[3830] CQWW SSB VA7ST SOAB HP

[webform at b41h.net]

                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB

Call: VA7ST
Operator(s): VA7ST
Station: VA7ST

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: BC
Operating Time (hrs): 29

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:                    
   80:   65     5        4
   40:  246    20       48
   20:  475    28       71
   15:  504    26       73
   10:  504    22       59
------------------------------
Total: 1794   101      255  Total Score = 1,550,736

Club: Orca DX and Contest Club

Comments:

* FT-2000 + SB221 (SO1R, unassisted)
* N1MM Logger 
* 3 ele. Steppir @ 40'
* 40M Steppir dipole @ 40'
* 40M 2-element reversible quad, fixed Europe/ZL
* 2 x 80M verticals

It was a tough slog from this far west -- 40M was not kind to us over the pole,
and 75M was noisy even with receive antennas. Heard the VE7 big guns (SV and GL)
working stations I couldn't hear at all.

Saturday was far better than Sunday, particularly on 10M, which didn't open to
Europe for very long at all as the aurora blossomed.

Been fighting a miserable cold for weeks now, on and off, but it was on again
this week. Managed to go the entire contest without once coughing into a live
mic. Amazing suppression skills :) Little naps once in a while and hot lemon
tea all weekend saved me.

Ended up beating last year in 1.5 fewer hours, but didn't get close to my 2M
point target mostly due to the lousy European path on Sunday.

 Band     QSOs     Pts   ZN  Cty
   3.5      65     125    5    4
     7     246     534   20   48
    14     475    1198   28   71
    21     504    1258   26   73
    28     504    1241   22   59
 Total    1794    4356  101  255
Score: 1,550,736

Annual progress...

2012: 1794   101   255 1,550,736  SFI=131  A= 4 K=1
2011: 1604   105   243 1,307,088  SFI=126  A= 4 K=2
2010: 1156    82   158   637,440  SFI= 86  A= 4 K=1
2009: 1030    61   130   434,525  SFI= 74  A=17 K=4
2008: 1080    73   154   559,101  SFI= 68  A= 1 K=0
2007:  349    54    97   123,367  SFI= 67  A=14 K=4
2004:  167    38    61    39,303
2003:   46    11    22     4,356
2002:   12     8     9       493

Even with the amp at full tilt, I felt like a wimp on 40M trying to work Europe
and Southeast Asia with a rotary dipole and a Europe-pointing stationary quad,
neither of which has useful height. 

Happily, fewer DX stations were withholding IDs to "manage the pileup," but a
few offenders continue. Got a problem with dupe rates? Just ID more often.

Had lots of fun and didn't over-do things when the bands were weak. Got plenty
of rest and tried hard when I was in the chair.

Now for two flavors of Sweeps, and toss the mic in a drawer for CQWW CW (can't
wait!).

-- Bud VA7ST


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