[UK-CONTEST] IOTA2006 SV8/G0TSM/P

[Darren GØTSM]

SV8/G0TSM/P EU-052 Alykanas, Zakynthos (Zante Is.)

Electrical QRM really messed up this contest up for me, I had an S8 
noise from 80M up to about 70MHz and it made listening with a normal 
width filter impossible. The IC706's noise blanker didnt touch it and 
the IC7000's NB dealt with it to some extent but anything less than 
S4-5 was barely readable. I opted to run on CW and try and pick up 
the loud mults on SSB. Problem is I'm only ok on CW up to about 
21wpm, over that and my brain hurts. Not good with stations calling at 30wpm.
My highest rate was 75per hour and probably having one of the longest 
calls in the contest and at 21wpm I thought that was pretty good going for me.

411 QSOs (Inc 4 dupes) 60 Mults, 140220 points.

It was a little frustrating being an extra or longer hop away from 
most G*s, on 20m the DLs UY's etc were 9+20 with only a few G* 
stations around the S9 mark. But then after I had finished my 12 
hours I had a tune around and found the G stations coming up, so 
looks like I made a small tactical error when choosing the operating times.

I like the way most IOTA contesters pick up on a /PORTABLE calling in 
and will take the time to work you hoping for a mult, the continental 
stations just out to run anyone will just say 'too weak' and start 
CQing again. When my rate meter said 1 mult = 10.5Qs and the rate was 
20 per hour I went to find mults, I'm sure I can find more than 2 
mults in 30 minutes..

I was disappointed with 40M, I couldnt break into many stations, I 
guess being that just a little bit further out doesnt help, the 
antenna arrangement I was using was actually better than I use on my 
home station here for 40M, on the first day I set up HF I found that 
the JAs were louder than most Eu's on 40/ssb, quite amazing..

One small funny (besides a TV engineer turning up to check all the 
TVs for poor pictures), most amplifier users will probably know what 
I mean when it's possible to 'flicker' the house lights when running 
QRO on CW, imagine doing that to the lights of 8 apartments and with 
only 100W!!!!

Cheers All, I had a great holiday and congrats to all who copied my 
call first time in either SSB or CW...

Darren G0TSM

SV8/G0TSM/P EU-052

Callsign as per SV's licensing conditions for visiting cept operators....