[3830] Commonwealth VE3FU Open HP

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                    RSGB Commonwealth Contest, CW

Call: VE3FU
Operator(s): VE3FU
Station: VE3FU

Class: Open HP
QTH: 
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
   80:    2
   40:   18
   20:  266
   15:   72
   10:  116
------------
Total:  474  Total Score = 5,810

Club: Contest Club Ontario

Comments:

(plus 3 dupes)

Antennas:	TH6 @ 72ft, EX14 @ 72ft, wire vertical dipole (40m), wire vertical
(80m)
Rig:		TS-950SD, TS-430 (TX broken.  Used to listed for signals / openings on
other bands)
Amp:		TL-922 (tnx VO1AU / VE3AAQ)
Software:	SDC v14.22

Biggest lesson learned this weekend? I need separate RX antennas for the low
bands!

I've been _slowly_ putting together a new station since changing QTH a few
years ago.  The towers and tribanders went up last Fall.  My plan was for a
couple of phased loops for 40m and to shunt feed the towers, one for 80m, and
one for 160m (not that I could use it during the BERU :=), but I ran out of
time before winter and it's extra-curricular activities hit.

About 6 weeks ago I had no antennas for 40m or 80m.  Not wanting to miss out on
the BERU like I did last year, I put up a wire vertical dipole for 40m hanging
from one tower and a full sized wire vertical for 80m hanging from the other
tower.  Other than when I connected them to check the SWR, this was really the
first chance I had to listen on them.

The noise on the low bands was surprising and not what I was expecting.  This
is a relatively rural area with no large industry - just 1.5 acre residential
lots and farmers fields.  I was hoping that the noise was related to the
conditions, so I called a local friend to see if he was hearing the same level
of noise.  We tuned in the same station on 40m and I could hear the station
better over the telephone than I could hear myself.

As evident from my 40m and 80m QSO numbers compared to other VE3s, there were a
lot more stations to work.  I think I was getting out OK - it was just the RX
part that was the problem.  Sorry if I sounded like an alligator.  Most of the
QSOs I made on those bands were just at the noise level.  In most cases, I had
to send the received number back to the station calling to confirm that I had
it right.  There were quite a few times I could tell some one was calling but I
just couldn't make them out.  I won't be surprised if the difference between my
submitted score and my corrected score is much higher than usual :=)

Still one of my favourite contests.  See you again next year - hopefully with
RX antennas for the low bands!

Thanks for all the Qs!

73,

Chris VE3FU


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