[3830] CQWW SSB W6PH SOAB HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB

Call: W6PH
Operator(s): W6PH
Station: W6PH

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Lone Pine CA (Inyo)
Operating Time (hrs): 38.2

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:    7     4        4
   80:   61    17       29
   40:  277    28       65
   20:  367    34       96
   15:  893    34      102
   10:  471    28       98
------------------------------
Total: 2076   145      394  Total Score = 3,112,186

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments:

Equipment:  IC781 - AL1200
Antennas:
160m Inv L (sort of)
80m  Slopers below 3L 20 and 2L 40
40m  40-2CD at 60 feet (AB-577 mast #1)
20m  3L yagi at 60 feet (AB-577 mast #2)
15m  5L yagi at 55 feet (AB-577 mast #3)
10m  A3S at 45 feet (secondary antenna on 20 and 15)

My score is 15 per cent higher than last year despite band conditions that
seemed worse than last year.  Activity level is probably at an all time high. 
Conditions on 160m were non-existent.  I checked the band often and almost
nothing there.  80m reminded me of 160m in past years with weak signals and 40m
reminded me of 80m in past years with lots of repeats on European contacts.  I
concentrated on 10m on Saturday in case the propagation deteriorated there on
Sunday.  My impression is that this occurred as the atmospheric background
noise was higher and signals seemed weaker on Sunday.  Fifteen meters was the
productive band with lots of Asian contacts as well as lots of multipliers. 
For the first time in my memory I had some very good sustained runs to Europe
on 15m and it was hard to decide whether to run or look for multipliers.  If
someone moved in close to the frequency I was using making it difficult to make
out callers, I would abandon running and tune across the band for new contacts
as well as multipliers.  (I refrain from using the term "my frequency" as no
one owns a frequency.)

I had put up my antennas for the Cal QSO Party and left them up for this
contest.  All my antennas are temporary except for the A3S.  I usually take
them down after a contest but I was traveling and didn't have a chance.  These
AB-577 masts are perfect for my level of contesting and I don't have to climb
and they are easy to erect and raise.

It was easy to decide when to sleep as the low bands became non-productive with
limited propagation and very few new stations showing up.

I had two Murphy's that were minimal.  On Saturday my 15m yagi rotator brake
wouldn't disengage despite trying to rock it.  So I left it pointing on Europe
until the afternoon when I was able to move it manually from the base to Asia
for that opening.  The A3S was used for the other directions.  For some reason
it started working on Sunday.  That was one reason that I concentrated on 10m
on Saturday.  That yagi is significantly better than my A3S for getting replies
to calls.

The other issue is the T/R relay in my AL1200 which is leaving the operating
bias on during receive causing noise in the receiver intermittently.  The
solution was to rock the OP-STBY switch until the green LED extinguished.  This
AL1200 is an original one with a two digit serial number and has been extremely
reliable over the years.

My location is in the high desert of California and I have Mt Whitney (14,500
feet) directly six miles west of my QTH (4,600 feet) and I have a tough time to
the Pacific.  However my takeoff angle from northwest clockwise to south is very
low across the Owens Valley and I have no local noise.  It is a great location.

I have been through five sunspot cycles.  This one seems to be the lowest for
propagation.  Hopefully the next one will be better as it will be my last one. 
I am noticing advancing age as I do a lot more duplicate checking before calling
when I was previously able to remember calls and mults.  I switched to N1MM from
CT this year to be able to comply with the five day submission limit due to
floppy drive problems with my DOS computer.  I am not comfortable with N1MM
yet. Notwithstanding all these issues I had a ton of fun.  I have no idea how
you can explain the rush we get to people who are not competitive.

A lot more information than you wanted!!  

73, Kurt, W6PH


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