[SCCC] ARRL DX Phone-VP9/W6PH

[W6ph at aol.com]

ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: VP9/W6PH
Operator(s): W6PH
Station: VP9GE

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: Bermuda
Operating Time (hrs): 39

Summary:
Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
160:  336    48
80:  536    54
40:  782    57
20: 1844    59
15:   71    21
10:    0     0
-------------------
Total: 3569   239  Total Score = 2,558,973

Equipment:  IC-7000, CT 9.57
Antennas:  160m Inverted L (60 feet vertical)
80m Inverted L (30 feet vertical on 40m vertical)
40m Vertical
20-15m A4S at 25 feet
 
It was good to work a bunch of the guys from SoCal.  As expected, K6NA was
an outstanding signal on all the bands, although he got beat out by W6BH 
on 75m.  Generally, the W6's were in the second or third tier of signal 
strength 
and I listened hard for any 6.  I can tell you that timing is of extreme 
importance 
when you are weak.  Many times I had a bunch of callers at once and couldn't 
pick out a call sign.  I waited and many times a weak station would call 
immediately and get the QSO.

Bermuda is NOT the Caribbean.  Conditions were the worst that I have
experienced in Bermuda.  15m was a disappointment but I expected it as there
were very few signals on 15m the days before the contest.  On Monday morning
before I broke down the station, the 15m band was full of European signals and
the band was quiet.  Over the weekend, all the bands were noisy masking very
weak signals.  I also thought that activity levels were down substantially.  I
can usually work a bunch of stations on 40 SSB on Sunday morning when the east
coast wakes up.  They weren't there this year.

The only signals on 15m came from Texas north to VE5, nothing east of Colorado
or west of Nevada (no W6).  So I concentrated on 20m while checking 15m every
45 minutes or so.  I was spotted on 15m on Saturday and K3LR called in the
blind.  When I responded, there was no answer even though I could hear him
weakly.  I worked less than a handful of east coast stations on back scatter.

Even though the SSB segments on 80 and 40 have changed, I found very little
change in operating habits there.  I tried CQs just above 7100 with very poor
results.  Likewise on 80m, I got substantially more answers to my CQs above
3750 than down around 3705, 3700 being the bottom limit of my operating permit
in Bermuda.

During the last hour, I was really scratching for contacts.  I called CQ on
7100 for a half hour before getting a bunch of answers at 2345.  I checked DX
Summit and I was spotted right at that time.

The IC-7000 operated flawlessly in both the CW and SSB contests.  I love its
features and portability and it is easy to put it in my carry-on luggage.

I learned of N6ZZ's passing on Friday and that was on my mind the whole
weekend, especially when I worked a NM station.  Phil was one of the great 
guys
in contesting and I am glad that I had the opportunity to know him.  The 
lesson
is to live everyday to the fullest because you never know.

I have VP9GE reserved again for next year.  Ed is a great host and I have
really enjoyed the visits each year.  If you visit, you won't be disappointed.

73, Kurt, W6PH

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