[3830] TBDC PA5MW Single Op HP

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                    Stew Perry Topband Challenge

Call: PA5MW
Operator(s): PA5MW
Station: PA5MW

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: JO21
Operating Time (hrs): 8.3

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 209  Total Score = 703

Club: 

Comments:

Field-day setup at a remote farm, two call-signs sharing a single antenna.

We decided to test a combination of our (ex-DDR/Y22) multi-segment Dural mast
with a 15m DJ6NI glasfiber pole. 
The Dural mast was built and guyed to a height of 10m, taking several hours of
the day. The 15m heavy-duty-5mm thick wall glasfiber mast was mounted along the
outside, seated on the lower gin-pole mast-clip-on-guy-wheel.
Fully extended, the fiber mast would swing violently on the typical farm-QTH
winds, so we lowered the top section partly, closing the top guying points
closer making it stronger.
At 23m AGL we had mounted a bifilar Un-Un on a K-toroid and two dipole legs
ending at 9m height using separte support poles (making it an Inverted-Vee).
Two starting lengths of 42m each tuned Xc=0 at 1672 KHz for sure. Several cuts
of 3m30 total at each leg would bring it up to 1822.  
Why not a vertical or inverted L?  Well, we are in *experimenting mode* for the
dutch Young Lady Contesters (PI4YLC), preparing for their next RDX contest in
March. Since our former clubstation PI4TUE (University of Technology Eindhoven)
went QRT, we decided to do something else for a couple of years. 
Ham Radio contesting is both about FUN and 'getting better at it'. 
That second one requires not only operating skills but doing a lot of hardware
testing for optimization of the station. Since team-dynamics define that you
have members which rather design&built than actually operate, they have
their share of fun (and challenges) too.
For PI4YLC the next step-up challenge is adding a Multiplier station, both in
and out-band. 
Rens, PA3FGA(our design-tech) arranged a second Elecraft K3, a KPA500+KAT500,
some 4O3A hardware and built some additional switching stuff to make a
two-station setup with interlock features, sharing one amp +ATU to a single TX
antenna. In just two months that is.
We had decided just recently to participate in the Stew with two different
stations to test/debug this.  PI4YLC using their own full station setup and
PA5MW at the second full setup. It was just a simple matter of running seperate
N1MM+ logs with no network connection. And a very long table to ensure ones own
single station setup.
The QTH holds a 20ft RX vertical in the woods, tuned for 160m and used as a
remote RX in a very past. That needed some servicing 'attention' being some
60Hz offset, which IS a big deal for such a short antenna. The groundpost was
dug up and the four radials cleaned and re-connected. The pole must have been
totally oxidized as the Rs would not drop below 150 Ohms. Something for next
time as it was getting dark and we were using flashlights in the woods.
A full K9AY antenna setup was  pre-arranged, but since we now had arrived in
total darkness already it had to be abandoned. Another result of this
enthusiastic last-minute planning. Initially we would go only for a 3x SDR
receiving setup, recording the SP from different RX antennas and compare it
later at home.
The shack needed a zillion cables for the interlocking, dual station TX setup
and sharing the local RX antenna + front-end protection switching. After
debugging one single cable the whole setup worked fabulous! At our start it was
already evening, 2 hours in the contest. Missed VK6VZ which was earlier heard
loud, but we had no TX yet. 
During the contest PI4YLC (operated by Chantal PA5YL) and PA5MW (me) took
shifts in operating full running our station vs S&P, were we would do the
old-fashioned hand gesture  if we would find a station on the band to work. In
the few seconds RX time between CQ's there was some time to listen and find the
next station. Surely not a preferredwinning station setup, but still an ideal
opportunity to do the much needed hardware testing.
Congratulations to our tech Rens/PA3FGA as it worked flawlessly!
I used diversity RX between the low TX dipole and the small tuned RX antenna on
the K3 which worked very well once both were proper balanced on the K3.

Highlights of the contest (PA5MW log only): a first hour 60 Q's and second 53
Q's. Max 10min rate 162, first USA: W1UE at 21:32, in total 16 US stations wkd,
another 6 hrd.
Low-lights; condx not very good as we missed many Asian/JA and the VK6 just
before my start. Due to the spent energie building the whole station on boxing
day, I had to quit at 05:26 UTC and fell asleep instantly for an hour or so.

Chantal, operating the second station as PI4YLC,  used those left morning hours
to her best with some fine runs.  She had started some two hours later than me
the day before and almost caught up with me.

Final score  PI4YLC 178 QSO's vs PA5MW 209 QSO's. A nice result, sharing an
inverted Vee TX antenna on Topband.
The remaining day was needed to disassemble the whole station and antenna,
transport stuff home, eat 'something warm' and after a shower drop in bed to
sleep 13.5 hrs in one stint.

All in all a very succesful weekend this first ever Stew Perry.
I am sure in the future Christmas days will never be the same again.

73 Mark, PA5MW

Antenna TX: Inverted Vee @23m AGL
Antenna RX: omni-directional 20ft wire tuned to 1822 (50m distance to TX
antenna)
Power output: 400W (KPA500)
operating hours: 8.3



Thanks to: Rens/PA3FGA, Claudia/PD5AX, Chantal/PA5YL, Farm Family for their
excellent location


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