[3830] TBDC K1LT Single Op HP

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Stew Perry Topband Challenge - Pre-Stew

Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: EM89ps
Operating Time (hrs): 8.5

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 222  Total Score = 1,404

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

Just after the summer Stew the hard drive (actually an SSD) in my
phased array computer began to show errors.  So I got another SSD and
rather than copy the old OS (Ubuntu 12.04) and data, I installed a new
OS (Ubuntu 14.04) and copied the data.  However, the new OS was 64-bit
and also did not support version 3 of Qt, the framework upon which GUI
(graphic user interface) part of my SDR software depends.

I spent most of the summer fretting about whether or not converting
from 32-bit to 64-bit would break anything and whether to try to adapt
to the newest version of the SDR software or try to build Qt 3 from
scratch.  A week ago I finally got busy.  First, using the 64-bit
environment merely requires recompiling all of the affected software.
Second, the easiest approach to upgrading to Qt 4 was to back-port the
relevant changes in the SDR GUI software from the latest version to
the version that contains all of my local modifications.  Now my 160
meter receiving system is much less obsolescent.

The 160 meter antennas also needed a fair amount of maintenance.  In
July, 2 different short verticals broke in different ways.  Since both
of these used 2x4s as supports they both got upgraded to PVC conduit
which seems to last much longer.  The top of the tree that supports
one of the top-hat wires for the transmit vertical broke off and
tangled itself with the support rope.  I climbed the tree and managed
to disentangle the rope and the debris and managed not to injure
myself.  The top-hat wire is not as high, but at least it is in the
air.

Over the years, the top-hat wires have gradually gotten lower because
the particular trees I chose to support the wires are becoming less
effective for various reasons.  Also, these trees were chosen because
of their location so choosing other trees does not work very well.  As
the wires have gotten lower, the resonant frequency has drifted up the
band by about 25 kHz.  If I operate low in the band, I see lots of red
LEDs on the amplifier.  I'm going to have to accelerate the transmit
antenna replacement project.  I'm hoping I can put up enough Rohn 25
to make a full-sized vertical and perhaps enough to support catenary
lines for extra elements.

I had a few frustrating moments just before commencing operations
because I forgot how to configure WriteLog for SO2V operation.  The
step I could not remember was to disable only the CW keying part of
the homebrew SO2R box while retaining the audio routing functionality.
Before I do anything else, I need to make a snapshot of the proper
SO2V configuration.  My memory is just not what it used to be.

Friday before the content, I heard DK1NO CQing about an hour before my
sunset.  I haven't heard that phenomenon since around 2008 or 2009.
Friday evening I worked several Europeans who had very nice signals so
I has hopeful that conditions would be good for the contest.

Conditions did indeed seem to be good, at least until darkness to the
west allowed static from a storm front extending from Canada to Texas
to interfere.  Despite the static, the first DX was LZ7A (new call to
me) with a decent signal from 8500 kilometers away (17 points per the
logging program).  As usual, the near sunset burst (word used loosely)
dissipated until near European sunrise time.  However, the rate got so
slow and I got so sleepy I stopped just after 0600Z for a snooze.

I set the alarm for 0945Z but my motivation didn't kick in until about
1130Z.  At first I was just going to make a sweep of the band and work
any new stations and then quit.  But I heard a station working VK3IO
and I could sort of hear VK3IO's signal.  So I picked a spot and
started CQing.  I worked several lurkers and then VK3IO called with a
barely copiable signal.  Shortly after that contact, VK3CWB called
with an even better signal several minutes past my sunrise.  I worked
just a few more 7s and 0s that were very difficult to hear the night
before.

Unsurprisingly, I heard no Caribbean stations.  My heart goes out to
all of the people affected by the hurricanes.  Also I'm sure the long
line of persistent, slow moving thunderstorms kept many Midwest
stations off the air and made the west coast very difficult to hear.
The end result has less than half the QSOs made last year: 222 versus
448.  But the bright spot is perhaps the return of conditions
reminiscent of 2009.

Equipment: Elecraft K3/100, P3, Alpha 8410 at 1kw; 2 arrays of short
verticals, computer and SDR software; Elecraft K3/10 for RX while
transmitting; 65-foot "tee" antenna with very droopy top-hat wires
over 75 120-foot radials (some no longer connected); audio routing
stuff.


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