[3830] WAE CW K9GY/VP9 Single Op LP

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                    WAE DX Contest, CW

Call: K9GY/VP9
Operator(s): K9GY
Station: K9GY/VP9

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: FM72pi
Operating Time (hrs): 33

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  QTCs  Mults
-------------------------
   80:   73          30
   40:  252   170    42
   20:  507   670    49
   15:  207   200    40
   10:    3           3
-------------------------
Total: 1042  1040   164  Total Score = 895,260

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

Thanks for all the QSOs! Beat 2014 score so that's good....less Qs, more mults
this year. Helps to pay attention to mult window, hah! Fighting propagation
most of the weekend which messed up my off time plans. I believe I solved the
mystery of WAE off times...although figured it out DURING the contest... not
BEFORE the contest! Mults are 430 once multiplied out. 

A thousand Qs was looking good although the dreaded 1 million total score
ceiling is still there! Was 244 Qs from 1 million points (assuming no more
mults). That's only 7.5 more Qs per hour over approx 33 hours! Thanks to TF3DC
for 20m mult with 22 mins left. Had a storm roll through here in the last 1.5
hours so increased QRN right during final 40/80 push. Decided to skip 80m and
go to 20m in order to send last QTCs. Was able to send 40 QTCs in the last 55
mins or so....was almost thinking I wouldn't be able to get buyers for them!
Glad that worked out! 

I thought VP9 was much closer to DL but quick numbers say it might only be
about 470 miles closer than Chicago?!....seems strange...going to have to check
that. 

Had s8-s9 QRN on 80m first night. I put on my thinking cap for the second
night! Used the 160m dipole as an improvised beverage to lower QRN. Worked
pretty well and made more Qs/Ms on second night. Tried a last blast with 10
mins left in the contest hoping for some more mults on 80m but no such luck. 

Best story of the contest: Day 1 @ 11z (opg 15m) the power from FT-857D drops
down to 40w/60w. Thought maybe I fried something?! Took off the covers...didn't
see anything burnt! Put covers back on...let it sit a little then OK. Maybe an
antenna issue? Started acting up again. Noticed the lighting on front panel was
flashing now... usually does not do that! Fortunately I display the voltage on
the control head. Noticed voltage was dropping from 13.9 to 8.9v... Finally
determined the power cord was either loose or bad. Swapped out with a new cord
(always good to have extras!) and then all was well. For a moment I thought the
contest was finished for me. Who said an appliance operator can't debug a
problem and fix it, hah! 

Need WriteLog to add another window showing RBN. Show only spots for my call.
Window would have station spotting, freq, SNR, WPM, and time. That would be
great to see how the band / antennas are real time during a contest without
having to look it up on the RBN website. Also WL needs to decide if it's going
to use T (for zero) in both (or neither) the time and serial number (not just
the serial number)...It's annoying when a station doesn't send a serial number
then WL QTC sends "TTT"...can it just be ONE zero instead?  

Congrats to 3 five band-ers (in time sequence): HG7T, CR2X, and OR2F. Spent a
lot (too much?!) time on Day 2 trying to get something more than three Qs out
of 10m but no luck! Did I miss something there?!   

Amazing how many USA stations called during the contest. Yo buddy it's a
EUROPEAN contest... Let's work BEFORE or AFTER the contest not DURING the
contest! Read the rules will ya! 

Nice to see WRTC qualifying event increased participation. Brought my VHF rover
CW paddle which is smaller than a Bencher....mistake! My apologies to all the
hacks I made with the paddle this weekend, ugh! Skimmer spots makes it easier
to find a hole in order to call CQ... who needs a pan adapter?! 

Looking back on the contest it was fun ...but during the contest I might have
had a different feeling, hah! 

We really have a great hobby!  

All the best.... CQ CONTEST! 
Eric /VP9 
Hamilton Parish, Bermuda


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