[3830] CQ WW RTTY VA3DF SO(A)AB LP

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CQ Worldwide DX Contest, RTTY

Call: VA3DF
Operator(s): VA3DF
Station: VA3DF

Class: SO(A)AB LP
QTH: ONS
Operating Time (hrs): 

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  State/Prov  DX   Zones
------------------------------------
   80:  176       40      33    11
   40:  214       42      60    19
   20:  318       27      86    27
   15:  217        6      76    24
   10:    3        0       3     2
------------------------------------
Total:  928      115     258    83  Total Score = 1,100,328

Club: Contest Club Ontario

Comments:

Things started out badly! Realized (30 minutes from start time) that my band map
was not working - likely due to a recent Windows upgrade - but then I shouldn't
be judgemental. Couldn't do a fast fix so ended up starting the contest without
a working band map. Not a big deal, but definitely got me out of my comfort
zone. A fix would have to wait until the wee hours of the morning when things
were slow enough that I could sort out the problem.

Hours 2,3 and 4 produced the highest rates of the contest and the low bands
seemed to be in great shape (more on that later). Went until about 3 AM local,
fixed the band map and them had a nice 3 hour nap! Things were smokin' on
Saturday morning, lots of really cool DX from Asia and the Far East i.e. Laos,
Thailand, Japan, India etc. 15 m. definitely exceeded my expectations and was a
pleasant surprise. Finally called it a day at 0329Z as I wanted to be fit for
the morning opening to EU - little did I know!

Sunday started well with a VK9 but then it hit the fan and propagation started
to stink (badly). A strong man would tough it out during poor propagation
conditions - I took a nap! Eventually things started to improve....

Bottom line - not too bad. QSOs down but mults were very close to last year.
Those naps really kill the qso numbers...

We have had a very hot dry summer! The ground is baked like cement so it
figures that  a couple of weeks ago, I would decide to install a Beverage
antenna. Toughed it out installing the 4X4 support posts (with a manual post
hole auger) on one of the hottest days of the year but WOW what an antenna! At
430 feet, it's too short for a good 160 antenna but on 80 it is, shall I say,
sensational!

All in all, good to get the old keyboard warmed up for the contest season and
hope everyone had a great time.

PS: This RTTY thingy is really kinda neat.

73,

Doug
VA3DF


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