[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): 10
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
  Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   160:   23    13
    80:   61    28
    40:  335    48
    20:  103    26
    15:    5    32
    10:    1     1
-------------------
Total:  521   121  Total Score = 63,041

Club: South East Contest Club

Team: SECC #1

Comments:

Antennas:
Cushcraft A3S/A743 at 15m (10m-40m)
Shunt-fed 15m tower (80m-160m)
R7000 at 2.5m (10m-40m)
Doublet at 10m (40m-160m)
Half-size single K9AY loop pointed North

Equipment:
Elecraft K2/100 w/ KAT100 running 100 watts
Kenwood TS430S w/ AT250 running 100 watts
K1KP-style voice keyer (1 message)

Comments:

I have never worked so darned hard for such a disappointing score.  
Conditions were really el-stinko. This is probably the lowest of the  
low for the sunspot low. Ugh! I expected 10m to be non-existant, but  
15m was as well. 15m was open, but tremendously long. I was lucky to  
move WA4VJC to 10m for my only contact there.

20m is usually the big money band in a domestic phone contests from  
this part of the country. However, 20m was already long by 1830z.

So, that left 40m. Ah! 40m! It was incredible! Usually I dread 40m in  
a phone contest -- too many high-powered broadcasters. At 21-22z, 40m  
seemed its normal self, although a bit early. I took a break around  
23z, and got back on 40m at 00z.

The next three hours were incredible -- I averaged 79 Q/hr. The rate  
meter stayed quite high most of the time. People kept calling in. I  
wish the whole contest could have been like those three hours. 80m  
was very noisy, and working stations on 160m generally required  
several repeats because of the noise. Curiously, some CQs on 160m  
were productive, but not on 80m. I haven't figured that out yet.

I was "chased" away twice in the vicinity of 7185 kHz. First time,  
someone called in, worked me, and let me know there was some kind of  
net just a couple of kHz below that was running all day. He was  
really polite, so I told him I would move up the band and give him  
some room.

Second time, I had just found a modestly clear frequency, and started  
calling CQ. I had worked a couple of stations, and then a fellow  
called in. He asked my why is it that all these contesters can get on  
with their kilowatts and take up the entire band. He complained that  
I was blocking out the mobiles with my kilowatt splatter just a  
couple of kHz down. I told him, for the record, I was running 100  
watts, and I had asked if the frequency was in use before I started.  
I moved anyway, in part due to the first guy who asked me politely. I  
found a better frequency a bit higher in the band.

Best moment was working Jack, W6FB. I haven't seen Jack in years, and  
only occasionally exchange e-mail. It was good to hear him on the air.

I had expected to work our club station W4AN active at NQ4I running M/ 
2. But I never heard them, not even once. That's unusual.

The half-size single K9AY loop was incredibly useful on 40m. It often  
made the difference between lots of fills and getting the exchange  
the first time.

I really worked the second radio pretty hard. With the relatively  
lousy antennas on the second radio, it only resulted in about 20  
QSOs, but it kept me busy.


SECC Post-script: I took the time and configured my software to allow  
spotting, including logging into a telnet cluster and using SET/ 
NODX_ANNOUNCE so I wouldn't receive any spots.

Despite the preparations, I never actually spotted anyone during the  
contest. At least I know the drill now. I'll be ready for the next  
contest, though.

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