[SECC] TBDC AA4LR Single Op LP

[Bill Coleman]

                  Stew Perry Topband Challenge

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

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: GA
Operating Time (hrs): 7.6

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 294  Total Score = 1,030

Club: South East Contest Club

Comments:

Antennas:
160m Inverted L up 16m, with eight 38m (125 feet) radials

Equipment:
Elecraft K3/100 running 100 watts

Comments:

The K3/100 was a Christmas present from my XYL. Although it arrived three days after Christmas, I was excited to get it built and on the air. By the time the contest started, I hadn't read the operating manual yet. Just enough to work the contest. 

I must say that this little rig impressed me. I only have the stock 2.7 kHz roofing filter, but I was able to dial down to 300 Hz with no problem. There were only a couple of situations where nearby signals caused pumping of the AGC -- a narrower roofing filter is definitely under consideration. 

My K2/100 would definitely feel extremely warm after calling CQ for 10 minutes. The K3/100 didn't break a sweat. It was relatively cool and silent the entire time. 

The inverted L was erected just before the ARRL 160m. I added four more 125 foot radials the day before the contest. I also trimmed 9 feet from the element to bring the resonance up from 1740 kHz to something in-band. This must have improved the radiation efficiency quite a bit. The received noise went up considerably after these changes -- this antenna sounds much more like the shunt-fed tower I have in Gwinnett County.

As in the ARRL 160m, the antenna worked well. With a few exceptions,  I could work most everyone I heard.

I started a little early. I didn't expect to work anything until the sun went down at around 2230z, Imagine my surprise when tuning around with the K3 around 2030z and finding stations on the air. Another 20 minutes, and I had the computer set up to log and worked a handful of stations. Then I found a nice spot and started calling CQ.

This contest was mostly a CQ-fest for me. Rate was pretty slow at first. I was reading e-mail on my second laptop between Qs. After sun-down, things picked up considerably. This was an absolute blast. There were a couple of times the rate really kicked in for a brief period. I found out later that these coincided with a couple of spots I got. 

Not a lot of DX in this contest. NP2, and VE were about it. I did hear a couple of europeans, as well as CE, but the couldn't hear me. (Well, it sounded like they couldn't hear anyone)

This would have been more fun with a little more activity. I've never understood why the Stew Perry isn't as active as the ARRL 160m. 

Looking forward to the CQ 160m contests.


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

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at mac.com
Quote: "Boot, you transistorized tormentor! Boot!"
         -- Archibald Asparagus, VeggieTales

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