[3830] TBDC EI2CN Single Op HP

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Stew Perry Topband Challenge

Call: EI2CN
Operator(s): EI2CN
Station: EI2CN

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Ireland
Operating Time (hrs): 13.7

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 494  Total Score = 3,143

Club: Grande County Louth DX Alliance

Comments:

Wow, I stayed up the night.    At times I felt pretty seedy and am probably
going to be spaced out for at least another day but am pleased to have managed
to stay in the seat.

The number of QSOs is up 33% on last year and well the points are not really
known till processing based on the other station's power level.

Conditions were improved a bit on last year. It seems I may have at least one
QSO in W7 land and some Arizona QSOs.    The real surprise was ZP5DBC in
Paraguay for 21 points and a new DXCC entity.  This QSO was made at 04:02 UTC so
late night still has magic.  How sweet it is; thank you, thank you! 

A QSO with Jim, K5RX helped wake me from a stupor. This was at 05:33 UTC and our
local time.   Jim was pretty strong so I doubt he was operating QRP this time
around.   I always enjoy Jim's retelling of the contest efforts at K5RX as Jim
is a story teller.

It was hard going at night as there just is not enough activity.   The QSO rate
could drop down to less than 20 per actual hour and I am not use to this in a TB
contest.    There is just not the activity for the Stew as for CQWW 160M the
last weekend in January.    However this contest is different from any other.   
No one cares if you are rare DX or living in a populous state like New York.  
The only criteria is how far away you are.    The Stew is a contest for the
ordinary man.    I like the fourteen hour limit for single operators - well at
73 years maybe you can understand.

The operating was a mixture of Run and "Search and Pounce" throughout
the contest though in the early hours running seemed best by far. I like to be
able to use clusters but the Stew is also good.    It would just be easier late
at night if there was more activity to keep one fully occupied.    Then it was
not so much a problem to find an operating spot.    A contest with many
differences is what the Stew is.

Once North America started to come in I concentrated on this as the QSOs were of
much greater weight.   The Hi-Z eight circle for 160M only is a wonderful for
this as it can knock Europe down by 20 to 30 plus dB.   One can use diversity on
the K3 to keep an ear in other directions.   The band is a pleasure to listen to
.   There is little noise though some signals are just riding above the
background noise.    They can be copied without hurting the ears though you do
need to use the processing inside your head.    No CW reader commercially
available is yet doing this.   So well done to Lee.   I believe at times it is
like listening with a five element Yagi on 160M.   The directivity is amazing.

Next it is the CQWW with EI0R on the last weekend of January.


K3 with second RX and P3
Acom 2000A amplifier at 1500 Watts as allowed for contesting only in EI

Hi-Z 8 Circle 200 foot diameter 160M only RX antenna

Inverted L which is temporarily at 28M max rather than 30M.    Radial system is
over the top with miles of wire.

Micro-Keyer II and WinTest

A new office chair with great lumbar support which is a delight


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