[3830] ARRL 160 K6JEB Single Op LP

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                    ARRL 160-Meter Contest

Call: K6JEB
Operator(s): K6JEB
Station: K6JEB

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: East Bay
Operating Time (hrs): 8:28

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 104  Sections = 208  Countries = 37  Total Score = 7,696

Club: Northern California Contest Club

Comments:

The time I got to spend on this contest was fun, but also taught me how tough
160m can be even in decent conditions.  There was some serious QSB even on
local stations Friday night.  My 100-watts into an Inverted-L relegated me to
Search and Pounce only (I did try calling CQ but that wasn't happening).  I
found myself having to repeat my callsign over and over and over, often with
the other station just not quite getting my call correct (they often drop the
"E" but I saw some of the most zany mutilations of what they thought they heard
sent back to me).  I did NOT have this issue with Sweepstakes, but I was also
QRO for Sweepstakes.  :)

Saturday night was a lot better for me.  I was able to work quite a bit further
east, compared to almost only 6's and 7's the night prior.  There were a couple
signals that sounded like buzz-saws and it was tempting to deviate from the
normal '5NN' in their cases, but I decided the humor might not propagate.  As
the night went on, I could hear further out and was eventually able to work
some 4's.

I think in a crowded and noisy situation like that, an AMP for 160m would have
made it a bit more fun, certainly for the stations patiently trying to copy my
100watts in those conditions.  Rick 'Locust' worked the contest QRP and I
salute him and all the others who could somehow prevail at those power levels. 
Mind you, when 160m is in its typically empty/roomy state, low power is
definitely do-able.  But all the BCI plus the long QSB waves both nights
spelled out a very clear message to me, actually using WSPR:

"get an amp for 160m!"

73 and KB!
Jack, K6JEB
http://www.k6jeb.com/


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