[RTTY] K3MM SOHP WPX RTTY report

[Tyler Stewart]

          CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest

Call: K3MM
Operator(s): K3MM
Station: N3HBX

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: MD
Operating Time (hrs): 30
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Pts
-----------------
   80:  313  1096
   40:  602  2662
   20:  702  1841
   15:  383   920
   10:    0     0
-----------------
Total: 2000  6519  Prefixes = 640  Total Score = 4,172,160

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

I think it has been a few years since I last did this one and decided it was
time to make a comeback appearance on the digital contest scene!

First I have to thank John, N3HBX, for the use of his new station.  He has
some
really impressive hardware out there...  He was also quite tolerant to allow
me
to rearrange things a bit so I could run my kludgy old computers networked
with
WF1B and RITTY software.

Certainly wasnt my best effort possible, but under the circumstances was
quite
happy with the result.

The biggest problem I had the whole weekend was the serious cold my 6 year
old
passed on to me just in time for the contest.  I was OK the first evening,
but
early Saturday morning I could tell I was running a fever and it became more
of
a distraction.  I had brought my small collection of my favorite OTC drugs
with
me, but it was low on "Excedrin" and I had to ration it.  By Saturday
evening, I
was really suffering from fatigue and started nodding off at the radios in
the
middle of QSO's.  I had to take a couple hours off in the middle of the low
band
opening to get some rest.  It didnt get any better, but I did get my 30
hours
in.  I opted to finish the contest early Sunday and skip the last couple of
hours so I could pack up and drive home early.

We also had our first big snow storm of the year blow through Saturday and
it
caused the usual massive amounts of RX noise that evening.  Without the
beverage
antennas, I probably would have written off the whole evening.  It certainly
hurt the score, but it could have been a lot worse.  Snow also collected on
the
satellite dish, which caused my internet connection to go away for quite a
while
until the winds came the next morning and blew it off again!

Best hourly rate was 124Q's Saturday morning working 15 and 20 meters for
the
first time.  Best DX was probably Bear Island...hadnt worked that one in
many
years.

Anyway, should be good enough for a new US single op record until next year!

The activity levels just keep climbing every year, which makes it more
difficult
to rest on your laurels for any length of time!

73, Ty K3MM


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