[3830] IARU K0DQ(@W4RX) SO CW HP

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                    IARU HF World Championship

Call: K0DQ
Operator(s): K0DQ
Station: W4RX

Class: SO CW HP
QTH: 2 W4RX, VIRGINIA
Operating Time (hrs): 23.5
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Zones  HQ Mults
-------------------------------------
  160:     9            3        1
   80:   118           15       16
   40:   610           28       31
   20:  1210           37       32
   15:   388           23       32
   10:    62            8        8
-------------------------------------
Total:  2397    0     114      120  Total Score = 1,986,426

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

First, many thanks to Jim, W4RX,for his trademark gracious hospitality, use of
the station and significant efforts to fix all the ravages of winter on the
mountaintop HF station while simultaneously working to put the VHF side in
shape for the 6 & 2 meter contest this weekend.  Thanks also to Terry, W8ZN,
and Craig, N4OHE, for extra effort in getting the big beams rotating and
indicating, including the big 40 rotator finished 20 minutes before the
starting gun.

What a blast.  This is the first IARU in which I've made it to the checkered
flag.  Two years ago the operator broke and last year some equipment did, so it
was nice to finally finish one.  Had considered doing an LP effort, but
conditions the week before bore out the adage that life is too short for LP
(with apologies to K7SS).  Strategy wise, I probably spent too much time on the
quantity side (2445 Q's before dupes) and not enough on the quality side.  I
simply haven't figured out how to keep track of the HQ mults (part op and part
software).  And, candidly, I remembered too late that this was the contest in
which you have operate as if there's no tomorrow, because there ain't.  My
instincts to run were too well engrained and an hour harvesting HQ mults would
have been better spent.  160 and 80 (to Europe) were disappointing.

On the plus side, the great prop on 20 and 40 made it really fun.  Without the
M/M stations, it was easy to set up on the lower band edge and run forever.  I
kept watching the gray line advance well west into the Atlantic while
continuing to work Europeans on 40.  IU1HQ and GR2HQ were still audible on 40
at what must have been close to their noon.  Surprisingly, I found I'd worked
34 of the WRTC stations, all but two on 20.

In retrospect, I spent most of the prep time - as usual- on computer/software
related issues.  Have been looking seriously at making the jump into hyperspace
with a windows-based program, playing with WINTEST, N1MM, and TR4W.  In the end,
went with TR4W due to the familiar SO2R capabilities of TRLog and the increasing
difficulty for this old dog of learning new tricks.  TR4W worked well enough but
still has some clunky features in SO2R and data entry which need to be brought
into conformity with the DOS version (or the op needs to figure out).  Lost a
few contacts and also lost the rhythm several times, but overall a passing
grade.  Need to settle soon as my old laptops with LPT ports and DOS are dying
fast.

BRAVO ZULU (navalese for well done) to Tom, K1KI, and Dan, K1TO.  Dan's
performance especially impressive as (1) from FL and (2) SO1R. I had something
like 180 second radio QSO's but the mult #'s don't show it.  K8PO is
establishing a nice presence in my second favorite state, Maine, and K3CR was
smoking in mixed mode - running Europeans on 10 that I couldn't hear.  And, on
a naval note, it was nice to work two Naval Academy grads in a row, K0EJ and
classmate K7IA.

All in all a fun contest from this side.  Look forward to reading the stories
from WRTC. 

Blessings

Scott, K0DQ


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