[3830] MnQP ND0C Single Op QRP

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                    Minnesota QSO Party

Call: ND0C
Operator(s): ND0C
Station: ND0C

Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: NOB
Operating Time (hrs): 8:16

Summary:
 Band  CW-RTTY Qs  Ph Qs
-------------------------
  160:      0         1
   80:     11        15
   40:     28        80
   20:     52        86
   15:      0        27
   10:      0         0
    6:                 
    2:                 
  UHF:                 
-------------------------
Total:     91       209  Mults = 90  Total Score = 35,190

Club: Minnesota Wireless Assn

Comments:

I'm glad I set aside the time to operate this year - had a lot of fun (and not
too many distractions).  I tried to find a happy medium between working
counties and out-of-state stations.  I was pleasantly surprised to work several
other QRP stations.  I had pretty good luck running on SSB with small,
manageable pile-ups for the semi-rare NOB mult. 15 was sporadic at best, but 20
and 40 were pretty good.  It was very difficult to find a spot to run on 20 SSB
with all the other QSO parties and the normal weekend activity. 

The pile-ups on CW were pretty big at times and I was fighting a timing problem
with my computer generated CW during a nice run on 20.  I had opened up the RBN
site early in the contest to see how I was getting out, and just forgot about
it.  But apparently when it updates, it messes up my logging program's CW
timing.   My transmitted CW would fluctuate between about 12 wpm and 25 wpm in
the middle of a transmission, or even an individual character.  It was a mess
until I discovered the cause and closed the webpage.  - I'm much more
comfortable with pile-ups on SSB than CW anyway, and the sending errors really
made things a big stressful.  - My apologies to all the out-of-state guys
trying to work me!

Aside from the CW software glitch, I really had fun.  It was a blast to run the
out-of-station stations, but also nice to work so many MN stations.  

Thanks to everybody for the Qs!

The ND0C "super-station":
   Yaesu FT-897D running 5 watts out
   Wilson SY-3 three element tribander Yagi at 48'
   Inverted vee with apex at 45' fed with ladderline
   Heil mic
   N3FJP logging software (love it, except for the CW transmit glitch!)

73,
Randy, ND0C

You don't have to be crazy to contest with QRP ... but it helps.

Dirty Harry: "A man's got to know his limitations."


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