[3830] ARRLDX SSB YN5ZO(K7ZO) SOAB LP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: YN5ZO
Operator(s): K7ZO
Station: YN5ZO

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: San Juan del Sur
Operating Time (hrs): 14

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    0     0
   80:    0     0
   40:    0     0
   20:   34    22
   15:  375    50
   10:  524    44
-------------------
Total:  933   116  Total Score = 324,648

Club: 

Comments:

Thanks everyone for the QSO's and QSL via K7ZO or LOTW.

My first experience at being on the DX side of things. Came down to San Juan
del Sur Nicaragua to visit my son and decided to bring my radio. Submitted the
license application 5 weeks ahead of time and it came in while I was flying
down. Major thanks to all the US hams I asked for advice and for Octanio YN2N
here in Nicaragua for the contact in the local agency in charge of licensing.
The process is very smooth as long as you give it enough time.

Only brought with me my FT100 and dipoles for 10-15-20. I operated out of a
second floor room at a hotel here in SJdS with one end of the antenna tied off
to the balcony. The terrain sloped off nicely to the north which made the setup
somewhat doable but on 20M the antenna was clearly too low and thus the low QSO
total. 10 and 15 worked nicely. I had hoped for 1000 QSO's but I hit a two hour
dead period on Sunday afternoon that doomed that goal. Still though I had fun.
Slow grinding rates interspresed with periods of excitement when the packet
pileups found me. I for one found that fun. My lessons and observations:

* 100W and a dipole is real work without a voice keyer. I probably called CQ
5,000 times this weekend!
* Operating the in the morning is really tough as all the stateside ops are
beaming to EU. There are dozens of stations I called 10 times and could not get
their attention. I understand the strategy fully. Those stations that keep a
small antenna pointed in the Carib and South America are certainly at an
advantage. I finally realized I should move to 10 earlier as it closes to EU
before 15 and I don't have as much competition.
* Being DX is fun -- everyone has to try it. May be back here in contests later
this year. Scouted out a couple amazing QTH's near town.

Scott/K7ZO


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