[3830] DL-DX RTTY AB1J SOAB-24-Dipole LP

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                    DL-DX RTTY Contest

Call: AB1J
Operator(s): AB1J
Station: AB1J

Class: SOAB-24-Dipole LP
QTH: Waltham, MA
Operating Time (hrs): 17:17

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Pts   Mults
-------------------------
   80:                 
   40:   48   415    26
   20:  111  1135    40
   15:  126  1425    43
   10:                 
-------------------------
Total:  285  2975   109  Total Score = 324,275

Club: 

Comments:

I had a free July 4th weekend and my friend Fred, KK4HEG, mentioned this contest
so I decided to take advantage of the dipole category.  At my station
"Dipoles 'R' Us" and this is step beyond the WPX Tribander/Wires
category.

Of course, I was lumped in with the high power guys and gals and those with
normal dipoles (outside and off the ground), so maybe I'll get my clock cleaned
but what the hey...  It was still a great opportunity.

Conditions were average and activity a bit sparse from the USA because this was
our Independence Day weekend.  There were a lot of US entries in the convenient
6 hour category.

This was my best test so far of GRITTY, which performed well.  Its biggest
problem is the lack of an audio level control, so if I run it along with all my
other soundcard software, it's way overloaded and won't decode.  I kludged a way
to reduce the audio and then it worked fine running on Smart and WPX contest
modes.  It's still not well integrated into N1MM+.  I could click on calls, but
not on serial numbers.

N1MM+ still needs more work before it's ready for serious RTTY contesting.  I
always run the latest N1MM+ version but had to struggle with it all weekend and
it crashed twice.  I never had similar difficulties with N1MM Classic. I sure
hope it's ready for the CQ-WW-RTTY in September, otherwise it's back to the
Classic version which I park out in the garage next to my Stutz Bearcat.  

Some random stuff:

KH6ZM always hears me and works me.  I think I could work him with my coax
running to a grapefruit hanging out the window.  Thank you for so many QSOs and
mults.

After I passed serial number 100, a lot of people didn't believe me and my
repeat request rate went way up.  Guess my signal didn't sound very
authoritative.  Folks say little stations should ACT LOUD, but apparently I'm
not much of a thespian.

I successfully worked UA3PI and then he said "SORRY NIL QSO" and
immediately worked a JA re-using the same serial number and said the same thing
to him.  I called again and again to get another QSO, but he completely ignored
me.  I know we're on the outs with the Russians right now, but I hoped that
wouldn't spill over into ham radio.  I also hope he doesn't have his finger on
the nuclear trigger, or it's "SORRY NIL AB1J"

I may have misinterpreted what was going on there, but I couldn't make any
sense of it.

For the QRP contingent, please stop sending my call and instead send yours
several times without the damned "/QRP" (I know full well you're QRP
because you're inaudible).  And if I ask for the exchange again, send it and
only it five times or so.  Don't send my call, or your call again, or 599 or
anything else.  Help me and you will help yourself.  You may think QRP is cool,
but remember you are putting a lot of the burden on the other operator (me), who
may have a vastly different idea of coolness.

For those who are wondering why I'm still running the RCKskimmer, well, I'm
trying to downsize and not invest in new gear.  Most of my serious RTTY
contesting is single band and the RCKskimmer keeps up fairly well.  I'd like to
run the new VE3NEA RTTY skimmer server and maybe I will eventually.  BTW, N1MM+
gave me all kinds of fits trying to Telnet to my skimmer station over my
household wireless system.  I never had a problem with N1MM Classic.  I finally
gave up and hooked up to WZ7I's skimmers down near Philly, but I'd rather skim
what I can actually hear at my QTH.  Wes hears everything, including the Mars
rovers and Voyager spacecraft.

I want to thank the DL-DX RTTY Contest Group for their empathy for small, urban
stations who enjoy contesting as best they can with a minimal set up.  The
dipole category is great.  Ain't we got fun?

73,
Ken, AB1J

FT-2000  N1MM+   MMVARI-MMTTY-2Tone-GRITTY   WinH8
TS940S   RCKskimmer  XP
Invisible and inconspicuous dipoles.


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