[UK-CONTEST] GM4AFF ARRL 160m CW

[Steve Knell]

Hi Stewart,

I heard you several times in the ARRL160 contest.  I was using the Medway
Contest Group's special contest callsign: M7M.

I strung up a delta loop just before the contest.  I was a bit out with the
size of the loop (by 28ft!): it was resonant at 1930kHz so I had to use a
tuner.

Receiving antenna: 20ft mag. loop.  My JA beverage is working but I didn't
install the NW beverage because the wire would've been very close to the tx
antenna.  On 3830 I read that one guy in the states burnt out two (he didn't
realise what had happened the first time!) FT1000MPs during the contest from
excessive RF on the "rx in" socket on the 1000MP.

Is this an oversight by Yaesu?  Shouldn't the "rx in" be disconnected on tx
or, at least, have some protection circuitry?

What's the simplest way to protect the "rx-in" socket from excessive RF, any
ideas?

It was a real struggle to get through to many US stations, although K0HA
(NE) did come straight back to me and I had to try many times to get NZ1U -
I did get him eventually but had to wait for the G sunrise "lift"(?) on
Sunday morning.

I managed 95 NA contacts with 30 mults for 5,520 points.

Reading through the comments on 3830, the following were the loudest EU
stations:

   RN6BN, YO2LDC, I2BBJ, S58A

As for G, the impression I got was that the following stations were head 'n'
shoulders above the rest (I think Phil, G4OBK seemed to be doing very well
also but I didn't hear Phil on as much as these two):

   GW3JXN, G4VGO

It would be interesting to hear from these guys if they subscribe to this
reflector - maybe they could share some of their secrets/wisdom!

I looked these guys up on qrz.com and entered their postcodes into
streetmap.co.uk - there doesn't seem to be much in common in terms of
location!  Opposite sides of the country, with GW3JXN @ 200m+ and G4VGO @
10m+!

John, GW3JXN has steep ground falling away to the west and is only a couple
of kms from the sea - bet this location works well on HF too!

Bob, G4VGO has a website describing his top band antenna projects:

http://www.qsl.net/g4vgo

I just received an e-mail from Bob, G4VGO and he was using a 3/8 vertical
(skyhook provided by a helium balloon) and 100W o/p.

I've only just recently got interested in top band, but I'm a big fan
already - it provides an interesting challenge.

73
Steve
G0CKP

----- Original Message -----
From: Cooper Stewart <coopers at odl.co.uk>
To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 9:41 AM
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] GM4AFF ARRL 160m CW


> I thought I would see what I could work in this event. I may have been the
> only GM on. I'm now interested to hear what some other G stations use for
> aerials as they were obviously hearing and being heard better than I was
> (what's new?). I also called W1SJ, NZ1U, K0HA and N4BP but was never
heard.
>
> Total:  QSOs = 37 / Sections = 22 / Total Score = 1,628
>
> Equipment: TS940s + ETO 91b + Inverted 'V' at 60ft + 550ft (325 deg) and
> 700ft beverage (145 deg)
>
> Regarding the current 'conversation' about contest participation, hfcc,
etc.
> I see some well reasoned and well written contributions passing by me
here.
> I hope these contributors will be standing for election to the hfcc at the
> next opportunity.
>
> Stewart
> GM4AFF
>
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