[SCCC] W6UE (W4EF) ARRL DX SSB SOAB HP Results

[Michael Tope]

                              ARRL DX SUMMARY SHEET


    Contest Dates : 03-Mar-01, 04-Mar-01


    Callsign Used : W6UE 
         Operator : W4EF

         Category : SO/AB/HP (Unassisted)

 Default Exchange : 59 CA

             Name : Michael C. Tope
          Address : 3944 East Mountain View Avenue
   City/State/Zip : Pasadena, Ca 91107
          Country : United States


        Team/Club : Southern California Contest Club


   BAND   Raw QSOs   Valid QSOs   Points   Countries   
 ______________________________________________________

  160SSB       5           5         15         5 
   80SSB      37          37        111        21 
   40SSB     139         139        417        48 
   20SSB     230         230        690        72 
   15SSB     522         522       1560        99 
   10SSB     604         604       1785        92 
 ______________________________________________________

 Totals     1537        1537       4578       337 


    Final Score = 1542786 points.
 
 Operating Time ~ 40 hours
 
            Radio #1: Kenwood TS-830S/Alpha 78
            Radio #2: Kenwood TS-940S/Alpha 78
                 CPU: 486-66 w/TRlog 6.50
          Antenna(s): KT34XA at 114'
                      5 el 20M x 48' boom at 70'
                      5 el 15M x 32' boom at 80'
                      5 el 10M x 24' boom at 90'
                      KLM 4el 40M at 102'
                      80M inverted-V at 90'
                      160M dipole at 90'
 


Soapbox Comments:

Decided to go full time in this one at the last minute. Turns out that this
was my first serious Single-Op All-Band effort in a DX contest since becoming
a ham almost 22 years ago. All previous efforts were either as part of a 
multi-operator team or single band. The station worked well, but kinda wish I 
had a real SO2R setup for phone. I ended up using KA6SAR's SO2R switcher for 
receive audio, and a combination headset/boom mic and a Kenwood desk mic as I 
didn't have the right adapters with me to wire the transmit audio into the SO2R 
box. For the run radio, I would use the footswitch and the heil element on the 
boom mic, and for the mult rig, I would push the boom mic out of the way and
talk into the Kenwood desk mic using the PTT switch on the mic base to key
the transmitter. 

Not having a parrot was a little bit cumbersome, as I found it difficult to call CQ on 
the run radio while simultaneously concentrating on the receive audio from the 
multiplier radio (I can't walk and chew gum at the same time). A couple of times, I 
found myself talking into the wrong mic or depressing the footswitch when I should 
have been pressing the PTT switch on the desk mic. Sorry to anybody I may have 
inadvertently stepped on with my Rube Goldberg setup. Had a little trouble with the 
remote VFO cable on the TS-830 as I had to jiggle it every now and then to bring the 
rig back to life. This created a very tense moment when I broke the 5H3RK pileup and 
the rig died just as he turned it over to me. Fortunately, my fast jiggling brought the 
rig back in time to complete the QSO :). 

With lots of help from the Coca Cola company, I managed to stay awake (at least partially) 
about 40 of the 48 hours. Its amazing how good a cold linoleum floor feels at 5 AM on 
Saturday morning. The most interesting opening I experienced during the contest was 
Sunday morning (UTC) around 0400Z on 20 meters. I found a very quite frequency low in 
the band around 14165 KHz, and was able to run a bunch of weak and watery Eastern European 
and Central Asian Russian/former USSR stations (RZ9's, UN8's, etc). That was a big thrill 
and made all the sleep deprivation worth while. The most frustrating propagation I experienced 
was during the hour or so on Sunday morning that I spent going back and forth to RU1A's 10 
meter run frequency and having them CQ in my face. Fortunately, I did finally get through.

Cu all next time. 

73 de Mike W4EF......................

 I have observed all competition rules as well as all regulations established
 for amateur radio in my country.  My report is correct and true to the best
 of my knowledge.  I agree to be bound by the decisions of the Awards Committee.



 Date ______________   Signed _____________________________  Call ___________



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