[RTTY] W2UP SOLP score + comments

[Barry]

This also posted to 3830.

 Band     QSOs   Pts  States   DX   Zones
------------------------------------------
   80:     84    133     33     18     11  3 el sloper array
   40:    235    469     43     48     19  2 el Yagi 86 ft
   20:    507   1175     49     85     30  Phased TH7s 40/76 ft
   15:    655   1632     50     70     34  Addit TH7 for second radio
   10:    364    913     36     70     23  on same tower at 25 ft
------------------------------------------
Total:   1845   4322    211    314    117  =  2,774,724

Gear:
FT-1000D Writelog/MMTTY on PII-450
FT-990 HAL P-38 on P-133

Comments:

The contest was lots of fun. Last year, I surprised AA5AU with my 
(first time) low power entry. Turns out, besides winning, I enjoyed 
LP for two reasons. 
First, the temperature in the shack stayed within tolerable limits. 
Second, I had no interactions between the 2 radios with my one 
tower SO2R setup, so I could make full use of both radios. With 
the way the bands were, I did a lot more S & P than running on the 
secoind radio this year. Also, good thing I was LP because at least 
once, by mistake, I switched radio 2 to the same band as radio 1 
while transmitting. I'm sure it would have fried if the amp was 
running.
This year, Don knew my intention to do LP again, so we had quite 
a rivalry going. We checked in on each other several times, and by 
Saturday PM he was 100 QSOs ahead. I had a reasonable EU 
opening Sunday afternoon, and while I running EU, I was hoping 
he'd be on 15 working 1 point stateside QSOs :.)

Condx: 
Some said great, others said stinko. I vote for stinko, considering 
we are at the sunspot peak. The K index of 3-4 all weekend said it 
all. 15m was the only band I'd call excellent. 10m was very 
disappointing, with patchy DX openings, reminiscent of the low 
sunspot years. 20m was variable with poor EU openings on 
Saturday, and louder signals Sunday, but most with flutter. 40 and 
80 were terrible, with lots of flutter and fewer signals than usual.

Highlights: 
Receiving 599-25 God Bless America as exchange from a JA.
Good number of mults moving bands. 
While tuning 15, I caught the tail end of a QSO and all I heard was 
"QSY 14115." So, I followed them, not knowing who it was, and it 
turned out to be TR8CA! After working him on 20, he went back to 
15 for me. Along these lines, on Saturday morning, about 30 
minutes after our sunrise, I worked "Mr. Big Signal from JA," 
JA1BWA on 20. I asked him to go to 40, which is a real tough 
one from here, and worked him no problem.

The unusual:
North Dakota on 5 bands and Georgia only on one!

Thanks for all the QSOs.
73,
Barry


--
Barry Kutner, W2UP              Internet: w2up@mindspring.com
Newtown, PA                     Frankford Radio Club