[3830] ARRLDX CW K8CN SOAB QRP

[webform at b41h.net]

                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: K8CN
Operator(s): K8CN
Station: K8CN

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: Durham NH
Operating Time (hrs): 35

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:           
   80:   31    25
   40:  199    64
   20:  280    69
   15:  251    71
   10:   34    23
-------------------
Total:  795   252  Total Score = 601,020

Club: 

Comments:

Rig: Elecraft K2 @ 5W
Antenna: (yup, still just one, and partially broken at that!) Lazy H, cut for
20 meters, half wave spacing between the doublets, fed at center of phasing
line for multi-band operation.

My gratitude goes first to my family who relieved me of some of my normal
chores (i.e., dog walking, preparing meals) and enabled me to put in a few more
BIC hours.

I don't know if I'm the only QRP op who makes this observation, but I think the
low SNR copying ability of all contesters is increasing annually.  I find
stations heard weakly here, but running kW signals, can often copy me on first
call -- amazing, and very much appreciated. I am equally appreciative, perhaps
more so, for those ops who don't hear me clearly after many repeats, but stick
with me until the QSO is logged -- at least a few stations wanted to persist
longer than I did -- I know when to move on and try again later, but thanks to
all for that incredible persistence and commitment!

Highlights:
The improvement of this year's results over last year's was almost entirely due
to 15 meters (251 vs. 126 Qs last year, 71 vs. 55 countries last year).  80
meters was a surprise with 25 countries vs. 14 last year. Total points this
year increased to 601K vs. 453K last year.  

The great JA opening Sunday afternoon was not fully capitalized upon because of
my lack of a North-South radiator, but still managed to eke out a few JAs -
great ears and great ops!  

The pileups on SV9COL, V51YJ, and EA9EU seemed even more intense than ever --
only managed to pick off EA9EU after returning multiple times to each station's
frequency in the hope that the pileups would die down -- they didn't, at least
as long as each station was audible at my QTH. 

This was almost entirely an S&P effort for me - tried a few runs when it seemed
my signal was getting through easily on a band, got some 3-bursts, but no
extended runs ever materialized.  Best feeling by far: having an HZ1 call me in
response to one of my CQs!

Lowlights: Wondering why nobody was answering my calls on 20M Sunday morning,
usually my strongest band, then my bleary eyes spotted the band switch on my
venerable Johnson Matchbox: 15 meters.  

It was great fun thanks to all!

73, Mike K8CN


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/