[3830] CQWW CW K1LT SOAB HP

[webform at b41h.net]

                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Ohio EM89ps
Operating Time (hrs): 39.5
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  112    16       49
   80:  199    23       71
   40:  276    29       90
   20:  311    32       91
   15:  631    31       94
   10:  329    25       87
------------------------------
Total: 1858   156      482  Total Score = 3,355,242

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

Mad River Radio Club Team #1

For any contest, I have always at least two goals: use recently
completed station improvement projects and beat last year's score.
For the 2012 CQ WW CW test, there were two new projects: a new 160
meter phased array and my distributed, automated antenna switch.

The second 160 meter phased array project was suddenly sidetracked by
an intense and insane desire to have a second tribander available to
keep the sub-receiver in the K3 in use at all times.  I have a small
10 meter beam half way up the tower pointed at the Caribbean, which is
great while tuning 10 meters as I can leave the main antenna pointed
at Europe or the Pacific, and just flip a switch to chase the always
numerous Caribbean and South American stations.  Last Wednesday, I
decided that I just had to have the same capability on 20 and 15.  So
I drove up to Universal and bought a Cushcraft A3S and put it on the
tower in place of the 10 meter beam.  I'll try to deploy the new
phased array for the ARRL 160 test.

The antenna switch project is designed to replace a bunch of toggle
switches and annoying wiring with a single touchscreen and switching
that routes any antenna to any receiver or transmitter.  The actual
switching is accomplished with existing 1-of-N remote antenna switches
or regular coaxial relays.  The control of switching is accomplished
with a small PCB using a micro-controller, a high-side relay driver
IC, and an Ethernet controller.  The rest of the project is software
to interpret the "wiring diagram" and present the appropriate antenna
selectors the operator.

The most complete antenna switch is a cross-point switch that enables
connecting any antenna to any radio.  However, a complete cross-point
switch for 8 antennas and 4 radios (2 RX and 2 TX) would require 32
relays and a gazillion coax connectors jumpers and connectors.  Also,
many of the possible switch settings would never be used.  So the
software part of the design allows the prudent use of just a few
relays to switch the most desirable antennas to just a few radios.  In
my case, I used one relay to switch the 40 meter antenna between the
main radio and the 2nd radio.  Another pair of relays switches the 2nd
tribander between the main TX switch and the AUX receiver input in the
K3.

So both last minute projects worked great.  The antenna switching was
perfect, although I didn't quite have enough time to get the user
interface running on the tablet computer for the touch-screen part.  I
put up with mousing around the screen to change antennas.  Mousing is
always slower than punching keys or buttons, so for the next DX
contest, I'll finish the software.

The 2nd tribander was very handy for working South America and kept my
right ear entertained for the entire weekend.  African stations would
particularly stand out from the Europeans, especially on 10 meters.
The back-scatter echo on 15 and 20 made US stations very apparent
while desirable DX didn't have much back-scatter.  I didn't hear many
echos on the main receiver in my left ear.

The challenging goal this year was beating last year's score.  I came
very close, but missed last year's 3.4 million raw score by 150,000
points.  I worked many more multipliers but the tremendous runs I had
last year didn't materialize this year.  10 meters was very poor from
here the first half of Saturday so I searched on 15.  On Sunday, 10
meters was better, but many QSOs were a struggle to decode very weak
and fading stations, much like running DX on 160.  Finally, the great
20 meter run I enjoyed for several years on Sunday afternoon didn't
happen.

I did enjoy a nice JA run both evenings on 15.  Signals were stronger
than the 2 previous years that I've had the tower and beam.

This year I managed to be on the air for 39.5 hours out of 48, which
is a record for me.  Substituting a recliner chair for the office
chair during the very dark hours keeps me from falling asleep at the
key, even though "reclining" is an awkward way of reaching the radio.
The recliner mode of operating needs more development.  I'm still in
awe of those of you who can stay upright all night long.

The surprise multiplier this year was 3B8/SM6GOR who called while I
was running on 15.  I also tripped over 5T0SP who didn't have a
pile-up when I heard him.

The only zone 21 station I heard went QRT in a huff because the
pile-up was a bit unruly.  I didn't hear any zone 22 at all and we all
miss ST2AR in zone 34.  I completely missed VK8 and VK9.  I forgot to
work the elusive K multiplier on 160.

160 conditions were surprisingly good Friday night and the local
noises were quiet.  Saturday night conditions were much worse and the
local noise was active.  I heard RI1ANF working an unruly pile, but he
did not respond to my calls, or if he did, I didn't hear the response
through the W3 that wouldn't stop calling.  I've never felt so
humiliated at not being heard on 160, and it took about an hour to get
out of the "I'm disgusted so I'm gonna quit" mood.

I think I have finally mastered the trick of using the XIT knob to
help crack a pile-up, although late in the contest I kept turning the
knob in the wrong direction.

I think I have also come to terms with the SO2R trick.  For much of
Friday evening, I alternated S&P between the main radio and 40 meters
on the 2nd radio.  Next year, I'll have to improve my SO2R layout to
make the operation more efficient.  For example: one screen and
keyboard for logging on both radios.  Another example: consolidated
audio switching instead of numerous toggle switches on scattered
boxes.

Equipment: K3 and ETO 91B for the main radio; IC765 and SB220 on 40
for the 2nd radio; 2 screens and 2 keyboards for logging; 3rd screen
and keyboard for 160 meter receiving and antenna switching.  Antennas:
X7 at 60 feet; A3S fixed on SA at 30 feet; 40 meter 1/4 wave vertical
on the ground over 32 radials; 80 meter "cage" around the 160 meter 65
foot "Tee" over 70 radials (some broke off); 6 2-wire Beverages every
30 degrees; 8 element broadside/end-fire phased array of short
verticals plus computer.  The 2nd 4 element broadside/end-fire array
awaits integration via software.

Worked on 6 bands: D4C, PJ4A, HK1NA, C5A, VP2V/AA7V, VE3EJ, EF5F,
PJ2T, 9A1A, DR1A, CR3L, F6KOP, LZ9W, and KH6LC.

Worked 137 different entities: 3B8, 3W, 4O, 4U1I, 4X, 5B, 5H, 5R, 5T,
5W, 6W, 6Y, 7P, 8P, 9A, 9H, 9J, 9M6, 9Y, BV, BY, C5, C6, CE, CE9, CM,
CN, CT, CT3, CU, CX, D2, D4, DL, E7, EA, EA6, EA8, EA9, EI, EL, ER,
ES, EU, F, FG, FK, FM, FS, FY, G, GI, GJ, GM, GU, GW, HA, HB, HC, HI,
HK, HL, HP, HR, I, IS, IT9, J3, J7, JA, JT, JW, K, KH0, KH2, KH6, KL,
KP2, KP4, LA, LU, LX, LY, LZ, OA, OE, OH, OH0, OK, OM, ON, OY, OZ, P4,
PA, PJ2, PJ4, PJ7, PY, PZ, S5, SM, SP, SV, SV5, T8, TA, TF, TG, TI,
TK, UA, UA2, UA9, UN, UR, V2, V3, V6, VE, VK, VP2M, VP2V, VP5, XE, YL,
YN, YO, YU, YV, Z3, Z6, ZD8, ZF, ZL, ZP, and ZS although IT9 is not a
DXCC entity and I'm not sure about Z6.


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