[3830] ARRL 160 K1LT Single Op HP

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                    ARRL 160-Meter Contest - 2022

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

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Ohio EM89ps
Operating Time (hrs): 24
OpMode: SO2R

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 1214  Sections = 81  Countries = 29  Total Score = 285,230

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

I set a new personal record for worst score!

I had to reconnect some of the short verticals because of the still
ongoing house siding project and deck rebuild.  I've been keeping the
receive feedlines out of the way of siding contractors with sharp
pointy boots.

I was discouraged to see that there was hash across the bands coming
from the northeast.  I steered the east phased array to 35 degrees
which put the 60 degree null over the noise which mostly masked the
noise.  However, nulling 60 degrees makes New England stations
difficult to copy.

The contest was initially quick but the rate slowed after about 4
hours.  The first DX was a surprise call from TI7W at 2358Z.  The
first European was IQ9UI at 0049Z.  So DX seemed somewhat normal at
first.  As the evening progressed various big gun Europeans called in
but there were no smaller stations.

At 0355Z CX6VM called but I bungled typing his call and sent the
mutilated call with my exchange.  By the time I sent a corrected call,
he was gone and I am not sure I got an acknowledgment.  I logged him
anyway.

At European sunrise, several more well-known stations called.  The
noise seemed to be gone at this point although I did not notice
exactly when it disappeared.  The last European was a new to me LA5IIA
at 0740Z.

I had planned to stay up all night using the recliner trick but I got
so sleepy by 0800Z that I took a nap on the uncomfortable couch with
the expectation of waking in time for the morning rush.  I was back at
the radio by 1100Z and the morning rush was reasonable but with no DX.

During the day Saturday I read the Wikipedia article about World War
I.  That kept me busy even as the activity picked up for the second
night.

The second night was very slow and conditions seemed pretty flat with
OM3GI being the only Eu DX at 0303Z.  Around 0500Z someone pulled back
the curtains and Europe and the west coast and some static suddenly
appeared.  Eu sunrise played about the same as the first night but
with fewer QSOs.

Since I didn't stay up all night the first night, I thought I would do
so the second night but by 0830 I had gone 10 minutes without a QSO so
I napped again.  This time I overslept by about an hour and got back
to the radio at 1223Z.  Hopefully I didn't miss any DX and judging by
other 3830 posts, there was probably not much chance of working JA.

Missed AK, NT, and northern WTX.  Somehow the aurora must have gotten
to northern Texas.

DX worked: C6, CM, CT, CX, DL (5), EA (2), EI, F (2), G (10), GD, GM,
GW, HA, HB, HI, I (2), LA, OK (2), OM (5), ON (3), P4, PJ2, SM, SV
(2), TI, VP5, XE, YL, and ZF (2) for a total of 29 entities.

1159 2-point QSOs (56 VEs)
55 5-point QSOs
2.14 points per QSO

Some history of K1LT raw scores:

    Year   DX   K/VE  Total  K/VE   DX   Total    First
          QSOs  QSOs   QSOs  Mult  Mult  Score    Eu DX
    2003    36  1155   1191         22   231168
    2004    40  1362   1402   79    29   315792         (multi-op)
    2005    55  1333   1388   79    32   326451         (multi-op)
    2006    58  1380   1438   77    34   338550
    2007   101  1452   1553   78    48   429534   
    2008   119  1350   1469   77    42   392105   2207Z
    2009   238  1447   1685   78    51   526836   2201Z
    2010   185  1419   1604   77    51   481664   2207Z
    2011    65  1288   1353   77    30   310407   2323Z   
    2012    87  1388   1475   81    36   375687   2213Z
    2013   117  1378   1495   82    32   380874   2221Z
    2014    67  1359   1417   79    23   309570   2223Z
    2015    94  1394   1488   80    33   368154   2214Z
    2016    93  1435   1528   83    44   423545   2206Z
    2017   141  1323   1464   81    41   408822   2210Z
    2018   186  1254   1440   79    46   429750   2203Z
    2019   110  1179   1289   81    39   348960   2222Z (quit early)
    2020    94  1544   1638   83    34   416286   2205Z
    2021    83  1258   1341   82    36   345858   2241Z
    2022    55  1159   1215   81    29   285230   0049Z

I was thinking this year was my worst year ever at this QTH but
checking the logs from 2003-2006 shows that my very first year with
brand new temporary antennas was slightly worse.

Equipment: K3S, P3, Alpha 8410.  K3 and P3 as the 2nd VFO.  61-foot
(formerly 66-foot) "Tee" top vertical over 75 or fewer radials.  2x4
BS-EF phased array and receiver contraption and another 2x3 BS-EF
contraption.  6 2-wire Beverages ranging from 500 to 900 feet.  I used
the 180 degree Beverage to watch for signals on the P3 from the south
that the phased arrays often miss.  For spotting: 60 degree Beverage
combined out-of-phase with a sample of my transmit signal.

Not much progress with the new phased array controller.  The roof,
siding, and deck projects have been keeping me busy.


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