[NCC] Fwd: CQ160 CW K8MR Single Op LP

[jimk8mr at aol.com]

Interesting contest. W3/W8 was often on the fringe of where I could work. At times southern Ohio (K1LT, N8BJQ) seemed louder than northern Ohio (K8MFO, W8AV). It took a while to get MI, NA8V was my first one. Even guys in MD seemed louder than guys in PA.


Good to work lots of MRRC/NCC folks. K8MM and KW8N couldn't hear me, nor W8AV though Goose seemed to have a good number of callers. Heard W8CAR working somebody S&P. Got beat to an Oklahoma station by KT8K. W1NN was weak too (Hal made a point to tell me I was weak, but I already knew that), but good ears and maybe knowing what might be coming helped make that QSO.


Anybody going to Orlando? 




73  -  Jim  K8MR   (/4)






-----Original Message-----
From: webform <webform at b4h.net>
To: 3830 <3830 at contesting.com>; k8mr <k8mr at arrl.net>
Sent: Sun, Jan 31, 2016 9:16 am
Subject: CQ160 CW K8MR Single Op LP

CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW

Call: K8MR
Operator(s): K8MR
Station: K8MR

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: FL
Operating Time (hrs): 7

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 140  State/Prov = 39  Countries = 8  Total Score = 15,228

Club: Florida Contest Group

Comments:

I operated this from the FL condo QTH, using enough loading coil (about 80 turns
wound on a 4ft fiberglass mast section) to get my 55 foot wire close to
resonance. The ground system is minimal - about 6 radials average length 25
feet.

To keep things interesting, there is a local noise, about 10-15 KHz wide and S9
at the center that sounds a lot like power line noise, centered around 1820 (and
1880, 1945, etc).

It was challenging, and I'm sure it was challenging to many who copied, or
failed to copy me. Missed Illinois! Called K9NR many times, don't think I ever
got a "?". Only heard, briefly, one other IL that was loud enough to
plausibly expect a reply. New York was also a challenge. Called N2GC many times
before we finally worked, to have him say "Nice QRP" :-). Several
other NY guys repeatedly CQ'd in my face.

OTOH it was an interesting change to have loud Caribbean signals. Many times
C6AGU was the loudest signal on the band. 4V1TL was among those booming. Only
heard one EU, LY4A at his sunrise on Sunday, but not loud enough to make or
expect to make a QSO.

Not quite the ratefest I would have had running high power from Ohio, but
Florida does have other advantages in the winter.

73  -  Jim K8MR