[3830] CQWW CW N7GP(N5IA) SOSB/160 HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: N7GP
Operator(s): N5IA
Station: N5IA

Class: SOSB/160 HP
QTH: AZ - DM52
Operating Time (hrs): 17
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  286    16       34
   80:                    
   40:                    
   20:                    
   15:                    
   10:                    
------------------------------
Total:  286    16       34  Total Score = 18,700

Club: Arizona Outlaws Contest Club

Comments:

This operation was another 'shake-down' of the new location in preparation for
the upcoming 160 Meter contests.

I operated 9 hours the first night tallying 161 Qs and 8 hours the 2nd night
putting 125 more Qs in the log.  

Of the 286 Qs, 146 were with K/N/W for ZERO points.  Those needing the Zone 3
TopBand mult numbered 19 from Zone 3, 52 from Zone 4, and 75 from Zone 5.

Much time was used exercising the SO2R capability resulting in 161 Qs on Radio
1 and 125 Qs on Radio 2.

Conditions were mixed but no real long range prop from AZ.  Only one Zone 14
worked; CR2X.  The band is significantly different with the auroral zone in
play.

DX worked by prefix were 6W, 6Y, 8P, C5, C6, CM, CT3, CU, D4, EA8, EL, FM, JA,
HK, KH6, KL, KP2, KP4, LU, P4, PJ2, PJ4, PY, PZ, TI, UA9, VP2M, VP2V, VP5, XE,
YN, ZF, and 28 VE's.

I never heard VK, ZL, HL, BA or any of the exotic deep Pacific stations who are
usually active.

The highlight of the first night was the weak but steady opening to JA from
1207Z to sunup.  During the period of 1207Z to 1412Z I put 74 JA stations in
the log.  Hour 12 yielded 36, hour 13 brought 35 more, and 3 were entered for
hour 14.  JA9RRH was the last entry, a full 10 minutes after the sun had risen
over the Peloncillo Mountains 40 miles to the southeast.

During this 2 hour and 5 minute period the JA run was interrupted by one KH6,
one KL7, one XE, one UA9, and one lonely K-zero.  The longest single run of JA
stations was 41.

The highlights of night two included a quantity of pile-up busts on first call.
 And there were some downers also, like hearing HD2A for hours and not getting
through.  My only consolation was than hardly anyone else was being heard by
him.  

The only other mult I missed, that I heard, was one Caribbean area that was
ripping along at ~ 45 WPM working east coast and EU at 5 Q's per minute for
about 30 minutes; and then he was GONE.  Such is the fate when one chases the
Single Op AB operations.

Another highlight was after everyone else had given up on EL2A, and after
multiple dozens of calls at various times over a 2-3 hour period, he finally
responded to my call.  Yeahhhhh.

The 'shake-down' of the station is rated a B+.  The TX antenna is A+, the RX
antennas are A-, and the station setup is at best a C-.  I discovered a keying
problem once into the contest.  The keying was erratic at higher speeds from
the N1MM macros.  

Keying was FB from the paddles, Micro-keyer memories and the keyboard but
something was/is amiss from the F-key macros.  Consequently most of both nights
was spent sending CQ's a ~20 WPM.  Got to get that one figured out before ARRL
160 next weekend.  I spent about 5 hours the first night trying different
reconfigurations, but all to no avail.

Thanks to all those that called in.  I apologize to those I didn't hear and get
into the log.  There were some very weak ones.

If anyone reading this report heard/worked this station and can comment on my
TX signal reference other Zone 3 stations I would appreciate a report direct to
my E-mail address.  Thanks in advance.

CU all in ARRL 160 next weekend.  73 for now de Milt, N5IA, op at N7GP.


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