[CQ-Contest] P40N WW SSB 28mhz LP SB story

[Robert W5AJ]

P40N - CQ WW SSB Oct. 1998
What a great event to operate at P4 and pilot Carl's station there.  Even
with The Wrath of Mitch (Hurricane) I had to learn what to do when not
everything goes as expected during the contest.  The final results of
bettering some SA records where icing on the cake.  Read on!

HOW DID I GET TO P40N?
Jose P40E found a site in SU for CQ WW SSB and choose to operate there. 
This opened the door to operate from P40.  After discussing travel plans and
arrangements with Carl - the main order of business was the P40 license.  It
takes 90 days the first time you apply, not 89, but 90.  They do a background
check.  It was very close but we got P40N before the contest started.  The
licensing group at P4 was very friendly and nice to work with.

Next was the airline.  I bring this up because I was surprised to find most
of my options booked.  Book early.  The flight there was direct IAH (Houston)
to Aruba.  The return was via Miami - considering the hurricane this
probably worked out best.

WHAT CLASS TO PLAY:
I study everything I can to try and determine what class to enter when I
travel.  This trip I felt 15mtr LP SB would be a challenge and a doable win.
Something didn't feel right about it but on paper it looked possible.  The
other SB effort would be 80mtr LP.  I noted some QRP records as a standby.  

SFI LOWER & CHANGING THE PLAN:
The SFI did not fair well going into the contest and sitting with W2GD in P4
we reviewed the 28mhz record.  The 28mhz LP record was not as strong and was
held in 2point country.  John & I inflected 40mtr antenna repairs at P40W on
Thursday.  You might be miles from home but as circumstance allow help out. 
Doing these repairs made me ponder going Low Power All Band but I wanted to
chase one of the SB records this year.  Part of the strategy had to be "what
is everyone on the island doing?"  There were already 3 known all band high
power operations, a 28mhz HP SB and a 21mhz HP SB.  I had no interest in
interfering or getting into those battles.  The station has a 10 meter
monobander and a TH7.  This would allow beaming in two directions - allowing
a multiplier path while running NA.  

THE GAME AND LIGHTING STRIKE:
You need a strategy of which band to start on.  I started on
28mhz.  There are some strategy's that are just hard to beat.  About 1.5
hours on 28mhz there were 76 Q's in the log working SA.  I switched to 80
meters and began the 80mtr LP SB operation - checking 28mhz every now and
then.  A favoring factor for picking 80 was the signal strength I observed
from the P49V operation and the P49RY operation.  Once on 80 I quickly
noticed that P40W was a good 60 over on 80.  I did manage to pick up a multi
about 4Khz from him without problem to either of us.  Near 0705Z a break &
nap are in order to help stay alert when 28mhz opens.  I'm off air for about
2.5 hours.  When I return 28mhz did not seem alive so I hit 80 from 0942Z to
1012Z then on to 10.  10 was very alive and well.  I was running and getting
a EU opening when I begin to notice loud booms in the background.  Not radio
audio but outside.  Bright flashes confirmed lighting close by.  I press on. 
Hurricane Mitch had formed west of P4 about 400-500 miles and perhaps this
was it's wrath to P4.  Folks on Aruba said it was the worst lighting storm
they had seen.  The booms became louder and multiple.  At 1206Z I said enough
and unhooked the antennas & AC and went to watch.  It was not a pleasant site
outside for RF contesters.  I was raised on West Texas storms and Tornadoes'
and this one is dumping water & shooting lighting big time.  I am at the
front sliding glass door and turned to go to the shack when I stopped.  It
was totally dark inside.  The power was out.
I rushed to the computers - both have battery back up.  The laptop is
easy to shutdown.  The other computer uses a 120VAC screen and I type the
correct commands and it appears from the disk activity that CT shutdown OK. 
I turn both off (networked).  I am watching for any activity of power.  Being
a EE I know if it's a main it might have auto-reclosure and try to
automatically come back on line.  Over a minute pasts and so has
that hope.  The phone rings - it's P40W who is also taking a break with a
smoking rotator box!  I light a few candles.  I checked outside and noted
that the power outage is everywhere close but I see lights in the distance. 
The repair crews will not leave the shop until the rain quits and that does
not appear to be something that will happen soon.

