[3830] TBDC NN7CW Single Op HP

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                    Stew Perry Topband Challenge - Spring

Call: NN7CW
Operator(s): NN7CW
Station: NN7CW

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: FL
Operating Time (hrs): 5:26

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 215  Total Score = 826

Club: Florida Contest Group

Comments:

I already had noticed in the ARRL DX that I was not hearing well on 160 -
something was wrong with my K9AY loop and I decided to use this Stew Perry to
evaluate the situation and do some troubleshooting. Turned out that was not only
not hearing well, I was rather as deaf as a post. I heard crazy noise when I
tried using my Tx antenna (sounds like a nice switching power supply), so that
wasn't working at all. By contrast, my loop was very quiet - down to a point
where I had trouble hearing anything further away than the East Coast. During
the contest I checked all cables I could easily access, took apart the loop
control box and worked as many stations as I could hear (sorry for the painful
exchanges!). Decided to do ~200 Qs and call it a day. Today (Su) I took apart
the whole loop and rebuilt it from scratch; of course, no change. Checked the
control cable, the relay box and measured the coax twice. First I checked the 50
Ohm-terminated SWR and then I measured the loss, which was reasonable. Last
resort: the bulkhead adapter and that one coax that's not easily accessible:
bingo! Turned out that the cheap 3ft coax I was using as a jumper inside had a
bad shield connection. Of course, it was the only cable I had overlooked when I
checked the SWR. Nicely done, Mr. Murphy!


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