[RTTY] K4GMH BARTG Sprint

[Mike]

Call: K4GMH
Operator(s): K4GMH
Station: K4GMH

Class: SO Expert HP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 23
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Pts
-----------------
   80:  299   299
   40:  572   572

   20:  491   491
   15:  164   164
   10:    0     0
-----------------
Total: 1526  1526  Mults = 92  Total Score = 841,800

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

Thanks to the BARTG for sponsoring the 2010 Sprint.  Also, thanks to all who
were kind enough to work me.  All the QSOs are appreciated.

This is a "sprint" however, seems more like an "endurance".  Couldn't make it
to the end.  Gave out the last hour even with a good tennis match at the
Australian Open on the TV in the shack.  The QRN on 80 and 40 meters just wore
me out.  QRM is understandable and can be dealt with by turning the radio dial.
 However, the QRN made 80/40 seem like late summer when thunderstorms are
approaching.  Not sure if this was an East Coast USA situation or not.  Even
with the Beverage ant. the crashing QRN was very noticeable.  The repeats you
provided are very much appreciated.  Even with the QRN, on this end at least,
the bands were supportive for the Contest.

Fifteen was good for a short time a couple of hours into the Contest for the
East Coast of USA.  Several good runs were had in the time 15 meters gave us
the opportunity to work Europe.  Thanks to all those who took the time to check
15 meters for activity.

Never did check ten meters, but did keep looking for any 10 meter spots to show
up on the DX Cluster.  Nothing was noted to give any thought to try 10 meters,
though.

Twenty meters as usual seemed to be the best band.  This was my thought going
into the second half of the Contest.  However in the end, 40 meters produced
more contacts than 20 meters.

Prior to the start of the Contest, last year's Contest log was checked.  It
showed a number of Far East mults. worked at the start of the 2009 Contest.
This year no such luck.  Did work several at the beginning of 2010 Contest, but
not nearly the same number as in 2009.

Forty meters did provide propagation for working TU5JM, FO8RZ, VK7AD, ZM2A,
ZM2B, VK8PDX, VK3KE, V31GW, ZS2Y, RG9A, JA1OVD, etc., from Virginia.  Again,
these and all the QSOs on 40 and the other bands are appreciated.

Eighty meters was a challenge with the high QRN level, at least at this QTH.
Still, the band did provide a nice number of QSOs, almost the same number as in
2009, 316 vs 299.  Had to "work" harder for many of the QSOs in 2010 than in
2009, but this effort was duplicated by those who help make it possible to get

the QSOs in the log.

Couple of other comments: about an hour into the Contest, the deliberate 40
meter QRM started up.  Usually it is someone starting a carrier on my mark
frequency.  It is cut off every now and then to find out if I've left the
freq.  I started the Contest on ~7042 KHz.  However, this frequency doesn't
matter as long as it is less than 7050 KHz.  This time it was a series of
"V"s and "de" and the call randomly given (assuming it was the call of the
transmitting station).  The choice of this station to use the same freq. as
I was on had to be more than random as after a while the CW signal moved on
top of my "space" freq.  This type of interference happens so often, at
least to me, I've grown accustom to it.  Maybe to the point of paranoia as I
expect it to happen "to me" when operating 40 meters in a RTTY contest,
After 10 to 15 minutes of trying to work stations through the deliberate
QRM, my competitive juice subside and I'll spin the dial.  (He wins, @#%*
it!)

Second comment was regarding a nice post to the DX Cluster by LY3X as to
whether I was using legal limit power based on how strong the signal was at
his QTH:>)  Yes, I am running, <1400 Watts, less than the US power limit of
1500 Watts.  The 40 meter ant., in use at the time, is a F12 EF240X at 45
meters.  Again, thank you for the excellent signal report:>)

-- 
  73,
  Mike, K4GMH