[3830] ARRLDX SSB W6QU(W8QZA) SOAB QRP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: W6QU
Operator(s): W8QZA
Station: W8QZA

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: San Diego, CA
Operating Time (hrs): 41

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    0     0
   80:    9     3
   40:   32    16
   20:   89    40
   15:   71    34
   10:   21     7
-------------------
Total:  222   100  Total Score = 66,600

Club: 

Comments:

Rig: Elecraft K-2

Antennas:
   Three ele. SteppIP up 32 feet
   Butternut HF-2V for 40 and 80

Condx continue to be poor, but this year I was able to get 7 European Qs. This
compares to NONE last year, and those extra mults sure help the score!

I had several memorable Qs, including VP8KF on 20 and 15 meters. That team was
very active and it was great having them on. I also got VK3IN and ZL3A on 40
and ZL7T on 20 M about five hours after sunset when band should have long been
closed. And it was exciting to suddenly come across CT1ILT on 15 M for my only
European Q on 15. He was completely gone within minutes, and I never heard
another European station on 15 for the entire weekend.

There were brief openings on 10 in the early afternoons of both days. I made 5
Qs the first day and 16 the second. All 21 Qs were in So America except KH7X
and TI5N operated by Robert, W5AJ.

I got three hours of sleep each night divided into two sessions each night so I
was on the air when before sunrise in the Carribean and before sunrise at my
station.

I just did an interesting calculation. Getting three hours sleep the first
night isn't too hard.  But going through the second night on three hours is a
killer. 

So I just went through my log and removed all the Qs and mults that I would
have lost if on the second night I had gone to bed at 11:00 PM and got up at
6:00 AM for a very nice 6 plus hours of continuous sleep. Interestingly, I
would have lost only 4 Qs and 3 multipliers, and that would have resulted in a
score reduction from 66,600 to 63,438.

That analysis works for my QRP station with marginal low band antennas. But an
operator with LP or HP and excellent low band antennas will be able to maintain
good rates on the second night. In my case, however, I may rethink my sleep
strategy when I turn 70 next contest season!!

Even at the bottom of the cycle, these DX contests each provide their own
special thrills and excitement. When you finally break a pile or suddenly come
across a lonely rare DX station, that's what its all about!

See you in the WPX SSB in a few weeks. My long time friend Phil, N0KE, has
graciously allowed me to operate from his station where I'll use our WPX call
NA0CW.  ....I love those 36 hour contests!

73,  Bill Parker  W8QZA / W6QU


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