[SCCC] ARRL DX SSB VP9I M/S LP

[W6ph at aol.com]

 ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: VP9I
Operator(s): W6PH   N6WIN
Station: VP9I

Class: M/S LP
QTH: Bermuda
Operating Time  (hrs): 48

Summary:
Band  QSOs   Mults
-------------------
160:  296     40
80:  448    50
40: 1078   58
20: 2000    61
15:  1013    55
10:  236     36
-------------------
Total: 5071   300  Total Score =  4,563,900

Comments:

Radio: K3   N1MM  Logger

Antennas:  160m      Inv L (40 ft  vertical)
80m       Double G5RV dipole
40m     KA Dipole
20m-10m   Cushcraft A4S

I had originally planned a SO as I have for the last 11  years.  Tim, 
N6WIN, had
operated with us at our K6Z County Expedition  (Cal QSO Party) and 
mentioned that
he would like to go on a contest  expedition.  One thing led to another and 
we
decided to team up for the  ARRL DX Phone under M/S splitting our operating 
time
50/50.  Tim made up  a schedule which allowed us to operate the same times 
on one
day or the  other.  We used four or six hour operating times and it worked 
out
very  well.

Last year I started on 40m and had a 200 hour.  So we thought  that would 
be a
good start.  But we didn't know how bad the lower bands  were going to be 
and we
were 300 contacts behind my last year operation at  sunrise on Saturday.  
The low
bands were just noisy and weak.   Saturday night was much different and the 
low
bands seemed normal which  allowed us to work many stations in the west 
that we
hadn't been able to work  on Friday night.  In retrospect we should have 
started
on 20  meters.

Despite being behind on Saturday morning, the high bands were  very 
productive
during the day on Saturday and we were able to work most of  the US on 10m
except for the southeast (W4 land) and the northwest.  W1,  W2, and W3 were
workable but not as strong as the Caribbean stations  experienced.  After 
the
first 24 hours we were back up to only 100  contacts behind.  As a single 
op, I
usually sleep from 04 UTC until 09  UTC.  Tim had that shift and we were 200
contacts ahead by  sunrise.  However, band conditions on the upper bands had
deteriorated  and we only worked about 15 stations on 10m on Sunday due to 
the
poor  propagation.  I had originally set a goal of 5000 Qs and Tim had  said
6000.  With only 3 hours to go it looked like we were both wrong as  we 
only had
about 4500 Qs.  From past experience I knew that the closing  hours could 
be very
productive on 20m and we had our best consecutive three  hours on 20m.  I 
was in
the seat.  At 22 UTC, I grabbed Tim and  told him to operate the next hour 
so he
could see how well we were  doing.  I finished up the last hour with 160
contacts.
 
The big signals that I remember were those of K6NA, NX6T, N6QQ, N6WS, and 
AA6PW.  And it was good to get the low power guys in the log, WN6K,  KI6QDH,
and KQ6ES to name a few.  Tim had a better idea of Who's Who on  this.

The QTH of VP9GE is on a rise about 150 feet above sea level and  the 
antennas
are roughly 20 to 30 feet high and the sea is about 400 meters  away.  It 
is a
very good location for low power (the permitted power  limit in VP9).

We don't have the propagation that the Caribbean stations  have which is a
handicap.  We have better propagation on 160 and 80  because of our 
proximity to
the US but never get the volume of contacts to  offset the Caribbean 
advantage on
15 and 10 meters.

Tim was a great  partner and has great contesting skills.  Our numbers were
pretty much  equal in all respects.  This was my first shot at a small  
multi
operation and I thought it was very successful, especially letting me  get 
some
rest!

This was my 12th year operating the ARRL DX Contests  from VP9GE.  Ed has 
been a
great host and just an exceptional person all  the way around.  Ask anyone 
who
has ever been there.

73,  Kurt, W6PH