[3830] TBDC K2PO Single Op LP

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                    Stew Perry Topband Challenge

Call: K2PO
Operator(s): K2PO
Station: K2PO

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: Newberg, Oregon
Operating Time (hrs): 12.5

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 256  Total Score = 1,846

Club: Willamette Valley DX Club

Comments:

Thanks to the Gentlemen (and Gentlewomen) of 160m for welcoming this newbie to
the mysteries of topband.

I put up my first  160m antenna a few weeks ago - an inverted-L with an apex at
45', so I could make a bona fide effort in the contest. ( Last year, in
contrast, I did 30 minutes of SP with a 40-10m multiband vertical.)

The contest got off to a good start, with two JAs, two KH6s, and a UA0, in the
first 45 minutes - fb for 100 watts and a piece of wire.

Saturday afternoon I got back on later than I should (novice mistake...), and
found the band crowded with signals.  After the east coasters gave up on
Europe, I managed to get a run of 10-12 point QSOs in the log, and ultimately
succeeded in also working PJ2T, KV4FZ, FM5CD and CE1/K7CA (the latter for 30
points).

Eventually, of course, the rational folks went to bed, and I was left CQing
with a lonely chorus of similarly daft insomniacs.  At 0800z my rate was 10/hr.
 Then it fell to 5/hr.  Starting at 1000z it bumped up to 6 (!), before dropping
to 3 for the 1100z hour.  I know I dozed a couple times through the night-
startled into wakefulness by a rare response to my CQ.

What kept me going, of course, was anticipation of our west coast sunrise
propagation to Asia, which I'd heard local topbanders talk about.  My hopes
were fulfilled in the 1200z hour, when my CQs netted 8 JAs in the first 30
minutes.  But then the propagation seemed to collapse: I made 14 QSOs in the
final 150 minutes of the contest - none further than Illinois.

Despite the disappointing finish, it was a fun time.  Thanks to all for the
good ears.  See you next year!

73,
Bill, K2PO
near Portland, Oregon
TS-850, inverted-L, 250' E-W beverage


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