[3830] ARRLDX SSB KB1H M/2 HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: KB1H
Operator(s): KB1H W1UJ NB1U K1EBY NR1X AA1CE
Station: KB1H

Class: M/2 HP
QTH: CT
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   31    25
   80:  216    68
   40:  321    86
   20: 1295   110
   15: 1086   111
   10:  239    74
-------------------
Total: 3188   474  Total Score = 4,504,896

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments:

After a great time in ARRL CW we had hoped for a repeat experience in the SSB
half of this contest. We knew we had problems with the 40M beam (not
indicating)
and with the 80M 4 Square (not switching) so things did not start out as we
had hoped. Plans were to attack thhese problems in Saturday's daylight.

Fortunately as installed the 80M 4 Square defaults to Europe but this made any
other direction difficult. On 40M we have a high SWR in the SSB band and this
was made worse with radial ice on the antenna Friday night.

Starting crew was NB1U (suffering from a cold), W1UJ, and K1EBY (who
absolutely
hates SSB). KB1H was iffy as his XYL was scheduled for back surgery at 2PM
Friday afternoon. KB1H finally returned home at 11 PM to take some of the 
overnight. Most of the night it was K1EBY jumping around in 3 chairs. W1UJ and
NB1U rested some for the day to come.

Again 10M was disappointing comparing to CQWW. It was better than ARRL CW but
we probably spent more time there this weekend.

Saturday N1WK came and a few of us troubleshot the 80M problem. Nothing was
found wrong and we were hoping it was just a matter of taking apart and
putting
back together. That night proved us unlucky. Stuck on Europe again.

AA1CE came and climbed the 40M tower to fix the indicator. When calibrating
we found the drive gear and large ring gear not meshing again so we could
not rotate the beam all weekend. It was parked on Europe but SWR kept us off
the antenna most of the time.

NR1X came Saturday AM and was here until about 11PM Saturday night. He
returned
Sunday AM.

Everyone was surprised to get breakfast Sunday AM. KB1H XYL Mary felt she
needed
to get up and made us breakfast. Another of the many that support everyone's
multi-op efforts. You see this all the time in summaries. Food we had plenty.
A joke was made that if we ever go on a DXpedition for a contest we will need
a shipping container just for the crock pots! At one point we had three
going!.

15M and 20M again was the money bands. Sunday afternoon was tough on 20M.


The contest ended with a bang as XU7 was worked at 2353Z on for the final
multiplier on 20M.

The Realtime Scoring continues to drive us harder. It helps to see that you
are competitive with someone in your own class even if we are fighting for 
third or fourth.

We also did a whole bunch of QSO passing Sunday between 15M and 20M. It is
surprising how many DX stations will QSY for you.

No new problems but it was exciting to hear everyone talking about starting
our
Spring/Summer station improvements and repairs. Lots of big plans for this
year.
Not much in antennas other than repairs and adding a 40M Moxon to the 155'
tower.
Most plans involve antenna switching, rotor control, and StackMatch control.

I (KB1H) am proud of our home-grown crew and also the way they picked up the 
ball when I could not be there most of the weekend. Hour here ,hour there was
all I could do throughout the weekend with my XYL recovering from surgery. My
legs were tired walking from the house to the barn hundred times.

Thank you of all the QSOs and now we can tear the station apart like we do
every year.

73 - Dick , KB1H


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