[3830] ARRLDX CW P40L(@P40L/P49Y) M/S HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: P40L
Operator(s): W6LD W0YK
Station: P40L/P49Y

Class: M/S HP
QTH: Aruba
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:  243    53
   80:  634    57
   40:  902    58
   20: 1142    59
   15: 1389    58
   10: 1401    58
-------------------
Total: 5711   343  Total Score = 5,872,503

Club: Northern California Contest Club

Comments:

This is our fourth time doing this contest as a multi-single and every year
poses different challenges.

This year, despite the excellent high band conditions between NAm and EU/Asia
-- or perhaps because of those conditions -- QSO rates were down significantly
from the outset.  We suspect that during substantial periods NAm stations were
busy taking advantage of the excellent conditions to work EU and Asia stations
and therefore less interested in working us here in the Caribbean.  Nothing we
did, such as more frequent band changes than in the past (with mixed results)
compensated for the fact that arrival rates were simply down by 15-20% relative
to prior years.  Noisy conditions on the low bands during much of the night
hours also contributed to lower QSO totals.

We also had some equipment issues -- both rigs had to be swapped out and worked
on during the contest and the upper leg of the 160 meter antenna came down in
the middle of the first night -- that created some distractions, although they
only had a minor effect, if any, on results as we were able to keep operating
throughout.

We had lots of fun trying to figure out how to maximize QSO and mult totals
given the conditions, although it was discouraging at times to watch as the gap
between this year's and prior years' results widened throughout the contest!

As always, thanks for all the Q's!

73,

John
W6LD


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