[3830] CQ160 CW K1HTV Single Op LP

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                    CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW

Call: K1HTV
Operator(s): K1HTV
Station: K1HTV

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 24:45

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 823  State/Prov = 56  Countries = 41  Total Score = 250,260

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

Radio: Elecraft K3
Antennas: 
Shunt fed, guyed house-bracketed 77 ft. Rohn #25 tower 
with triband yagi as capacitive top hat and 8 quarter wave radials
35 ft high, Inverted-L (works FB on high angle QSOs)
Bi-directional 500+ ft Beverages (NE-SW, E-W & N-S)

Comments:
With the solar flux hovering around or below the 100 mark, Topband conditions
were great both nights, even with a K Index of 4 on the 2nd night. I spent the
first 2 hours of the contest calling CQ at the bottom of the band. The rate
meter showed my best 1 hour rate of 114, with peak 10 minute rates of 168/HR.
Did some S&P around 00Z for an hour at a good clip, picking off the guys who
only call CQ as well as a half dozen DX mults. At 01Z I went back  to calling
CQ for another hour before settling down to hunting for DX mults until the last
European sunrise had passed the UK. It paid off with over 5 dozen DX QSOs in the
K1HTV log the first night. 

The second night didn't get started until after 00Z, when I returned home from
our church's spaghetti supper with my Ham family, XYL K1WSN, son K1RA, his XYL
KZ1AMY & our 8 year old granddaughter (no call yet). Worked mostly NA and some
SA stations before the band opened up to more European DX. With the K-Index at
4, it was interesting to hear EY8MM calling CQ for about 10 minutes with best
sigs on the E-W Beverage. W2GD & W3BGN with their KWs and me with my 100 watts
called and called but Nodir didn't hear us. The band opened up well again to
the east as the sunrise swept across European countries, with another three
dozen 10 pointers in the K1HTV log. Added a couple dozen more QSOs in the last
90 minutes before the contest ended at 22:00Z. The extra Q's raised the K1HTV
score to my quarter of a million point goal. I wonder why so many PVRCers ended
the contest early and posted their scores at sunrise instead of after the
contest. Guess they had other plans for their Sunday afternoon.

Managed to work 41 countries in 56 States/VE Provinces. DX countries were
heard, but not worked, including EY8, 5N, 4U1ITU, SM, UZ & OH. Worked all
States but MT. Also did not hear Alaska, VE4, VE5 or any of the rare VE8/VY0
mults. 

Now I'm warmed up for the ARRL CW DX contest at the 160M position at W3LPL. See
you in the pileups.

73,
Rich - K1HTV


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