[3830] RAC Day K3KU SOAB LP

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                    RAC Canada Day Contest - 2021

Call: K3KU
Operator(s): K3KU
Station: K3KU

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: MD
Operating Time (hrs): 18

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  CW Mults  Ph Mults
----------------------------------------
  160:    1      0       0         0
   80:   37     11       5         2
   40:  134     59       8         9
   20:   60     53       9        10
   15:   41     44       5         7
   10:   55     13       7         5
    6:                              
    2:                              
----------------------------------------
Total:  328    180      34        33  Total Score = 271,082

Club: Radiosport Manitoba

Comments:

So busy here that I am posting more than a month after the contest.

I deserve a special part-credit bonus.  Back in January N7ZZ responded to my
post on CQ-Contest about how the top op's are playing a different game than I
am.  Not in hardware, but in their skill and intensity.  Stu mentioned how hard
it was to do well with modest antennas and low power from the Midwest.  I
suggested he try Canada Day.  I had been having fun -- and good success -- in
that for a few years.

Well, did he ever!  Even though I ran up my best score ever, he was way ahead of
me.  And I'm really pleased about that.  Congratulations, Stu.

"Best score ever" clearly resulted from the Sporadic E openings on 15M
and 10M.  I was even able to CQ effectively on the high bands now and then. 
However, it's also clear that I did not know how properly to take advantage of
the openings. One indication of my poor strategy was that for all three of my
QSOs with N7ZZ, he called me; I should have been more effective with S&P,
and found him some times.  Another indication is N8II's report about moving
mult's and RAC stations, something I did not even try this year; too fascinated
with high-band fun... or something.  And maybe I should have made the effort to
borrow some VHF gear and put up a 6M Moxon, hoping to get a few mult's.  Much
here to analyze and learn.

Along with great high-band openings came poor results on the low bands.  (Maybe
I should have taken more quick looks at 160M.)  Part of that could have been
QRN.  On Thursday afternoon we had two violent thunder cells pass over about 20
minutes apart.  Altogether, I had to shut down for 90 minutes of prime time.

I did take advantage of those 90 minutes to do some necessary non-contest
activities and to spend time with the family -- particularly with the
two-year-old grandson who had come to visit.  Early in his visit, while I was
still QRV, he came running up to me and looked up with the world's most winning
smile.  I almost QRT right there.

After the second thunder cell I pushed to get going again, even though we were
having a few power flickers. Suddenly, the lights went out.  Oh, ####!!  But
wait a minute -- the computer and the radio are still on.  I look over my
shoulder, and there is the grandson playing with one of his favorite learning
toys: the light switch.

I can remember only two other stories from the Contest.  First, I got through
the pileup on VE4RAC (VE4VT) on 21M SSB.  (The K3KU Mighty Dipole does seem to
work well to the northwest.)  Ed asked if I needed him anywhere else. (Yes; lots
of places.)  I tried to defer, not wanting to rile up the others in the pileup,
but Ed said he could do 21M CW right then (band change rules).  I said OK, but
come right back here.  And we did.  Thanks, Ed.  Go, RSM!

Second, for the first time ever in Canada Day I heard one of the northwestern
mult's, VE8RAC.  He was CQing on 20M (I think) SSB.  Excitement! I was
confident, but there was a loud, broad Spanish-speaking station making a lot of
QRM.  I had to hope that I would be able to copy the VE8 if he came back to me. 
No problem.  The VE8 said there was a lot of QRM on the freq, and he was going
to move.  I never heard him again.

As always, a lot of fun.  I do love working Canadians.  A belated Happy Canada
Day, looking forward to seeing you all next year.


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