[3830] ARRLDX SSB K4VV M/M HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: K4VV
Operator(s): KJ4VTH KJ0D W4TMO K4XD K3TN N1RM W3UL W0YR
Station: K4VV

Class: M/M HP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 47.5
Remote Operation

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   20    16
   80:  132    64
   40:  563    87
   20:  990   107
   15:  899   113
   10:  997   108
-------------------
Total: 3601   495  Total Score = 5,337,090

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

For this contest, TeamK4VV mounted the first-ever, Totally Remote, Multi-Multi
(TR-M/M) effort in an SSB contest.  We may have reached a new milestone.  This
follows by just weeks, another first; our Totally Remote Multi-Multi effort in
the ARRL CW ‘test.  This Phone debut was highly successful but, due to myriad
reasons (mostly severe weather related), not as auspicious.  As with the CW
effort, nobody was in the K4VV shack during the contest.
John, K3TN summed it up, thusly: “A great score �" conditions were not
great, various random acts of mayhem.”
First, a sincere expression of appreciation to Jack (K4VV) and Sharon Hammett
for allowing Team K4VV to use Jack’s excellent station.
Thanks also to Rowland-K4XD, who served as Contest Captain and “Scheduling
Guy.”  Not an easy job.  He did it well.
The K4VV station, sitting atop Catoctin Ridge bears the full brunt of the
fierce storms that roll east from the Blue Ridge.  The severe winter storm that
tore up the east coast delivered a sucker¬-punch to us.  We got the full
treatment: Heavy rain turning to heavy ice coating, heavy snow, high winds,
record cold temperatures and electrical “events.”  
Almost any remote operation depends deeply on a good Internet connection.  The
K4VV connection suffered only a few minutes of shaky service.  We are fortunate
to have a friendly and helpful ISP.
There are three fully-remotable positions at K4VV.  Two of the positions use
our original configuration, which allows full functionality at the remote
operator’s position without the need to buy equipment or software.  The other
position is now devoted to a K3/RemoteRig set up.  
At the beginning of the contest, one of the Acom amps kicked off, and for no
apparent reason.  We managed to get it back up.  Then, later, another amp went
into “protect” mode.  That position had to work with just 55 watts (exciter
power) until we could get the amp going again.  
The overnight low temperature Friday was 1.1 degree F.  With that, the Super
Bertha supporting the principal 20-meter stack all but refused to move.  This
condition can damage a motor drive card, so we carefully “ooooched” the
stack into the direction of Europe and finished the contest with that
limitation.  We worked a surprising number of Qs and Mults from many
directions, even though the array was not moveable.  High winds were apparently
whipping the 80M antenna about, causing occasional SWR jumps.
The remote operators were located as follows: W3UL and K3TN in Maryland.  N1RM,
KJ4VTH and W0YR in Virginia. KJ0D in Missouri.  K4XD and W4TMO in North
Carolina.
Some suggest in articles that K4VV is a working laboratory in the developing
field of Remote Contesting. TeamK4VV will seize the lessons from this brutal
weekend and find solutions to the problems.  
Many thanks to the ARRL for sponsoring a great contest.  In addition, thanks to
operators around the world, for the Qs!

TeamK4VV


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