[3830] CQ160 CW K0TV Single Op Assisted HP

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                    CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW

Call: K0TV
Operator(s): K0TV
Station: K0TV

Class: Single Op Assisted HP
QTH: FN42hr
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 1019  State/Prov = 56  Countries = 54  Total Score = 414,260

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments:

This year the traditional operating team here decided to go it from home so I
decided to do a SO(A) effort. I'm not as good at scanning the band while
calling CQ as some of the other operators that have run here. I've found that
the trick of using the spotting tools like packet cluster and skimmer are that
a significant number of calls from both sources are bad. Then there are the
spotting wars that some people fall into.

My Drake L-7 power supply fried during the ARRL 160 contest but I decided to
upgrade it with a Harbach diode/capacitor board. The upgrade not only runs
cooler but there's a bit more output from the amp. It now does just about 1400
watts on 160. The amp runs just as cool as before but the power supply needs a
small fan to blow off the heat in the bleeder resistors. I can't speak highly
enough of the Harbach board and the upgrade. I've owned this L-7 since new and
it's a real winner. While I was at it, I replaced the burned out bulbs behind
the meters and it looks a great as it works now.

A few last minute "honeydo" list items kept me from starting promptly at 2200Z
but I dove right in as soon as they were satisfied.

For operating, I was surprised to get WY as my very first state in the 7th call
area and ended up working 49 states missing only AK. I think OR was my last
state to finish 7 land. Surprisingly VT and RI came after WY and UT. Many
European stations were quite strong here this year and it was a pleasure to see
"great ears!tnx" on one of the European spots. Mike, N1IW, made me a balun a few
years ago for an Off Center Fed Dipole which I have been using here as my
primary antenna. The phased inverted Ls won't stay up long here in the New
England winters. Looking back against last year's Multi effort, I was suprised
to get not only more mults but more Qs as well. Not as much sleep as I'd like
but managed to stay put behind the radio without falling asleep calling CQ (I
think we've all done that a few times).

I'll probably get on for the SSB running but not as serious as CW. Thanks to
everyone who called in hope to see everyone in ARRL DX.

73, Jerry


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