[UK-CONTEST] IARU GW3NJW SOAB CW

[Clive Whelan]

A quick and dirty  report, before I nod off at the keyboard!


Score 983,991
from 1597 net QSOs,
78 zones and
105 HQs.

 Not having top band this year realistically cost me over 100,000 points,
even with my previous droopy doublet; oh well.

The last time I entered was 2002, as GW7X, with a very similar set up, apart
from top band, just a few antenna tweaks here and there. The score is about
5% up on that effort, and I don't quite know what that implies. Although I
made more QSOs, ca. 250 more, the mults were down because of 160m, and the
pts/QSO was also down, probably indicating less stateside QSOs, than
previously. Highlight, well none really, except it was nice that the JAs
came for me on 14Mhz, and I didn't have to chase them. Lowlight, being quite
unable to raise TM0HQ on 28Mhz.It was gratifying that GB5HQ could in general
tell me where the other stations were parked, whereas DA0HQ was quite unable
so to do; well done men!


Station SO2R
Writelog 10.47, W5XD multi keyer and SO2R box.
2xTS870S
Alpha 78 and SB220 amplifiers.
W1CF/Butternut hybrid triangle and 88ft inverted vee doublet arranged as a
mini vee beam to the NW/SE, which runs from 27ft down to 12ft or so at the
ends, to keep the conservation area cops in the dark!


SO2R?, well on average SO1.5R, because after about 03:00 I was simply too
tired to accomplish this effectively, so it was back to a mix of running and
S&P. After said witching hour, I simply could not recognise which signals
were in which receiver, despite using the headphone latch in Writelog. This
led me to dump my callsign occasionally on the wrong radio!, especially
since it still seem more natural to use the paddle than the keyboard for
this kind of stuff. Perhaps young contesters are growing up naturally with
this process, just as OFs like me, made the transition from straight key
through semi-automatic to electronic keyer, seamlessly and without tears.


Did I have fun?, absolutely not, never do, have more fun cleaning out the
cupboard under the sink. Did I learn anything?; yes indeed, a I always do.
One day when I have tidy antennas, I might start winning stuff ( dream on,
Ed).

Now I must start some keyboard practice to get the QTCs in more efficiently
in the upcoming WAE. This, imo, is the really big one. Forget your CQWWs etc
al which are a stroll in the park by comparison. If you win summat in WAE,
you have really graduated in ontesting. Easy it ain't, challenging and
satisfying it certainly is.  Hey HFCC, how about re-isuing some of those
redundant RUGBY trophies ( maze DX et al) for leading Go in AWE and other
international contests? No good in a cupboard in Potters' Bar.

73



Clive
GW3NJW