[3830] CQ160 SSB N2AA(@W2GD) Multi-Op HP

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                    CQ 160-Meter Contest, SSB - 2021

Call: N2AA
Operator(s): K2TW N2HM W2CG W2GD W2NO
Station: W2GD

Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: NJ
Operating Time (hrs): 14

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 812  State/Prov = 55  Countries = 16  Total Score = 137,132

Club: Frankford Radio Club

Comments:

>From West Creek, SNJ on Barnegat Bay.
Elecraft K3S x 3 - Diversity Enabled
OM2000HF  1250 watts
Win-Test Logging Software Ver 4.28
2 element vertical wire Yagi @ 240' with NE, West and Omni options
Beverage antennas N, NE, E, S, SW, W, NW, plus HI-Z Four 

Comments:

This was an unplanned last minute operation.  Since the N2CW Team was not going
to activate the station for CQ160 PH this year we decided a one night effort by
the CW Team to honor the legacy of our friend Gene, N2AA would be fun on Friday
night.  N2AA was one of the original members on our 160 Meter CW Team dating
back to the mid-80s.  

We arrived at the station a few hours before the contest (a two hour drive for
most of us).  Fortunately winter weather during the past few weeks had been
reasonably benign at the NJ shoreline ... no obvious antenna problems were
discovered. No outdoor prep work being required pleased everyone.

The station was set up just like we do for CW events ... with run and mult
positions.  In-band operation on SSB is notably more difficult but not
impossible. Much more turning of the big knob by the mult position operator is
required give the absence of skimmer spots.  

We hoped operating a little higher in the band ... on 1867 ... would avoid
problems with known AM netw like operations on 1860 ... and make us perhaps a
little easily copy in EU.  We never moved but the hoped for EU activity never
materialized. 

Both K3 radios have DVR units installed.  Using the scripts written by N6TV, the
F1 - F4 buttons selected our voice keyer messages flawlessly.   

As we all now know conditions the first night were as bad as they ever get
during a 160 contest.  We didn't work our first EU station until ED7R called us
at 0118 UTC. Constant monitoring of cluster callouts for EU stations was for the
most part fruitless.  We seemed to be on the wrong side of an RF wall to our
east and northeast.  Stations further south seemed to be scaling that wall
somewhat more easily. We worked just CU, EA, I, LY, OM and GW.  

Conditions to the west and south were somewhat better.  We worked our way
through most of the US and VE as the sun set across the Continent. Saw spots for
VE5 and WY but they were too early in the evening for propagation. Caught KH6
from a cluster spot.  From the south we logged PY, PR, VI, CO, CX and HI8. 

Congrats to the NS1DX Team which was operating remote from K1TTT.  Nice job!

Many thanks to the owners of WYRS-FM for providing the station facilities for
our enjoyment.

See everyone once again next 160 season!

73,

John, W2GD (for the 160 CW Team)


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