[3830] CQ160 SSB K3ZM Single Op HP

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                    CQ 160-Meter Contest, SSB

Call: K3ZM
Operator(s): K3ZM
Station: K3ZM

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Virginia
Operating Time (hrs): 26

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 1127  State/Prov = 57  Countries = 49  Total Score = 387,980

Club: 

Comments:

NO HEAT.  NO WATER.  NO PROBLEM.

If the geometric center of your house has icicles hanging down from it, this
has a negative connotation.

If the field mice are moving out of your house because it is warmer outside,
this has a negative connotation.

If the best way to get out to your listening antennas is on a pair of ice
skates, this has a negative connotation.

If the temperature in the radio room of the Titanic was higher after the ship
sank than it currently is in your own shack, this has a negative connotation.

If you have yet another burst pipe despite draining your elevated house as best
you could upon departure, this has a negative connotation.

If you prudently left the thermostat at 62 degrees when you left but arrived to
find that the trap under the kitchen sink was frozen solid, this has a negative
connotation.

If you “pre-bought” your propane last August for the entire season but they
still let you run out, this has a negative connotation.

If you have to wait two days for your radio equipment to reach normal room
temperature before turning them on, this has a negative connotation.

If there is more sign of PEI in the real estate listings than there is in a 160
meter contest, this has a very negative connotation.

THE CONTEST

The competition started out with a decent level of activity, even though the
event began an hour before my sunset.  There was some sort of band noise about
S3 throughout Friday evening, but no bothersome QRN.  Hourly totals to start
out were as follows:

90
84
110
92
72
64

Virtually no EU stations were worked around or after my sunset either evening. 
Usually in this contest, stations like UU7J, EI7M and others call in early, but
not this year.  As EU sunrise swept across the continent, I moved up to around
1890 and enjoyed a sustained run of DX stations under quiet conditions. 
Signals from EU were not that strong, but they were good enough.  One DL
station happily announced that he was running only 100 watts.

The west coast was coming in well.  Many VE7’s were worked both nights.  A
happy surprise was being called by Roger, VK4YB at 1015Z on Friday night.  I
worked a couple of KH6’s but no other Pacific.  I enjoyed a lovely collection
of multipliers across the South America, Central America and Caribbean region. 
At bedtime Saturday my totals were as follows:

832 QSOs
45 Countries
57 States and Provinces
100 Europeans

The sunrise opening to EU on Saturday night had lower signal levels.  It was
much harder to copy the EU’s.  At times, working them was like a VHF opening.
 By 0530Z, EU was done and I had managed to put another 40 of them in the log,
for a total of 140 for the weekend.  This EU run on Saturday night was on about
1965.  There is some room to spread out in this contest and people know to look
up there.

I had hopes of reaching 1,250 QSOs before the end, but there did not seem to be
that many stateside stations to work on the second night.

One highlight was working brother K2DM, who put up a dipole at his old house in
NJ just so he could contact me.  George ended up working many other stations,
including FL, MN and CO.  All with an antenna 10 or 20 feet above the ground. 
Another highlight was working nephew Patrick, KK6ZM.

I missed VY2, VO1 and VO2, as well as the VE8 stuff that I deny exists.  Never
heard KL7.

A very hearty well done to John, ZF2AM, whose signal was pounding in here
Saturday night.  I think that new vertical is a winner.

Thanks to all for the contacts.

73,

Peter  K3ZM


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