[SCCC] VP9/W6PH

[W6ph at aol.com]

A quick note about 160/80.
 
160 was noisy for me this year.  But the big signals from the west  coast 
were N6SS, N6VR (very robust), W6OAR, and W4EF.  I was using an  outboard 
Chinese keyboard in front of my Dell D610 laptop.  I had to  disconnect it on 
160 because of RF causing the computer to choke up and I had  reach across it 
to the keys on the laptop with wires in the way.  A real  PITA.  The 
operating table is 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep, not a lot of  room.
 
I could only get 50 watts to the antenna on 80m because I couldn't get the  
SWR below 2.5 to 1 with the Z-100 tuner and the IC-7000 folds back on 
anything  over 1.5.  I haven't had this issue in past visits and I'm using the 
same  antennas.  Without the Z-100 the SWR is 3 to 1.  But I got through to  a 
few west coast guys, notably K6NA very early.
 
Despite these issues I had about 400 contacts on both bands.
 
On other bands big signals from N6QQ, K6NA, N6WIN, N6ED, W6TK, and a couple 
 others that I don't remember off hand.  Surprisingly W6YI wasn't one of  
them and usually is.  I suspect that Dan's antennas were pointed in another  
direction.
 
10m was a big surprise on Sunday and I worked across the US except for the  
southeast.  The only 4's that I worked were the big stations (NQ4I,  etc).  
On Saturday I only stayed on 10m to pick up a few multipliers  because I 
couldn't get anything going.
 
My money bands were 40 and 20 with 1200 contacts on each band.
 
I just turned 70 so I'm not sure how much longer I can do 40 hour  
operations.  But it is still a great rush.  Some day I will figure out  why we get 
so much pleasure out of sitting in front of a radio for 48  hours.  An 
incurably chronic syndrome I suppose or is it the instinctive  competitiveness we 
have?
 
                                             73, Kurt, W6PH (dba VP9/W6PH)
 
N6WIN will be partnered with me for SSB.  I'm sure it will bring some  
humility to him with 100 watts and antennas no higher than 25 feet.
                                              
 
The pileups were bigger than I have ever experienced in the past.   
Probably a combination of more stations active, internet spots, and good  
propagation.
 
4400 contacts