Topband: Spring Stew Perry Equinox Version.

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

On 3/15/2016 2:57 AM, Herbert Schoenbohm wrote:
> Sorry Bob that I appeared deaf but I had the Beverages on EU most of the
> time to reduce the clix from a nearby local station. I did work later
> both KH6ZM and KH6AT and both were very strong when they called me. Also
> many W6's and W7's are in my log. Condition to EU were good so I

> Herb Schoenbohm KV4FZ
>
> On 3/14/2016 11:00 PM, W7RH wrote:
:( Also who ever was at KV4FZ could
>> not hear me and was calling CQ to fast for conditions.
>> Bob

Bob W7RH was extremely loud here BTW.  I ran 1500W this
time, which was good because I it took a half dozen
attempts to work KV4FZ.  BTW, I worked THREE Virgin
Islands stations in this contest (never did that before).
The other two were easy.  I know when I used to have
beverages, they could have very deep nulls, which
could cause me to completely miss loud signals in
certain directions.  I found that it was really
helpful to have diversity reception with a low dipole
omni in one ear and the currently selected beverage
in the other ear.

All in all, I'm going to pronounce this contest a great success,
at least this year, because conditions to the east coast were
great.  HC2AO called me, which might have been helped
by being near the equinox.  Thunderstorm static crashes
were more in evidence than during the winter, but could
be overcome by sending calls multiple times until a
lucky lull in the static happened.  Decent activity too,
I worked over 100 stations just fooling around.
Many thanks to Tree for organizing this contest.

Re:  code speed.  I felt like a slow poke sending at
20 to 24 WPM while some stations were zooming along
at 30 WPM.  I just think that top band needs the slower
speed.  Rates are not high enough that a few
extra seconds per QSO matters in this contest.
Also, you actually lose time if high speed causes
you to have to ask for a fill.

Rick N6RK