[UK-CONTEST] ARRL DX SSB G1A(@G4BUO) SOSB/20 HP

[Simon Pearson]

Hi folks,

This is my write-up from the past weekend's ARRL DX phone contest - 
mine is also quite lengthy!

Call: G1A
Operator(s): M0CLW
Station: G4BUO

Class: SOSB/20 HP
QTH: Penshurst
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
  Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   160:    x     x
    80:    x     x
    40:    x     x
    20: 1268    58
    15:    x     x
    10:    x     x
-------------------
Total: 1268    58  Total Score = 220,458

Club: Worldwide Young Contesters

Comments:

Equipment
=========

* FT-1000MP + Ten-Tec Titan
* 8el Tennadyne LPDA @ 73ft + delta loop @ 40ft

This was my first serious single-op effort in a major international 
contest for as long as I can remember, normally being a member of 
the G6PZ multi-op team. And, what can I say?! I had a ball!

Saturday
========

Went on for a quick run at 0730Z on Saturday and got a couple of 
stations in the log, namely a VE6, K3LR and W0AIH. Had an hour off, 
and came back at 0900Z, when things were still relatively slow. Got 
VY2, another VE6 and a VE3 in the log. Soon after 0930Z, I was 
called by quite a few more 'big guns', W3LPL, KC1XX, N3RS, K5ZD, 
VE1JF etc.

By 1400Z on Saturday, I had 50 mults... Things were going quite 
well, but still I could not get a *decent* rate. My last 10 QSO 
meter peaked 310/hr, but my full clock hour rate was never better 
than 150/hr (!).

Had a 30 minute snow shower at about 16Z on Saturday, just at a time 
when I was running west coast - typical! It's kinda tricky to hear 
the weaker west coast stations with S9+ of rain static as well as 
all the splatter etc ;-)

By 1700Z Saturday, I had 57 mults, and that's the way it would stay. 
I needed Nevada... Not a problem, I was kinda expecting someone from 
out that way to call in as there was quite a nice opening to the 
west coast. However, that was not the case. I finished Saturday with 
only 825 QSOs, which was down on my target (1000 QSOs). The run 
dropped off just short of 2100Z, where I picked up a few more 
stations and had my last QSO at 2122Z.

Sunday
======

As for Sunday... Hmm, well, tuned around at 0900Z to hear absolutely 
*nothing* from NA and no sign of Europeans CQing. "Oh dear", I 
thought. The Sun gods knew it was a major international contesting 
weekend, obviously! Had my first QSO with VO1 at dead-on 1000Z.

Decided to have some breakfast, a cigarette, relax for a little and 
then returned to the rig at 11Z to find a run frequency. Fruitless 
CQing until 1123Z when I logged N6NWS from North Carolina. K5ZD 
called in at 1127Z, who was a dupe, but it's nice to know there is 
*some* propagation there - although admittedly he was really weak! 
So, I knew that condx were really quite bad.

At 1130Z, I'd logged a total of 6 stations since 1000Z. Hmmm, not 
really what I'd call a "run"! Decided to tune around for a bit, but 
K3LR was only an S3. Eh oh! My next QSO wasn't until 1220Z, when 
stations from more southern states started calling in (FL, GA etc). 
Then, finally, starting putting in a few stations from NY & NJ, then 
CT, and at last the band starting picking up.

Sunday was generally slow going with daylight hours rendering rates 
no higher than 60/hr (clock hour)! That is until 1900Z, when I had 
dead on 60 QSOs in the clock hour. And then, all of a sudden, 20Z 
hour generated a rate well over 120 QSOs. I guess there were fewer 
stations from Europe on the band (band already dead in eastern 
Europe) which sure helps.

W7RN called in at 1845Z for the last mult of the contest - Nevada. 
Thanks, guys! Yeah, I have to admit, I was biting my nails until 
that time as it would have been daft to have missed the NV mult!

Conclusions
===========

Ended on Sunday at 2124Z with 1299 QSOs in the log (31 dupes = 1268 
QSOs). Missed LB, NT, YT, NU as well as DC.

Loudest signals on the band were K3LR and VY2ZM. K0TV was also 
incredibly loud on Sunday afternoon. These guys were hitting +30dB 
on the 1000MP meter! Loudest west coast stations were W6YI, W6YX and 
W7RN (ironically), all around the +20dB marker. Great job, guys!

Many, many thanks to Dave G4BUO for the use of his fine station and 
also to both Dave and his XYL Denise for not only putting up with me 
but for keeping me very well fed and watered. I really enjoyed 
myself, so thank you both. I was most appreciative of being supplied 
with food, fruit juice and tea as and when required. Now, if only I 
could have a toilet which could be remotely controlled to come to 
me! ;-)

Need to do more second VFO work next year to increase the QSO total.

Thanks to all the stations who called and/or spotted me (having 
analysed the spots now I see I was spotted by a number of stations 
in G-land)...

Once again, I used Win-Test which performed flawlessly. This is one 
very awesome piece of contest logging software. I will try to use 
this in every contest it supports... More contests are being added 
all time! Thanks once again to Larry F6FVY for the support in the 
run-up to the contest.

Please do listen out for G1A in upcoming events - it's the short 
call for the "UK Young Contesters", of which I am founding member (I 
myself am 19 years of age). If you require a QSL card, please send 
via the bureau.

Many congratulations to Siggi TF3CW for a great score! It seems that 
erecting that 4el monobander for the SSB leg was really worth the 
effort.

The top 20 most worked states/provinces:
NY	127
FL	81
PA	79
NJ	73
MA	72
VA	57
OH	54
IL	43
CA	40
TX	37
ON	37
NH	36
MI	35
MD	34
NC	33
GA	31
CT	30
WA	29
TN	22

See you in WPX SSB!

73,

-- 
Simon Pearson, M0CLW
* CDXC * WWYC * UKYC