[3830] ARRLDX CW M5O(G3LET) SOSB/160 HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: M5O
Operator(s): G3LET
Station: G3LET

Class: SOSB/160 HP
QTH: IO91VB
Operating Time (hrs): 20

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:  152    34
   80:           
   40:           
   20:           
   15:           
   10:           
-------------------
Total:  152    34  Total Score = 15,504

Club: 

Comments:

This was really one for the masochists, especially if operating from southern
UK.  Olof G0CKV (M5E) has linked an excellent and highly descriptive piece on
the exceptional weather conditions to his SO 160 posting, which is recommended
reading.

Here in Sussex we are 20 miles from the coast and everything was a little less
extreme, although there were several 60mph squalls during the first night,
which caused the VSWR meter to swing wildly.

All my high band antennas were seen off by our December storms and the only
remaining radiator is a 250ft wire, sloping down to the shack from a 155ft
sequoia.  This runs over a pulley, weighted by a substantial log to counteract
over 20 ft of movement at the tree top in heavy winds.  The rig is a single
K3/P3/KPA500 running 400w.

So, on 160m, things started pretty slowly on Saturday morning and didn't pick
up until around 05.00 when signal levels started to improve. Despite diligent
searching, nothing was heard west of the zero states until daybreak, when a
propagation peak just provided a window for a good QSO with N7GP in AZ, before
the band faded out.  Apart from Jeff VY2ZM who was often as strong as many of
the europeans, signals were pretty scratchy all night.

The second night was much worse than the first and the last few hours before
midnight on Sunday produced nothing other than (again) good signals from Jeff
and some scratchy CQs from K3LR and W3LPL, who didn't sound as if they were
getting many takers.  

Misses from the workable areas were DC, AL and IL(!).  Plenty of 8's but all in
OH . . .

Still, despite the weather and a pretty pathetic result, this was an enjoyable
event.  Thanks to all who called or responded.

73, Peter G3LET (M5O)


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