[CQ-Contest] CQWWSSB - Very Sad Story

[Tahara at JapanEmbassy_RSA]

Now CQWWSSB is still going on. 

I have spent so much time and money for the past one
year towards the biggest party - CQWW SSB. A new antenna,
a new linear and a special callsign. A voice memory keyer
has just arrived in time for the Contest. I even ordered
a large number of QSLs for the operation.

All my effors were ruined by single electric zap.

This is the story.

On Thursday morning I left Pretoria and drove the way up to
Swaziland as usual. The drive was quite pleasant except I 
was caught for 15km speeding.

I erected two lowband verticals, one for 40/80 and the other
one for 160/80. The linear was working perfectly. On 10m that
day was something I haven't experienced for many years. I was
certain at that time that I could definately make over 1,000 Qs
on 10m. On Friday morning a lot of US guys were logged on 40m.
Huum this is going to be very fun in the Contest.

It was not.

On Friday night about five hours before the Contest there was
a serious thunder storm here. It was about the time to go out
for dinner so I disconnected all coax. But I forgot disconnect-
ing my switching power supply from the power point. When I came
back from dinner I went directly into the bed to take some nap.
Just one hour before the Contest, I woke up, tried to switch on
the P.S., quiet - nothing happens. Check and replaced fuse for
P.S. - nothing. Maybe a stone in there was gone.

That's it. No power supply, no radio. My party was over even 
before other guys start transmitting. 

In the morning I tried to check my IC756 by connecting it to 
the car battery. Made 1 QSO with JH7PKU on 10m with about 30W. 
3DA5A (SOABHP) this year, 1QSO, 1Zone, 1Country = 6Point 
- not even worth reporting to the 3830 web site.
 
Who can understand the the biggest disapointment I have ever had
in my life? May be no one - except Alex, D25L-PA3DZN, who had 
experienced the similar case in the last year's CQWW SSB.

Hopefully I can come back again in one month time for the one in
next month.
             __
Koji - 3DA5A SK

--------------------------
  Satori Minowa-Tahara
   FAX +27-12-46-2096
E-Mail satori at pta.lia.net
-------------------------



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