[SECC] NAQP SSB AA4LR Single Op LP

[Bill Coleman]

                     North American QSO Party, SSB

Call: AA4LR
Operator(s): AA4LR
Station: AA4LR

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: GA
Operating Time (hrs): 9.7
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
  Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   160:    8     8
    80:   54    21
    40:  156    38
    20:  162    40
    15:   13     8
    10:    1     1
-------------------
Total:  394   116  Total Score = 45,704

Club: South East Contest Club

Team: SECC Team 1

Comments:

Antennas:
A3S at 15m (10m / 15m / 20m)
1/4 wave sloper at 12m (40m)
125 foot doublet at 11m (80m / 160m)
Shunt fed 15m tower (80m)
Cushcraft R7000

Equipment:
Elecraft K2/100 w/ KAT100
Kenwood TS-430S w/ AT-250
Homebrew K1KP-style voice keyer (1 message)
Homebrew SO2R switchbox

Comments:

Pew! Conditions really stank!

After the first five minutes, hearing no one on 10m, no one on 15m and 
calling
CQ for a couple of minutes on each band, I finally found all the fellow
contesters on 20m. Scores are really going to be down this time, 
especially from
the west coast stations -- who usually are beacons on the high bands 
until well
into the evening.

Took three off times early, hoping conditions would improve. Managed a 
few good
runs on 20m. Oddly enough, my best hour was at 0200z, where I ran on 
20m around
14241! Band was short -- with lots of 8 and 9 landers -- which is 
usually a
signal to this area of the country that you're on the right band. That 
late in
the evening, however, few stations were calling in.

Managed some good runs on 40m in the 2200z and 0000z hours. Runs would 
dry out,
then I would change frequency and they would start up again. Ended up 
spending
over four hours on 20m, and over three hours on 40m. 40m had the best 
rates,
likely due to the poor conditions.

Worked only W4ATL on 10m, when I moved him from 15m. 15m opened briefly 
around
2240z with spotlight propagation into MN. Worked KT0R there, and called 
him
twice on 10m, with nothing heard on his end.

80m was a real bust. Didn't get down there until 0330z. Listened there 
earlier,
but there wasn't much happening. No real runs on 80m. Was begging for 
Qs there
around 0530z just before I quit. Noise levels were high, so each Q on 
the low
bands really had to be dug out. Some were right at ESP level.

K2/100 used for most Qs. Kenwood did service on 160m, and as a second 
radio. Not
many second radio Qs. Main reason was lack of rate on the main radio, 
and I need
more practice.

First chance to really work out the K2 DSP noise reduction. It works, 
but makes
the band sound really funny, like you are listening to the wind blow 
through a
long, narrow tube. It was handy when trying to dig calls out. I don't 
like
tuning the band with it on, though. I'm going to have to get the 
firmware
upgrades, though, as switching it on and off is a four keypress 
operation, and
you can cancel half of while transmitting. (The upgrade makes it a 
single,
similtaneous press of two keys)

Worked everyone on my team but WW4LL (although at one point, I think we 
were
both calling CQ on the same frequency on 40m). Worked W4ATL on 10-20m. 
In
retrospect, I should have moved him through six bands. Worked WT8Y on 
two bands,
and K4BAI I finally found on 80m near the end.

This was a really tough contest. It was evident from the start that new 
personal
records were out of the question. It was a good chance to practice and 
learn a
bit about some very odd propagation. See everyone in January.


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: 
http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901