[3830] ARRL 160 W1WBB Single Op LP

[webform at b41h.net]

                    ARRL 160-Meter Contest

Call: W1WBB
Operator(s): W1WBB
Station: W1WBB

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: RI
Operating Time (hrs): 

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 630  Sections = 69  Countries = 19  Total Score = 116,952

Club: CT RI Contest Group

Comments:

The apparent ideal solar and geomagnetic indices (A and K @ 0, solar windspeed <
300, etc.) were offset by strong and persistent static crashes here locally both
nights from storm nearby off Atlantic coast.  Conditions were thus LESS than
ideal.  Static crash QRN abated some early Saturday eve, then came back  with a
vengeance later that night when I hoped to pick up needed western mults,
especially in California.

Nonetheless, improved on last year's score slightly adding 3 add'l mults and 2
dozen more QSOs likely due to good contest participation and a bit more chair
time here.  No real station improvements this season...

Sections missed (11 of 80): PR, WTX, AK, MB, NT; and California Secs LAX, ORG,
SB, SCV, SDG and SF...which are tough to work from here in New England.
Worked 19 DX mults:  13 EU, 4 NA, and 2 SA.  Only 23 total 5 pt DX QSOs this
year.

Highlights:

-- Snagging the very elusive ND mult (for me!) for first time on 160m.  Thanks
N7IV!!

-- Getting 3 new mults *in a row* late in the game around 0800Z Sunday with
VE7, EB and KP2

-- Finding KH6LC in the DX window right at my sunrise Sunday morn and working
him first call for final new mult.  Worked 49 of 50 states...KL7 never heard.

-- Having a few good runs while CQing early Friday night over more than
two-hour period where rate meter averaged around 70 Q's/hr

-- Nice to be CALLED by DX while running LP and compromise antenna...good ears
ON4WW!

Lowlights:

-- Ever-present static crashes making copy on lesser signals (ie. new mults or
DX) constantly challenging.  QRN dissipated some early Saturday eve then
worsened considerably later causing me to shutdown for awhile until near my
sunrise time. 

-- Losing a likely W6 mult who called me in the wee hours of Sunday AM...I
struggled with his call due to intense QRN, QRM nearby, QSB and operator (me)
fatigue...he lost patience, signed 73 and was gone...

-- Unable to "run" much Saturday eve...with 430 Q's already in log had I run
out of most stations I could work??

-- heard a few of my missing mults but they were just S&P and we never
connected...PR, WTX, VE4(EAR), ORG and SF 

-- EU, other DX sigs not near as good as last Saturday night during CQWW DX CW

Many thanks to all who called in and stayed to complete our QSO as well as
those, especially distant stns and DX, who pulled my LP sigs out and hung in
for a good contact...patience is a virtue, particularly on Topband!  All in all
it was fun but I feel battle-scarred after two late nights of constant QRN.

Station:  Icom IC-737 (circa 1992!) w/ only 500 Hz filter, low 3/8 wv inv-L
(less than 40' sloping vert, 150' horiz) used on tx/rx, w/ abt 18 mostly 1/8 wv
gnd radials, in-shack MFJ-929 tuner and N1MM logger

73,

Bill  W1WBB


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