[3830] IARU K8CN SOABCW QRP

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                    IARU HF World Championship

Call: K8CN
Operator(s): K8CN
Station: K8CN

Class: SOABCW QRP
QTH: New England
Operating Time (hrs): 19.5

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Zones  HQ Mults
-------------------------------------
  160:                           
   80:   19             3       1
   40:  222            15      24
   20:  256            19      35
   15:   68            11      13
   10:    4             1       2
-------------------------------------
Total:  569     0      49      75  Total Score = 183,892

Club: 

Comments:

After the last 3 IARU HF contests I thought I was prepared mentally for the
summer propagation conditions, but this year's contest had me wondering what I
was doing wrong? At least through 1900Z I had the receiver audio gain cranked
up way beyond its normal setting, and I even went outside twice to be sure the
Lazy H had not fallen into a heap on the ground.

Fortunately, things improved Saturday evening, but there were no long runs on
20 meters this year as I had enjoyed last year.  Missed some good mults (UA9,
5H3, 7Z, ZS), worked a couple pleasant surprises, and was thankful that 40
meters came to my rescue Saturday night into Sunday morning. Still ended up
about 60K points lower in total score than last year's result.

Apart from the propagation conditions noted by many here, additional challenges
included:

--a shack temperature 20 degrees (F) hotter than the rest of the house.  I had
to keep the door closed to prevent Mr. Opie, our Maine coon cat, from taking up
his preferred lounging position on my keyboard, and the logging computer and
monitor put out a lot more heat than I remembered. Maybe next year I'll find a
fan.

-- power line noise that is back again, S6 on the low bands, declining to S3 on
the high bands. I could make a 2nd career just tracking down the noise sources I
hear.

-- poor meal planning on my part in advance of the contest.  An impromptu,
albeit essential, grocery run early Saturday evening was a blessing in disguise
since I had worked what was possible for this QRP station on 20 meters and 40
meters was not yet strong enough for me to be heard in EU.

Thanks to all the great, patient ops who labored to copy my weak signal.  It
was a pleasure to work friends AA1CA, N1IX, K8QKY, and several of the Thursday
night NCCC sprint regulars.

73,
Mike, K8CN

Rig: K3 @ 5 watts; Lazy H cut for 20 meters, used on all bands with the help of
my trusty Johnson Matchbox.


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