THERE ARE ALWAYS OPTIONS:
What decisions do I make now?  Do I change categories?  Do I try to get a
generator or a 12VDC rig and battery?  (or go to the beach when the WX
clears?? )  Getting a rig or generator seemed to be something that would put
someone at risk to bring the supplies during the storm.  The option to get
some sleep seems like an option that could be of benefit if the power gets
repaired anytime during the weekend!  I could salvage the 80 LP SB operation
if it was repaired that Saturday.  P40W & I speak on the
phone again.  I tell him the power is still off and GN.  I set up some AM/FM
radios, turn them on with the volume up.  IF the power comes back on they
will wake me up.  I figured the situation might be something that kept me
awake - but the contest was too important, I'm lights out for the next 4+
hours.

RECOVERY:
When I awoke the power was still out.  I called the Utility company.  They
answered! & they had found the problem and working on it.  They said
probably another hour.  This was great news.  Ate lunch & attended other
vital duties.  Once power came on the plan was not to leave the chair until
10 was out.  Shortly after 1830Z the lights came on.  Q to Q time stamp
it was six hours.  I had the antennas & AC all hooked up and ready.  Got CT
online and ran.  P40W told of the fantastic rates around 1900Z and even with
LP it was no exception.  The 1900Z clock hour was 246 Q's which beat my
previous rate which I set with HP from 8P.  I needed at least 1000 Qso's the
first day to keep the 10meter hopes alive.  At the 0000Z bell it was 1067 Q's
in the log on 28mhz.  It would be the first time in a serious effort where I
had more Qso's the 2nd day but it had to be.  The 2nd 24hours could never
produce the same memories of the first but did show what a great weekend and
location can do.  The 2nd night after clearing
the 80 meter SA LP record I turned the rig below 5 watts out and made a few
QRP Qso's.  (there was strategy in those QRP Qso's!)  Interesting but not
me.

The 2nd day produced 1543 Qso's on 10 and beat the then current 28mhz LP
record.  CT shows over 67% of the Qso's with NA.  A majority of the time one
beam pointed at WPA.  Why WPA?  This covered USA well but also got JA when it
was open.  The JA openings were WEAK never producing a JA run.  Never heard a
JA Long Path opening at P4 there but did hear one abt a week before the
contest from TX listening to the P4's work JA's and hearing both sides Long
Path.

DINNER:
What a great contest.  I was ready to sleep but after the contest the P4
gang meets for dinner and discusses the past 48 hours.  Neat - A P4 version
3830 but live with good food.  Ponder having dinner with three of the top
world all band players, a world class 28mhz HP player, and a world class
21mhz player, all operating from the same island.  All good things come to an
end and after dinner I packed up, cleaned the shack, etc. and get all items
ready to leave.  The XYL rule was now in force - when the contest is over, be
on the next plane home.

P49V SITE:
It has been a long time dream of mine to operate from P49V site.  To Carl
and those that made it possible - THANKS!

LESSONS LEARNED:
1.  Never quit.
2.  Tried using DVP YL voice for about 15 minutes. (complete exchanges even!)
 Don't do it.  Use own voice.  Those not logging call you again - then again
when you change back.  DUPE city.
3.  On 10, I told DUPEs they were DUPEs.  The majority said sorry - not on
computer.  If someone hesitated, I logged them again.  Too much time spent
on this.  Next contest log'um and go on.
4.  Setup beverages on 80  (Study beverages) !
5.  Don't tell the wife that hurricane season is nearly over & it's OK to fly
in
the Caribbean and then have a class 5 Hurricane show up in the Gulf that you
don't know about.
6.  Practiced networking for the "future" and backup.  Worked.
7.  Congrads to NP3D Andy on his fine score from 5B4!

Robert W5AJ

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