[SCCC] W6PH (Second try on summary format)

[W6ph--- via SCCC]

2014 CQWW CW DX Contest

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

Class: SOAB(A) HP
QTH: Lone Pine CA
Operating  Time  (hrs): 39+15 
Location: CA
 
Summary:

Band   QSOs Zones  Countries  
160:       18         9          12  
80:        80       21           45  
40:      449        85         114  
20:      370        38         111  
15:      669        36         121  
10:      485        31         108  
Total: 2071      170         511 
 
Total Score  4,020,624
 
Comments:       
Equipment: K3 AL1200 Win-Test  

Antennas: (All temporary FD style) 
160 - Loaded 1/4 wave sloper  below 3L 20m yagi  
80 - 1/4 wave sloper below 40-2CD 
40 - 40-2CD at  60 feet (AB-577 nr 1) 
20 - 3L yagi at 60 feet (AB-577 nr 2) 
15 - 5L yagi  at 60 feet (AB-577 nr 3) 
10 - 5L yagi at 50 feet (AB-577 nr 4) 

I  spent the week before raising and testing all the  antennas. I have been 
 
doing this for a number of years so it is very  routine. They all came  
down 
today (Monday). I decided to try assisted for  the first time in  at least 
20 
years. I believe it provided about a 10 to  15 per cent  increase in 
multipliers. No pointing and clicking, just  information  that was on the 
band and 
giving me call signs of stations that  weren't  signing frequently. 

The conditions were absolutely outstanding. But  80m  sounded more like 160 
meters with weaker signals than I remember.  I only  worked a handful of 
Europeans there. I think that 10 meters was  not as  good on Sunday as it 
was on 
Saturday. My strategy was to take  as much  advantage of 10 meters early 
which I did on Saturday. That  turned out to  be worthwhile. Fifteen meters 
was 
just wonderful. Lots  of good runs. Forty  meters was awesome and I could 
work 
anything I  heard. Reflecting on the  numbers on 40 meters shows that there 
are  about 13 hours of darkness which  is good for the low bands. Typically 
 
much more time is spent on 40m that  on 80 or 160. On the other hand,  11 
hours of daylight is spent among three  bands. I suspect that there  is 
more time 
spent on 40m than any other band  because of this.  

It is always tough to decide whether to run or S&P.  When tons  of stations 
are calling you but none are new mults, you wonder  if you  are missing 
some 
good mults. I guess that is the DXing within us.   

There were a few goofs but nothing debilitating.  Basically  everything 
worked well. My AL-1200 is serial number 15 and still  chugs  along well 
with the 
original tube.

This contest is the big one for  the year. I spend a lot  of time preparing 
for it. It never lets me  down. This year is a new record  for my station 
at 
this location and I  think that a lot people are saying  the same thing. It 
was a fantastic  run.

Lots of JA's answered my CQ's.  I wonder if any of  them  will send QSL's. 

I'll see everyone again from VP9/W6PH for the ARRL  DX  Contests. It will 
be 
my fifteenth consecutive year of doing  it.  

73, Kurt  W6PH