[3830] Rus DX N3BB SO Mixed HP

[webform at b41h.net]

                    Russian DX Contest

Call: N3BB
Operator(s): N3BB
Station: N3BB

Class: SO Mixed HP
QTH: Austin, TX
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Countries  Oblasts
----------------------------------------
  160:   37      0        9         0
   80:   91      0       34         1
   40:  300      0       57        10
   20:  259    575       72        28
   15:   37      0       18         0
   10:    6      0        3         0
----------------------------------------
Total:  730    575      193        39  Total Score = 1,014,072

Club: Central Texas DX and Contest Club

Comments:

This contest brought out a large number of serious and expert-level contesters.
It was interesting that the RDXC runs along with five or so US state QSO
parties, so especially when you get on twenty meter SSB for the "domestic
runs," you work mostly non-players in the RDXC plus a huge number of mobiles.
It's weird going from one world on CW to a completely different world on phone
with lost of very low numbers and lots of newer hams.  

I had been working on my twin contesting problems: one being the serious and
chronic line noise problem; and the other a tactical problem with the
over-the-air two meter connection to K5NA's packet node, located nearly forty
miles from my home. That connection had been getting gradually worse and worse
until we were not able to connect at all, and we finally located the problem, a
high-impedance problem in the center conductor (!) of his LMR-400 feedline to
the four element yagi at 150 feet on the fifteen meter stack tower. With the
help of N5TW, we ruled out Richard's two meter radio and my TNC (I got a new
one and redid my coax run to the two meter yagi over here thinking it was the
problem)and so the Wednesday before the RDXC, I went over to K5NA's, and
Richard on the ground and I on the tower finally found the problem and switched
to another coax run on the tower. After that, I had solid packet for the
contest. I never use packet usually and also have no Internet connectivity to
my ham radio room in a guest house, so I am relegated to packet over two meters
the rare times I enter assisted or do a contest where it is permitted.

I mention packet since it no longer is enough to be competitive in contests
where it is allowed. It's clear that the new Skimmer technology is
revolutionizing contesting with not only the local Skimmer harvest from the
local radio(s) but also from numerous Skimmer networks now available on the
Internet from various locales. 

I tried hard for multipliers, and entered way too many packet pileups, and
increased my score from 745K last year to 1.014 Million this year, with
arguably even worse conditions. So while that was a positive, I am falling even
further behind the people who are investing time and money in new Skimmer
networks. The station here worked well, and I caught a break with a rare rain
last week which quieted the noise some. It might have cost me some marginal ESP
contacts, but was not a primary limitation. I worked the contest hard and did my
best. 

Based on a short post-contest phone discussion with K5NA, it appears I missed
some or all of at least three different openings: one to Europe on 15, one on
40 when the band went extremely long to deep Asia, and one on 20 when that band
opened at 02Z. Most of the "spots" were only reported on Skimmers, not on the
usual packet network spotting. I was checking 15 and was there for that one,
but missed several of the multipliers, which were visible on Skimmer. I missed
the 02Z opening on 20 meters entirely. Many stations were ESP levels of
strength, and were not spotted on packet, and "visible" only on Skimmer,
according to Richard's obversations. 

The Russian contest is one of the very best contests. It's 24 hours long, not
the ridiculous 48 hours long, and it has an exchange for non-Russians that
means something, the serial number. They check the logs like detectives, and
accuracy is paramount. It has both modes and there is great strategy as you get
only one propagation opportunity. Personally, I would ditch the packet/Skimmer,
but they include these and the RDXC is a technology driver for sure. It's a
shame it takes place during the US college basketball tournement, and the US
activity level is down. But it's a terrific contest. Of course the large number
of European and Russian multipliers make this an eastern seaboard score-fest
compared with the rest of the country, but it's still fun. 

It was fun to hear the serious WRTC qualifying competition in the W5-W0 areas
go on. N5DX at K5GO and K5NA were in every pile up I heard, and KU1CW was very
"visible" all over the bands as well. Good luck to everyone. It was exciting.
N2IC was not as evident. He was on and I saw some spots, but he seemed like he
was not as "present" as the others. Steve has the scores "in the bank" and
might have been taking it easy!

Jim George, N3BB


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/