[UK-CONTEST] ARRL 10m, GW3NJW SO CWO

[Clive Whelan]

G3YMC opined

<there is still
a chance the band will open in the remaining hours (but I suspect
not, judging by the deathly hush down there at the moment!).>

Well if it does so now ( 1830z), I'll be "gone fishing". Enough is enough!

Dave also opined

<stations further south
(ZC4LI, P3F etc) could clearly generate a big pileup, and there were
some very big serials coming from the Caribbean and south America. I
guess we count as the frozen north as far as the propagation
predictions go.>

Well to some extent, but we are talking apples and pears here. Bob doesn't
run QRP to wire remember, and suspect the same may be true of ZC4LI. I note
that DL1IAO gave me serial nr.595 at about 1400z Sunday, so that's a tidy
score from the frozen North! Once again he was always there, via back
scatter if no other mode, always a sign of a good signal. The realisation
that punk antennas will never hack it, is hard to come to terms with, but
I've had longer than most!


Good job I wasn't really trying ( well that's my story), as the bottom line
was a meagre:

68 QSOs

30 mults(= 30 countries actually)

8,160 points

Bizarrely the only US station I worked was in PA ( on Sunday), and I missed
both the FL stations, who were both in the noise. South America and the
Caribbean were consistent from about 12z both days, but the band was wiped
out by about 17z Sunday.


Station:

TS870S
amp=400watts
wires and verticals
WL 10.5


New question for the RAE. "Which ( HF) band is better  for long distance
communication in sunspot minima, Top Band or Bottom Band?"



73



Clive
GW3NJW