had to correct me. (I had only worked Al on 3 other bands.) :)

- ARRRGGGGHHH! I missed a LOT of easy multipliers on 15 and 20 meters! I NEED
to spend more time on the high bands next time!

      I would like to say thank you to everyone for all the QSOs. I hope to
hear all of you again in the NAQP SSB next weekend!


73,
Cal (KID), K0DXC


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