[3830] ARRLDX SSB W5RU(@KN5O) M/2 HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: W5RU
Operator(s): KN5O K1DW K5YG K5EYK WF5K N5HZ
Station: KN5O

Class: M/2 HP
QTH: Covington, LA
Operating Time (hrs): 42

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   12    12
   80:   87    51
   40:  280    83
   20:  772   106
   15:  975   108
   10:  324    71
-------------------
Total: 2450   431  Total Score = 3,157,506

Club: Louisiana Contest Club

Comments:

Well, I guess we didn't do as bad as I had feared.  The WX was setting up to be
a repeat of the ARRL DX CW weekend 2 weeks ago.  But this time, I was
determined to risk it and hope ZEUS wouldn't throw a lightning bolt our way. 
Fortunately the main WX was north of us and we could operate straight through
without pulling the antennas.

Things started out reasonable for us.. One SO2R position was setup for 10/15
and the other SO2R position for 20/40.  Initially we ran mostly 15 and 20,
grabbing 10 and 40 Qs as permitted and as the evening progressed.  Once 10/15
petered out, moved the LEFT SO2R position to 160/80 and left the RIGHT SO2R on
20/40.  Dallas, K1DW, checked out about midnite to get some sleep.  We could
not recruit an OP for the graveyard shift Saturday AM, so I was it, solo. 
Trying to cover 4 bands with one OP was, well, impossible.. 

But fortunately, the GOD of PROPAGATION looked down up this poor, tired,
Southern ham and said, "I will bless you, my son, for trying to do the
impossible" and voila, he opened 20M @ 1:05AM Saturday morning to EU and
bestowed S9 to +20db/9 signals to my QTH for over 3 hours!  I was in EAST COAST
HEAVENLY bliss - and absolutely NO QRM from stateside, as I sat on 14.194 - just
monsterous EU/AS signals - all by themselves!  I thought I was 6Y1V with my
antenna pointed to the USA.  

Geez, I can't talk that fast.  The pileup seemed endless. I worked nearly 450
Qs in 3.25 hours.  10 minute rate meter hit nearly 300, best 1 hour rate was
150 and best 2 hour rate was 136.  If I could break the habit of giving my call
after every Q, I probably could have done even better.  To all the stations I
worked during that period, all I can say is "Thank you for the wonderful time!"


By 9AM, I got relieved by Bill, K5YG and a relatively new ham, who has never
contested before.  BUT, BUT, SHE HAS POTENTIAL!  K5EYK, Victoria (who I want to
call Ms. Vicky), is a quick learner.  Within a couple of hours, she had figured
out the setup, got rid of the "contest mike shyness" under the schooling of
K1DW, and lo-and-behold, she was S&Ping with the best of them.  Next thing you
know, she was answering EAs and other Spanish speaking stations in their
language.  I think they were caught off guard!  Some appeared to litterally,
freeze in their tracks!  Boy, can't wait to get her back here to help out!

Anyway, we all had a good time.  Many have commented on the poorer conditions,
which we experienced the rest of the weekend too.  Bad QRN Friday nite, but
Saturday evening was better. MAL, WF5K, who works for WWL-AM radio, helped me
for Saturday nite's graveyard shift.  Dallas, K1DW and Jim, N5HZ, pulled duty
for most of Sunday.  Rates had slowed considerably by then, I think we only
banked 600-700 Q's during the 2nd 24 hour period of the contest.

On Sunday, the only path for us to Europe on 10M was with the antenna pointed
Southeast to the Caribbean.  Gradually by late morning, the normal path
appeared, but wasn't there very long.

Thanks to my XYL for keeping everyone fed and well pampered.  Now time to rest
up for the next contest for us with CQWW PHONE in October.  By then, hope to
have made some more station improvements and hoping we're not on the Cycle 24
downside.

73,
Ted
KN5O

For Team W5RU

K1DW Dallas, K5YG Bill, K5EYK Victoria, WF5K Mal, N5HZ Jim and KN5O Ted.


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