[RTTY] GU0SUP CQWW SOABLP

[Phil Cooper]

Hi all,

Wow! Some propagation at last! Not a lot, but certainly better than of late.

When I started the contest, my aim was to call CQ for most of Saturday, and
work the rarer mults on Sunday, as they are usually much easier to work
later in the contest.

However, my small signal just could not get a run going anywhere, on 80, 40
or 20. By the afternoon, 20m was opening nicely to W6/7 and VE6/7 and it was
a real treat to work so many of these calls. There are too many to mention,
but it was good to see the likes of VE6YR, VA7ST and VE6WQ after a long
wait.
Sadly missed out on Dick KS0M, who was loud here, but S&P, like me. Also
could not get David W7WW to hear me at all, despite the fact that he was
almost bending my needle!
I also managed to work quite a few "DX" stations quite easily, which was
surprising, or maybe it was just my timing, but it sure wasn't my power!
On Sunday, I again spent a lot of time S&P'ing, and that did seem to work,
but during the afternoon, I had a few goes at CQ'ing.
I'm not sure who spotted me, but THANKS, it really did help! I was very
pleased to get called by a VK, and quite a few W6/7's, including a few nice
State mults.

15m didn't really open enough for me to spend any real time there, but on
one occasion, I switched bands and saw someone working FT5GA. I tried for a
few minutes, then sat back in frustration as the QSB started, but he came
back, and I called.
I saw him query my callsign, and I sent RRR several times, but after that,
loads of others started calling, so I am not too sure about that contact. I
just hope someone there recognises my call as good!
10m was totally quiet, but I did venture up there a few times, but only
logged 2 QSO's.

Overall, great fun, and I have new band-slots for A73A and HQ9R on 40m, and
a possible FT5GA on 15m.

Some low-lights, sadly, and that was the number of folk trying to call me,
or whoever I was working, during the exchange!
Not the odd one or two, but masses of them.
During one CQ session, after listening for a few minutes (drinking a
coffee!), and then calling QRL??, I started to CQ. Had a few callers, no
great rush, but steady. I then started to hear a signal coming closer and
closer. Couldn't move up any higher, so stayed where I was, hoping that
whoever it was moving closer would spot his "error", and move back down.
No, no such luck! It was HA3LI, and he came on to my frequency and asked me
to move because I was QRM'ing HIM !!!!
I also had some idiot trying to persuade me that 7.045 was a "reserved"
frequency, and that I should QSY. No callsign was sent, and I tried to
ignore him, but he had a much stronger RTTY signal, and he was simply
sending idles whenever I called, so I had to give up that battle.
Oh well, rant over.

On the up-side, it was good to see some propagation once again, and some
reasonable openings.
I did miss a few nice mults, such as KH6, YB and a few others, but I did get
KL7AC for Zone 1, and also UA0YAY for Zone 23!

 	 QSOs	Points	Zones	DX:	States
80m: 	  39	  86	  6	26	  4
40m:	 100	217	11	52	  5
20m:	 354	870	23	62	  41
15m:	  55	136	15	38	  2
10m:	   2	6	2	2
Total:	550	1315	57	180	  52

Multipliers:  289

Claimed Score:	380035

On 20m, I had 36 US States, and 5 VE Provinces!

My log is now on LoTW, but - as usual - paper cards are always welcomed.

73 for now

Phil GU0SUP


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