[RTTY] GU0SUP SOAB Assisted

[Phil Cooper]

Hi all,

I really should have entered the low power section, but ended up using the
cluster, and I didn't want to be bound by the band-change rules, so
Single-Op Assisted it was!

          QSOs       Points       Years
80m:      6              12             6
40m:    39             85            29
20m:   203           448           56
15m:     60            143           42
10m:      1               2              1
Total: 309           690           134

Total multipliers: 134
Score:  92460
Icom IC756Pro with 70 watts
Antennas - MQ1 mini-beam for 10, 15 & 20, and an inverted L for 40/80.

The first 4 hours of the contest were hard work, with some very loud
signals, but most just weren't hearing me. I even checked the antennas, just
to make sure they were connected! I guess it was just conditions!
I started on 15m, and worked VK4UC, but only two other stations, so it was
back down to 20. Had a short run of W's on 15 a bit later, but none were
strong, and it looked as though 15m would be hard work.

Went for a late tea between 1900 and 2000UTC, and saw on the cluster that EU
stations were saying 15m was open! What a surprise! I even managed to work
Bob VE6YR on 15m at 2029UTC! 15m was still going when I called it a night
around 2230.
Managed to get back in to the shack for about 0500UTC, and 40m was in good
shape! AA5AU and ZL2AMI were loud, and K7RL and YV6BTF were also easy to
work. Even CM2IZ caught my signals on 40m.

After that, I just trawled 20 and 15 for any mults, and I ended up beating
my score from last year.

Whatever I did, I just could not get a decent run going on any of the bands.
I'd work 2 or 3 stations, and either ended up under QRM, or I'd get a string
of VVVVVV's and some abuse! During the last couple of hours, I got this on 3
different frequencies (between 14080 and 14090!) where someone sent VVVVVV
over and over, or RYRYRYRY, and then told me it was NOT A CONTEST PSE QSY.
Saw several giving out serial numbers too! And not just 001.

Highlights for me: VY1JA, as I hadn't realised where VY1 was! VK6GOM on 20m,
VE6YR on 20 and 15, and a few others that made me smile!

Earliest year recorded was 1935, and the latest was 2004.

QSO's will be on LoTW very soon!
Thanks to all, and to SCC for the contest.
73 de Phil GU0SUP