[3830] CQWW SSB VE4EAR SOAB HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB

Call: VE4EAR
Operator(s): VE4EAR
Station: VE4EAR

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: 
Operating Time (hrs): 37
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:   10     3        2
   80:   67     9       11
   40:  178    18       36
   20:  619    27       69
   15:  237    21       68
   10:    2     1        1
------------------------------
Total: 1113    79      187  Total Score = 659,680

Club: 

Comments:

So that was what a sunspot can do. Interesting to play in a contest where 15m is
actually productive. Still very tough going from this QTH.

Friday night and Saturday morning were not very productive. Plenty of strong
signals from EU on 40m but I could not overcome the east coast wall. 80m was
non existent as far as EU or AS multipliers were concerned. Basically the
Aurora wipes out all paths north of 60 degrees azimuth so that leaves only AF
and the south Pacific. 
  On Saturday morning, it seemed like it was 1 way propagation only. I could
receive plenty of EU signals when the band opened at sunrise but again it was
tough being heard. Even though I was running 500W, I did not feel loud in this
contest. Zon 14/15/16 stations at 10 dB over S9 would CQ in my face and not
hear me. Then I would break a pileup on a zone 33 or 38 with the first call.

This also happened on 15m as well. However after about noon local time boh
days, the paths would become reciprocal.

Managed to work 2 PY stations on 10m. Signals were very weak and subject to
sever QSB, very much like sporadic E but almost more varying.

Saturday was almost impossible to use 20m until after 2000z. Signals were well
over S9 on all frequencies from 14.110 to 14.350. It was impossible to find a
spot to run and S&P was tough. The receiver in the IC-7700 was great and a huge
improvement over the IC-746Pro. I had to point the beam towards JA and run the
US and SA off the back of the beam. Otherwise the QRM just crunched the front
end even with the attenuator on.

First outing with the new IC-7700 and my first attempt at SO2R. Definitely
takes some getting used to the pattern of calling. Everything was thrown
together very quickly over the last few days and of course there was learning
and technical issues. Took me almost 45 minutes after the contest started
before I could get any TX audio. It had been workingan hour before the contest.
Then I discovered severe RFI on the headset. Had to correct that with a common
mode filter.

Thanks for all the Q's and the patience from the DX stations. Next year 10m was
be fun!

Ed, VE4EAR


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