[3830] Salmon Run N7WA/M MobileCW LP

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                    Washington State Salmon Run

Call: N7WA/M
Operator(s): K7ND N7WA
Station: N7WA/M

Class: MobileCW LP
QTH: 
Operating Time (hrs): 

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Dig Qs
----------------------------
  160:    0     0       0
   80:    5     0       0
   40:  121     0       0
   20:  431     0       0
   15:  134     0       0
   10:    0     0       0
    6:    0     0       0
    2:    0     0       0
----------------------------
Total:  691     0       0  Mults = 72  Total Score = 149,256

Club: Western Washington DX Club

Comments:

There is one thing to describe doing a contest as a mobile... It's never
boring. If the Q's are slow, the scenery is always changing. Then there are
those moments when something unexpected seems to happen. Sometimes good,
usually bad <grin>.
		  
We had our share of the bad things this trip. RF in the cab of the truck
was problematic this year. It required me to reboot the computer a number of
times in the middle of a run. At the very end of the test, I couldn't run more
than 2-3 Q's before a lockup so I just switched to manual logging and keying
for the last hour. The antenna had a few fits and starts. The motor in the coil
housing wouldn't move a couple times for several minutes, then came alive. RF
was getting into that controller as well. I had changed whips, going to one
with an eggbeater for the first part of the trip. I never felt things worked as
well and on the ferry over the Columbia River, I switched back to the straight
whip (which I fortunately brought) and I honestly believe things were better
from then on.
		  
Good things happened too. Our trip this year took us clockwise around the
eastern part of the state. The roads were great, we didn't need to backtrack
across any county's, and things timed out very well. I helped one gentleman get
Ferry County. He was down to his last 6 counties for working them all. Now it's
just 5. I was worried about the lack of DX, but it all started coming in once I
changed that whip (or was it my imagination). I made my first 80M Q's as a
mobile and I kept my word that I would attempt 40M in every county this time
around. (I know there is one very happy VE5 who got me in most of them.)
I guess I missed out on 10M. Didn't even bother trying.
		  
We had a great visit and dinner with Steve K7AWB and his wife Peggy W7PEG in
Spokane. They were our mid-trip hosts and gave us a place to crash after a long
first day. I can't thank them enough.
		  
The score is down slightly. We had 10 more Q's but a couple fewer mults. There
is always room for improvement and I'm already working on some changes. The
total trip was 1020 miles this year. I highly recommend driving it even if not
in a contest. As a die-hard Western Washington resident, there is some amazing
country on the east side and it's worth the time to check it out during the
Fall season. Thanks to those who followed us. K5LH came out on top with 21 Q's
(weaker than well-water sometimes) and N6MU was there pretty strongly for 20.
Wish I had recognized the Club call JA1YNE (11 Q's) was my good friend Atsushi
JR1NKN/W7KN - would have said hi!
		  
Last but not least, Jim K7ND came with me and drove me all day Saturday on his
birthday. He doesn't operate but he gets me there and back safely and is great
company along the way. Maybe again next year?

cheers
dink, n7wa


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