[3830] ARRLDX CW HI/W8WTS SOAB QRP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: HI/W8WTS
Operator(s): HI/W8WTS
Station: HI/W8WTS

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: Punta Cana, Dom. Rep
Operating Time (hrs): 11

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    0     0
   80:   89    26
   40:   32    17
   20:   18    13
   15:  173    36
   10:   57    27
-------------------
Total:  369   119  Total Score = 131,733

Club: North Coast Contesters

Comments:

I enjoyed the opportunity to operate ARRL DX CW from the Dominican Republic in
2013.  Although I am a regular at PJ2T, this was my first time operating from
the Dominican Republic.  

The plan hatched as K8MR and I found that we could combine winter XYL vacation
trips with the ARRL DX CW contest weekend.  Both ham/XYL couples have
vacationed at Punta Cana resorts previously, so we knew that the vacation part
of the trip would be excellent.  The radio aspect was less well known, but we
decided to make a low-impact run at it.  

Our early week was devoted to quality time with XYLs and enjoying the Caribbean
weather.  On Wednesday, we put up some simple quarter wave radiators from the
fourth floor balcony rails to the ground, with counterpoise wires slinking down
the side of the building.  The setup was not optimal, as the antennas were
essentially blocked on three sides by other resort buildings.  Jim and I each
operated thirty minutes of the 1900Z and 0300Z CW Ops Mini Tests on 2/13 and
2/14, using Jim’s fresh new KX3.  All indications were that the system was
working.  We took Thursday off for beach/pool time and banked operating time
for the weekend.  

On Friday, we deployed 80 m and 40 m radiators from the balcony rail, with
matching counterpoise wires.  The tuner in the KX3 easily matched the system on
15 m through 80 m.  At 0000Z Saturday, the Europeans were blasting in, while USA
was weak and watery.  HI/K8MR started the contest, with QRP QSOs difficult as
workable USA stations were feeble compared to the huge Europe signals.  As more
of the USA went into darkness, USA marginally improved.  I operated the late
shift on 40 m and 80 logging 39 QSOs before QRT at 0549Z.  

We knew that Saturday morning would be useless from HI, as USA and Europe would
be climbing 20 m through 10 m together until late morning or Noon local time. 
When the north/south path picked up at mid day, HI/K8MR was ready on the beach,
with a radiator tucked under a palm beach cabana-thing and a radial buried in
the sand.  See the photos at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmgalm/sets/72157632815158355/ for engineering
details of operating ARRL DX CW from the beach at Punta Cana, Dominican
Republic.  Except for the big stations, USA signals were not commanding on
Saturday afternoon.  

Jim and I operated from the beach until the KX3 batteries died.  That signaled
the move upstairs at 1930Z to longer antennas, with 83 QSOs in my log.  We
operated all bands from the balcony antennas, operating in shifts to
accommodate dinners with respective XYLs.  I took the late shift again, with
237 QSOs logged at the 0443Z face-down-on-the-keyboard QRT.  

The daylight Sunday morning hours repeated the Saturday pattern of beach
operating at mid day.  However, USA signals were greatly improved compared to
Saturday.  HI/K8MR had some amazing rates from the beach on 10 m and 15 m; it
hardly seemed like QRP.  My best hours of the contest were on 15 m from the
beach on Sunday.  The KX3 batteries sent me to the balcony at 1947Z with 309
logged.  We operated in shifts to the end, with my QSO 369 at 2327Z.  HI/K8MR
took the last run until 0000Z Monday.  After dinner, the antennas were gathered
in a few minutes and everything was packed for the trip home on Monday morning. 


Caribbean operating is always a blast, and the QRP/Field Day twist made this
the best ARRL DX CW contest that I have had the privilege of operating in many
years.  I owe many thanks to two patient and understanding XYLs for sharing
their winter vacation with a DX contest, and many thanks to Jim, K8MR for
sharing the work and for use of his neat-as-anything KX3 transceiver.


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