[3830] ARRL 160 N1CC Single Op LP

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                    ARRL 160-Meter Contest

Call: N1CC
Operator(s): N1CC
Station: N1CC

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: North Texas
Operating Time (hrs): 16

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 327  Sections = 58  Countries = 4  Total Score = 41,292

Club: North Texas Contest Club

Comments:

FT-990 100W, ClrDSP Audio Filter, MFJ 1026 Noise Cancellation using 43' Vertical
as noise antenna.  Transmit and Receive Antenna:  Inverted L mounted at 9' above
ground to 60' vertical height, sloping top 64' long to 50' level on station
tower (wire ends 40' from tower) two 135' long elevated 8-10' radials, one
north and one south.

This is first attempt from new location, with much more sophistication needed
to have 160M play right.  Immediate plans for more elevated radials and a
current choke at the base of Inverted L.  Have to determine what receive
antenna solution will be.  Noise level on Inverted L was usually 10 dB over
nine and is power line sourced.  Not enough time to get the CO-OP (TVEC) out to
work on the noise source.  Noise not a problem on 80M and above.  All of the
filtering and noise source antenna could not solve the noise well enough, there
were at least 60 different stations that called me that I could not pull through
the BAD noise level.

Last year was from old QTH 40 miles west of here, and was using DX-LB at 40'
apex.  That same antenna here would not work and has been trashed.  Last year
the results were my previous "best" from NTX on 160 at 12K points,
134 QSOs and 41 Sections adn 3 DX countries ... 160 has always been hard for me
to do well since moving back from ENY in 1998.

Now, this new score is a "personal best" more than double the results
ever attained in NTX.  I think the noise was the main limiting factor, with the
conditions less than ideal.  I worked EVERY DX station that I heard (ZF, C6,
XE, and PJ2) during the contest, I have been able to hear KH6, KL7, JA and some
EU .... nothing heard this contest from those places!  My conclusion is that the
propagation was less than optimal and combined with noise resulted in a lower
score than I was hoping to make.  Only sections heard, but not able to work
were ME, SF, and SCV.  While I worked several WWA, MT, WY, ID, and UT from W7
no others heard, nor was VE7 and most of 6-Land - usually strong here.  The 1st
Call area was equally difficult, K1LZ could not hear me, only worked CT, EMA,
and WMA.

NTX was very active, and I am thankful that the closest NTX station is usually
at least 100 miles away, even then, some of them were very loud and made it
hard to find "open" frequencies.  

See everyone next weekend on 10 Meters!


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