[3830] ARRL Sep VHF KB8U SO 3B LP

[webform at b4h.net]

                    ARRL September VHF QSO Party

Call: KB8U
Operator(s): KB8U
Station: KB8U

Class: SO 3B LP
QTH: Michigan
Operating Time (hrs): 14

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
    6:  73     33
    2:  71     33
  222:           
  432:  40     23
  903:           
  1.2:           
  2.3:           
  3.4:           
  5.7:           
  10G:           
  24G:           
-------------------
Total:  89    184  Total Score = 19,936

Club: MICHIGAN VHF-UHF SOCIETY

Comments:

I got on 432 after a two year absence.  I was planning on a return to 222 too,
but didn't quite make it before the contest started so I operated the 3-band
category with a new Icom IC-7100 plus a 432 tower mounted amp.  I wish I had a
bit more experience with the rig because it wasn't until 1 hour before the
contest ended that I discovered that I had the speech compressor dialed all the
way down.  That didn't help my score!  It only runs 50 watts on 2m, I could have
used a brick to bring it up 3db to the contest maximum.

Propagation highlights:
I worked a couple of Florida stations on 6m Es on SSB, a bit unusual for
September.  I decided to tune below 50.1 to see if there were any more on CW
and came across CX2TQ on 50.125.  I think it was an Es to TEP path, not direct.
 6 more South America stations from Uruguay and Argentina made it in the log
over 45 minutes.  The opening was strong, I heard N8XA work one of them with
just 5 watts output!  I also heard several South America beacons. I only picked
up 3 grid squares so it didn't have a dramatic affect on the score but it sure
was fun.

Tropo was the usual mixed bag with the exception of a surprise opening to EM73
at 891 km on all three bands.  Also worked W2SZ/1 FN32 at 928km on 2 and 432.

I was hoping the aurora would happen during the contest but no Au propagation
was heard.  The X class solar flare no doubt enabled the opening to LU and CX
on 6, though, so I'm not complaining!


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/