[3830] ARRL 160 NO3M Single Op HP

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                    ARRL 160-Meter Contest

Call: NO3M
Operator(s): NO3M
Station: NO3M

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: WPA
Operating Time (hrs): 31
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 1544  Sections = 81  Countries = 42  Total Score = 441,078

Club: North Coast Contesters

Comments:

Strong start w/ 541 logged in the first four hours (178/141/112/110 rates, best
60-min 181/hr), but things started gradually slowing from there.  It got tiring
trolling up and down the band on the second radio, but picked up a few mults and
fresh meat.  Experimented with a Softrock Ensemble SDR and highly modified
version of SDR-shell to get a bird's eye view of the band at all times
(waterfall), hoping any pile-up activity would be identifiable, but the SDR was
being overloaded on transmit using a Hi-Z style vertical, so was only seeing the
band activity between transmissions.  Situation was better when splitting one of
the beverage arrays to the SDR.

No significant runs to EU, mostly just trickling, 157 worked, Saturday best
night here.  No VK/ZL or JA either morning.  166 5-pointers total.  Missed AK
and NT.  Working WTX was an epic event... heard a weak caller Sunday morning. 
After many repeats finally pulled WR5O and WTX out!  WOW!  Just as exciting as
any new DX mult!!  Thanks WR5O for sticking with it.  I believe he was running
QRP.  The band exhibited quite pronounced QSB on weak signals, often took some
patience to pull a QSO off, but persistence paid 95% of the time.  And of
course, anytime a couple letter were missed, QSB continued to take the same
letters out each repeat...argh!

Acom 2S1 commutator stopped working before the contest, so swapped in a Top Ten
A/B switch driven by the PTT lines to toggle radios to the shared amp / antenna.
 Worked well, but prefer the Acom unit as it has hotswitch protection using
inhibit lines, etc.

Always nice to work Topband friends, domestic and DX.  Hope things perk up a
bit more for Stew Perry in a few weeks.

73 Eric NO3M

2x K3, MK2R+, SO2R+3RX
AL-1500 amp
Four Square TX antenna + omni
1000x300 ft broadside beverage arrays E, SE, S, SW, W
1000x600 ft broadside beverage array (3-element) NE
12000ft Staggered (echelon) beverage arrays N, NW
BSEF 8-circle


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