[3830] WPX CW WQ8RP(N8XX) SOAB QRP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: WQ8RP
Operator(s): N8XX
Station: N8XX

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: MICHIGAN
Operating Time (hrs): 13

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:   35
   40:  103
   20:   71
   15:   41
   10:    0
------------
Total:  250  Prefixes = 163  Total Score = 65,200

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

Wires Antenna - ~130 ft. (~40 Metres) Inverted V about 32' (~10 metres) high at
center, a few ft (~2 metres) at each end, fed with ~400 ohm ladder line.

Rig is an ancient TR-5, power adjusted with a Heath QRP Wattmeter/SWR Bridge.
Matching device is a LDG Z-100 followed by a LDG 1/1 Balun.

Friday evening (early morning GMT) was slooowwww - conditions were marginal on
both 40 and 20 metres, and very few folks were on 80 metres.  Worked a few more
than 50 Q's in 4 hours, only the very LOUD could hear my pipsquoke signal!

Woke up about 6 hours later, the bands were el-stinko, even the "loud" signals
were weak. Gave up, did some chores around the house, went back 1700Z.  A few
hardy souls were on 40 - probably multi-multi, which I worked fairly quickly. 
20 was better, but still mediocre.  15 opened up marginally, added a few
multipliers.  Between 2300 to 0300Z things were mainly on 40.  80 metres was
"fair" but few stations were there......

About 1200Z Sunday 40 was a bit open, but, most activity was on 20, even though
it was still a bit marginal for a QRP station with an antenna not much better
than a dummy load.  Only had an hour to work before other family activities. 
Came back @ about 2000Z and - voila! 20 and 15 were open!

Total of 250 Q's (claimed), 400 QSO points, 163 multipliers. is a personal
best, even with marginal conditions for most of the event.  A thunderstorm was
getting closer @ about 2230Z, so valor is the better part of discretion,
antenna disconnected and grounded, and power disconnected from the rig and
computer.   Possibly, if lightning hadn't been a factor, I might have made
another 50 Q's in the last 1½ hours.  But, one lightning strike and I wouldn't
be writing this.

Fun, fun, fun.  Tnx to the organizers of the contest.  Maybe one day I'll learn
how to operate in contest. :)


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