[UK-CONTEST] CQ WW SSB GM0F SOAB HP

[Cooper, Stewart]

Raw score, as yet unchecked for wrong stuff...

 BAND   QSO DUP DXC  CQ POINTS  AVG
------------------------------------
  160   193   3  48   9    225 1.17
   80   403   3  59  13    562 1.39
   40   421   5  84  20    597 1.42
   20   870   8  89  30   1802 2.07
   15   585  10  84  22   1278 2.18
   10    27   0  17   7     40 1.48
------------------------------------
TOTAL  2499  29 381 101   4504 1.80
====================================
      TOTAL SCORE : 2 170 928

Rather than try to kill myself, I did the first 24 hours and got a decent sleep on Saturday night of 6 hours. I took a couple of breaks too for meals. I am never going to be first in any section, so I just tried to 'do what I could'.
Conditions were strange, in the sense that some bands were VERY busy - the busiest I have ever seen. And yet there wasn't a good run to JA for me all weekend and I had to work hard to keep any runs going on 15 and 20m to the US. Sunday evening got a bit better with the propogation tracking the sun right accross the US and on to KL7 then KH6/7. First time I've ever actually experienced that. There were times when I thought I was wasting my time trying to generate even some QSOs on 40m. My poor take off to the west was very noticeable on HF and the poor ground conductivity was noticeable on LF. Perhaps a move of QTH is on the cards. This is a great VHF site!
Surprises included:
- being called by 3 KH6's in a row
- not working a single ZL apart from Chris ZL1CT/MM (who was actually near Norfolk Is on his way home)
- surprisingly few last two letters callers
- lots of class B licencees from all over Eu (might account for the busier bands)
- W's on top band calling me
- LT1F for being the only station that honoured a sked
Disappointments included:
- losing the CAT facility on my new FT897 - God knows why (and how much it will cost to fix)
- having my usual problem finding multipliers
- my inability to get to grips with propagation
Finally I have SO2R working really well, although the broken CAT was a pain. Both radios, DX Doubler, ICE filters, audio keyer driven from PC, stubs, auto multiple antenna switching and Win-Test all integrated and worked faultlessly. I was the weak link! (Again).

FT1000MP, Alpha 91b, FT897, Collins 30S1, 160m dipole at 55ft, 80m 1/4 wave, 402CD @ 50ft, 4 ele 20m @ 55ft, 4 ele 15m at 50ft and 5 ele 10m at 30ft. Two 520ft beverages and two Ewe's.


Stewart
GM4AFF as GM0F


Stewart Cooper
Maintenance Systems Engineer

ODL
Buchanan House  Summer Street  Aberdeen  UK  AB10 1SJ

Tel (Direct) +44 (0)1224 628039
Tel (S'board) +44 (0)1224 628000
Fax +44 (0)1224 643325



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