[SCCC] K6NA CQWW SSB

[Glenn Rattmann]

CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB

Call: K6NA

Class: SOSB/40 HP
QTH: SoCal (Northern San Diego County)
Operating Time (hrs): 26
Rig:  Yaesu Mark V and Alpha 78 (Yes, someone does NOT have a K-3)

Summary:
  Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
   160:
    80:
    40:  565    31       92
    20:
    15:
    10:
------------------------------
Total:  565    31       92  Total Score = 190,527

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Enjoyed hearing all the SCCCers active, along with our many friends 
up north in NCCC.  Always a blast.  I believe I worked nearly every 
multiplier I heard/found on 40, with exception of LA, VU7, 8P5, OH0, 
HS, A7, and a whisper out of SU1KM (SCCCer Marko, N5ZO, op.).  So, I 
came close to weekend-DXCC on the band.  The absorption over the 
north pole was terrible, and I worked only two OH, one SM plus RW1AC 
on this path.  I had perfect copy on A73A both evenings around 0220z, 
and he never listened split!

Due to ongoing line noise on the high bands, plus some antenna 
maintenance issues that I didn't get solved for 80 and 20, I decided 
a couple of weeks ago to operate SOSB on 40.  Also, I wanted to be 
able to attend mid-day Saturday the 90th birthday party of former 
SCCCer W6KUT (dad of K7NV), so the die was cast.

For club members here is a brief description of my 40 meter system, 
and some comments about the 40m band.  In addition to my high 
rotatable Yagi there (140 ft), I built a fixed wire Yagi below it 
(same design) at 70ft, pointed ENE.  This array is usable as a 
stacked pair, or either one can be a standalone antenna, using the 
U-L-B switch.  The wire beam is broad enough that I can usually work 
the Carib/Eu or African guys with it alone, but if I can't crack the 
pile, I can bring the high rotary antenna to the target.  In addition 
I have a 3rd antenna-- just an inverted vee at 60ft, hanging off a 
different tower, and broadside north.  I put the dipole up a few 
years ago, specifically to be a north-facing Sweepstakes/NAQP 
antenna.  It can be fed separately, or combined with the main 40m 
system, using another either-or-both switch.

It was interesting to observe how this band has evolved over 
time.  40m SSB still is extremely challenging due to all the quirks 
that must be managed.  I've been working SSB DX contests in SoCal 
since 1968, including plenty of 40m operation.  In those days and 
through the 1970s, there was a near-bottomless pit of essentially 
no-code JA licensees on both 15m and 40m SSB.  I used to work 
single-band 40 phone in the AA contest, and often had many hundreds 
of QSOs on 40.  Especially over the past 10-12 years, the huge 
numbers of JA stations formerly workable there are just not there 
now.  The overall decline in JA licensing is readily 
apparent.  Unfortunately, BY and YB operators are not yet numerous 
enough to make up for this loss-- and probably never will be.

Another issue is the continuing proliferation of big antennas on the 
band, even among DX stations.  Lots of Yagis there, 
now!  Accordingly, it is very difficult to find and sustain a decent 
listening-frequency down below 7.1, because of hugely loud DX 
stations running their own pileups in there, plus the fact that other 
W/VE guys also working split from above are trying to do the same 
thing, in a tiny band segment.   Also required is the ability to 
remain vigilant about your own transmitting frequency, as you move 
yourself around occasionally to avoid a "new" SWBC station that pops 
up on you at 4AM, or whatever.  Yes, a second receiver is mandatory 
so you can watch for this (I use a Mark V radio).  Every few minutes, 
when a JA calls in using exemplary English, I will ask him "Is my 
frequency clear?" so I know whether to stay put, or QSY.  So it's a 
continuous game of cat-and-mouse, trying to avoid the SWBC garbage in 
the (upper) shared band, while sustaining decent QSO rates-- yet not 
miss multipliers (I do not use packet).

Another big difference is the realignment that took place a while 
back, where Region 1 Europeans and Africans expanded into 
7.1-7.2.  Since our allocation now starts at 7.125 (actually about 
7.1275, if on LSB), we can work these stations now transceive up to 
7200.  Unfortunately, it has created another opportunity for massive 
pileups dominated by east coast stations.  This sounds like 20m now 
during the peak hours.

There will be another quantum shift in the band next spring, when the 
SWBC moves out of the area from 7.1 to 7.2.  If we ever see this 
exclusively, it will be a fantastic sub-band-- except the pileups 
will get even bigger probably, due to more interest in the band by US 
amateurs.  When this happens, it would make sense for FCC to expand 
our phone privileges from 7.125 down to 7.100.

Now, if only we could revive the JA population, we might have a 
chance to compete, even if they remain split.  A JA friend told me 
recently, though, that JAs are scheduled to have SSB privileges from 
7040 all the way up to 7200, when the SWBC moves out.  So, the 
always-amazing 40m band has more surprises for us yet!

73,

Glenn K6NA
PS:  Some of the noisy powerlines about a mile from me are being 
moved underground, as I write this.  More YeeHaw!