[3830] CQ WW RTTY VA7ST SOAB LP

webform at b41h.net webform at b41h.net
Sun Sep 27 19:16:34 PDT 2009


                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY

Call: VA7ST
Operator(s): VA7ST
Station: VA7ST

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: BC
Operating Time (hrs): 26.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Pts   State/Prov  DX   Zones
------------------------------------------
   80:  110   214       36       8     9
   40:  160   339       42      26    17
   20:  408  1027       41      64    22
   15:   25    63        7       9     7
   10:                                  
------------------------------------------
Total:  703  1643      126     107    55  Total Score = 473,184

Club: British Columbia DX Club

Comments:

* FT-2000, N1MM Logger + MMTTY
* 3-ele SteppIR at 47'
* 40M SteppIR dipole, mostly at 47'
* 80M two-vertical array (SE-NW, broadside NE-SW)
* 80M Beverage 270' aimed due east
* No cluster

2009 Flux: 72  | Ap: 2>9   | Kp: 2>0
2008 Flux: 67  | Ap: 3     | Kp: 1
2007 Flux: 65  | Ap: 26>13 | Kp: 4>1

Went into this as a low-power entry, knowing I'd have a struggle but wanting to
see how the new antennas fare against performance from previous years. Figured
on putting in 36 hours or so, but only got in 26.5 and still felt tired at the
end.

Hoped two sunspot groups would spark conditions a bit (opening with a 24 count
not seen in what must be several years). Flux was at 76 a day before the
contest but settled in at 72 for the duration. A welcome rise from SFI=67 that
has been the norm for months now. Alas, from here 20M didn't show noticeable
improvement, higher bands were still dead, and the lower bands were perhaps
worse that they have been recently.

Finished Day 1 with just over half of my final score....

          QSOs     Pts  Cty   ZN   Sec
 Total     401     966   85   48   96   Day 1 Score: 221,214

Finished with my best low-power totals since 2004, and wasn't too far off my
best high-power totals from last year. Would have closed the gap with a
stronger 80M performance this year but that band just wasn't in good shape.
Second-best mult totals from here, so the antennas work even without high
power. Special congratulations to Fabi VA2UP for an awesome low-power score
from QC in these conditions.

Highlights include:
* working Phil GU0SUP for the first time in many, many moons. 
* working a couple new RTTY DXCC including Lebanon and San Marino.
* watching my good friend Ed VE4EAR make hay with those new antennas!
  This was the pay-off for all the time and effort he put in over the
  past year adding a tower+yagis to the Winnipeg QTH. Great outing Ed.

Lowlights:
* the sun. Ironic, huh?
* not having the FT-920 fixed to work SO2R. Would have made a difference.

80M ----------------------------------

Had to work the heck out of the knobs to get anything this weekend. Conditions
felt really bad. Those I worked had great signals, but seemed there weren't
many on.

        Band    QSOs    Pts  Cty   ZN    Sec
2009 >>  3.5     110     214    8    9   36  LP twin verticals
2008 >>  3.5     205     398    9   10   46  HP twin verticals
2007 >>  3.5     106     209    7    8   37  HP delta loop

40M ----------------------------------

Band was weak to EU from here, but managed a few polar-path Qs. Not good to
Asia or the Pacific, and only so-so to the rest of North Americal. Worked
pretty hard Saturday evening to bump up the total to 160 Qs. Pleased to equal
the State count of last year using only 100W this time. Running the amp would
have punched through to a lot more EU countries, but even with low power this
year I'm down by 8 country mults and only 2 zones, so I think the dipole works
just fine.

        Band    QSOs    Pts  Cty   ZN    Sec
2009 >>    7     160     339   26   17   42  LP rotary dipole @ 47'
2008 >>    7     204     441   34   19   42  HP twin half-squares
2007 >>    7     145     296   13   11   36  HP Single half-squares, EW/NS

20M ----------------------------------

Not quite sure what to make of conditions down in the real world (20M and
down). 20M EU opening was really strong -- and surprisingly early -- on
Saturday morning, well underway by 1430z and good until after 1800z. Sunday it
opened later (1500z to 1900z) and never hit the fevered pitch of Saturday's
opening. Still, wall-to-wall signals almost from 14050 to 14150 both days. 

Found the bi-directional yagi mode worked well when JA and US were both calling
in, though splitting 100W two ways doesn't make you feel very strong anywhere.

        Band    QSOs    Pts  Cty   ZN    Sec
2009 >>   14     408    1027   64   22   41  LP SteppIR 3-element 
2008 >>   14     358     876   64   22   39  HP Mosley CL33
2007 >>   14     320     726   48   20   39  HP Mosley CL33

15M ----------------------------------

For some out East, the slight solar flux bump offered some 15M openings over
the pole, but from out West high-band conditions were not improved one bit. 15M
did not really open other than the expected useful propagation to South America.


        Band    QSOs    Pts  Cty   ZN    Sec
2009 >>   21      25      63    9    7    7
2008 >>   21      17      35    4    4    8
2007 >>   21      28      64    6    7    7

----------------------------------

TOTALS         QSOs     Pts  Cty   ZN  Sec  Score
2009 Total >>   703    1643  107   55  126  473,184
2008 Total >>   784    1750  111   55  135  526,750
2007 Total >>   599    1295   74   46  119  309,505

----------------------------------------
Year-over-year          Qs  Mult Score
----------------------------------------
2009 CQWW RTTY SOABLP  703  288  473,184 SteppIR enhanced :)
2008 CQWW RTTY SOABHP  784  301  526,750 
2007 CQWW RTTY SOABHP  599  239  309,505 1st HP entry
2006 CQWW RTTY SOABLP  561  242  300,322
2005 CQWW RTTY SOABLP  365  221  189,840 
2004 CQWW RTTY SOABLP  760  220  482,062 1st contest w/tower
2003 CQWW RTTY SOABLP  257  168  101,304 

73 and thanks for the contacts,

-- Bud VA7ST
http://www3.telus.net/va7st


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