[3830] ARRL 160 N7IR Single Op QRP

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                    ARRL 160-Meter Contest

Call: N7IR
Operator(s): N7IR
Station: N7IR

Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: AZ
Operating Time (hrs): 30

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 314  Sections = 63  Countries = 5  Total Score = 44,132

Club: Arizona Outlaws Contest Club

Comments:

Challenging contest conditions for the left coast QRP ops.  The first night
started well and running was productive early for a change.  Around 0830Z two
things happened that made the remainder of the night an unrelenting slog: 1)
something made the ionosphere a giant sponge for 160m RF towards the northeast
and 2) the cold front that blew through here on Thursday night hit Texas and
created a large line of thunderstorms, which resulted in summertime static
levels.  Saturday night and Sunday morning were quieter but the sponge was
still mostly in place.  This resulted in the lowest score here since 2005.

Before the band tanked, some of the DX stations were quite loud and workable at
QRP levels. PJ2T was like a beacon most of the weekend. Others worked included
VP2MWG, CE1/K7CA, JA3YBK and JR5JAQ.  Neighbors XE2K and XE2S called in from
the fifth country.

EQ: Elecraft K3 with diversity receive
TX Antenna: 22 meter top-loaded, shunt-fed tower
RX Antennas: K9AY loop array and 4 meter diameter N6RK tuned loop

Thanks for the contacts and your extra patience.
73
Gary, N7IR


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