[CQ-Contest] My Stu Perry [was: f/B Antenna ratios - reception]

[Ev Tupis]

> > I thought I had done fairly well. Several times
> > near the end I swept the band and was hard
> > pressed to find someone not in the log.
> > Afterwards I saw the claimed scores.  A ham abt
> > 300 miles south of me just cleaned my clock (1017
> > q's vs 651).

> Like you, I remember the exact thing you describe -
> being convinced there was nobody left to work.

This describes exactly my thoughts about the Stu Perry
Top Band DX Challenge for me.  I entered for the first
time last year, aiming to be a "top 50% participant"
as a first time/S&P/Dipole @ 40'/100-watt station.  I
"drained" the band and was satisfied that there is no
way to do any better (now naive).

Then, the preliminary results were released and I saw
that I came close to my goal on the "world stage", but
when I started comparing my score to others in my area
(that I first defined as my Field "FN", and then my
locality [FN03 and FN02]) I found that I posted one of
the lowest QSO totals that were submitted. (ARGH!)

What I like about the Stu Perry event is that the
sponsors provide more useful information than is
typical.  I'm already thinking about changes in both
equipment and strategy.

Anyway...I echo Mike's thoughts.  As we operate more,
we tend to program our brain to higher levels of
skill.  Though mine is well programmed to dig out weak
signals (I'm a VHF+ contester), I had a lot to learn
about DSP when there are 10 CW stations "sharing" my
2.5 kHz receiver passband -- and several are weak,
too. :)

Skills build over time.  Don't think "failure", think
"opportunity for improvement".  When thinking
"opportunity for improvement", we are best served by
remembering that there are both technical and
biological/behavioral/strategic opportunities to
explore. :)

Congrats to the 6 stations that beat me in FN02/03 (I
was 7th out of 8).  There are six stations that
already know what I'm learning.  Soon, I hope to be
competition to them, too. :)

Regards,
Ev, W2EV


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