[3830] ARRLDX CW K1LT SOSB/80 HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, CW - 2019

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

Class: SOSB/80 HP
QTH: Ohio EM89ps
Operating Time (hrs): 10

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:  115    63
   80:  147    83
   40:   96    74
   20:   31    28
   15:    0     0
   10:    0     0
-------------------
Total:  147    83  Total Score = 36,603

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

I operated part time so I could work on my new phased array receiver
project.  I found 80 meters particularly impressive, so I decided to
try to work 100 countries on 80 and see how many I could get on 160.
I didn't stay up late Friday night so I could get up at 1030Z to
futily chase V84SAA one more time.  When that didn't work, I got
disgusted and when back to bed rather than chasing 80 meter DX.  I
worked 76 countries on 80 and 47 on 160 in the 5 hours I operated.  I
worked UN for the first time in a contest on 80 meters and 4U1ITU was
a new band country.

The next evening I watched spots for more new countries but didn't
find many.  I stayed up until about 0600Z and then slept until 1100Z
so I could work 2 more countries on 80.  Sunday evening I chased some
stuff on 40.

I did get the phased array receivers and their dedicated computer and
a power supply mounted in an aluminum box but so far the receiver
performance hasn't matched the results I got when stuff was laying
around on my desk.  But overall the project is making glacial (pre
climate change) pace.

Equipment: Elecraft K3S and P3, Alpha 8410 on the first radio,
Elecraft K3 and P3 on the second radio barefoot, used for about 3
QSOs.  Verticals on 40, 80 and 160.  Rx on Beverages except when CQing
on 160.

I fixed the broken RX in the K3S by replacing a defective 2N7002 on
the KPAIO3A board.  This little board sits between the main board and
the KPA3A 100 watt amplifier.  The transistor inverts the 'TX' signal
to command the KPA3A to go into receive mode which routes RF around
the amplifier from the antenna connector to the receiver.

Now the only problem remaining is that the K3S transceiver and Samlex
SEC-1235M switch mode power supply don't like each other.  Together
they act as if the power supply goes into current-limit when the radio
transmits, even at low power.  The radio display backlight blinks
along with the keying and occassionally the radio shuts off.  The
Samlex worked fine with the other K3.  For now I am using my old
Astron RS-35M that fell onto the floor busting the meters.


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