[3830] CQWW CW W4ZV SOSB/160 HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: W4ZV
Operator(s): W4ZV
Station: W4ZV

Class: SOSB/160 HP
QTH: NC
Operating Time (hrs): 30

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  479    26       92
   80:                    
   40:                    
   20:                    
   15:                    
   10:                    
------------------------------
Total:  479    26       92  Total Score = 144,314

Club: 

Comments:

Thanksgiving weekend is usually problematic for me.  Last year my daughter was
visiting and November 27 is my Wedding Anniversary (I know...what was I
thinking?)

This year my daughter came a week earlier and my XYL gave me the OK to spend
our Anniversary day in the contest so I began to consider which of two extremes
to enter.  After hearing a nice 10m opening to Europe in mid-October, I
seriously thought about it, but with solar flux ~80, I decided to hold out
until it hits 100 (a good decision in retrospect!)

Friday night was pure torture (even though it sounded great around sunset) and
I was in S&P mode only.  Even many EU big guns could not hear me unless nobody
else was calling (reminded me of a couple of years ago).  Finally around 0700 I
was able to run but only for ~20 Qs.  Saturday morning was slow but I did manage
to work JA7NI, JA3YBK, RA0FF and VK3IO.  Surprisingly I heard BU2AQ quite well
after my sunrise but no QSO.

Saturday night was much better and I was able to run from 0200-0500 (including
R9FT in zone 17).  I decided to S&P for mults for an hour and then again ran
from 0600-0730.  Back to very slow S&P but I was encouraged to hear JA1BRK and
JA1DV calling PJ2T (who must have had terrible noise).  Then a real
surprise...I heard UA0SC (zone 18) calling XE2WWW who could not hear Serge.  I
filed that away in my head, knowing Serge's favorite frequencies were above
1830.  Meanwhile I heard KC1XX struggling to get ZL3IX's call.  After several
unsuccessful attempts XX went back to CQing so I answered him (mainly to let
Greg know I was there).  Eventually they did make it so I moved up 500 Hz,
called CQ and Greg came right back!  A bit after 1000 I heard several NE
stations madly calling someone on 1833.5.  Remembering UA0SC was around, I
listened due North and there he was...very weak with the typical long QSB
cycle.  After most had worked him, Serge sent W4? and was able to hear me. 
Amazing...zones 17, 18 and 19 in one contest in somewhat disturbed conditions. 
The rest of the morning was extremely slow except for NH2T and no less than 3
VK6s!  The only new JA worked was JQ2VVH answered me just before sunrise.

Sunday afternoon is usually frustrating for me.  I can hear lots of good stuff
but most never hear me.  I was listening to K3ZM running around 1810 and GI3OQR
answered with a nice signal.  I moved up the band a bit, called CQ a few times
and bingo!  This was especially nice after finding a water weak GI3RQK Sunday
morning but too far into daylight absorption to copy well enough to call.  The
remainder of my time was trying some running using my inverted-V (high angle)
which worked surprisingly well.  I got a big rush when I thought SU9HP answered
me but he was actually calling TC3A who was a few hundred Hz below me.  Darn!

I worked 26 zones, heard 5 more (21, 24, 34, 39 and 40) and this did not
include some usually easy ones if there's activity (1, 36 and 38).  Sometime
Sunday morning I almost wished I had gone Assisted to go for DXCC in a weekend,
as several few multiops did.  Oh well, it was still great fun and the best I've
ever done in this contest.  Thanks to everyone for your patience, to my XYL
Charlanne for giving me an Anniversary pass and especially to Our Creator who
makes such good fun possible while we're briefly here!

73,  Bill  W4ZV

Station:

Elecraft K3 in diversity most of the time.
Amp Supply LK-800.
3 el parasitic vertical TX array (4 directions).
Inverted-V up 100' for high angles (TX & RX).
7 Beverages on Main RX, Hi-Z 4-square on Sub RX.


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