[UK-CONTEST] ARRL DX Contest

[Mike Farmer]

I had a fun time in the ARRL contest over the weekend but I realised why I will never win anything.

I was (and had been for over an hour) running on 28851.59 when an OH station started calling CQ on 28852.63. He was 59 with me (on 28851.59) so I guess that he could hear me!  Being 1.04 KHz above me I believe the only way that I would get that much RF would be if he was running a fair bit of power or the filters on my 1000MP are no good. Anyway I moved to his freq and told him he was QRMing on my freq and asked him to move he said Yes (Oh boy was I surprised).   3 mins later I start getting a 59++ signal (calling CQ) from the same station but now cantered on 28852.63 the very freq that I have been using he then tells me (not asks me) to move as I am causing him QRM on "this freq".

On 21261.94 (again running) one of the few runs I got below 10m a G station using a special contest call starts calling CQ on 21262.33 just 0.39 below me! I point it out and get a stream of abuse about giving preference to special call holders as they are the serious contesters.

I find myself wondering if these people realise that there no such thing as perfect sideband filters and some lsb is transmitted from most (if not all radios). This could be a result of the dumbing down of the tech part of the licence requirements. 

So I now know why I will not win a contest  - I don't think I am arrogant or deliberately cause QRM to other stations even in contests when there is so much pressure on band space.

My contest stats:

FT1000MP to Force12 C19xr at 60 feet or dipoles at similar height (all repaired during the previous week following gale damage - retirement is wonderful.)

First time I have ever used 160 as a single op in a multi band contest

Band                QSOs              Mults
160                  7                      6
80                    34                    14
40                    31                    17
20                    126                  38
15                    129                  38
10                    754                  58
 
Claimed score 553527 
 
Highs
 
Getting KC1XX on all bands in the first 12 hours.
Getting WAS (except HI)
Fantastic 6 hour run on 10m which resulted in 3 consecutive hours at over 120 preceded by 1 at over 60 and followed by 2 at over 70.
 
Lows

Suffering the QRM explained above
Getting KO'd for the last 6 hours by some unknown bug (medical not computer).
Being unable to establish a run below 10m - still perhaps with only 100 watts I should be grateful for the run on 10m

The future
 
Must do something about my low band Aerials - any suggestions or recommendations gratefully received
 
73 de Mike
 
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