[UK-CONTEST] RSGB 1.8MHz K1ESE

[G3SJJ]

I think you meant this to go to the UK Contest Reflector John so I have 
done that for you.

I guess you are in the right ballpark, given band condx and what I felt 
was a lack of UK activity. Last year I made 213 Qs against 185 this 
time. I note the absence of 6 or 8 UK stations who you would certainly 
have worked. I think QRN levels were higher over here also. The OE 160m 
Contest was also running but I felt there wasn't really much 
participation in that either.

For me K9DX was the strongest US station, followed by K8MFO, the rest of 
you were a bit of a struggle.

73 Chris G3SJJ


John Huffman wrote:
> Well, that was interesting.
>
> This was the first test of the big quad, two element full-sized quad 
> topping out at 250 feet.  I wasn't sure what to expect.  The contest 
> started just before sunset and I immediately heard signals.  At least 
> I knew the antenna could receive.
>
> Made my first contact at about quarter past with G3LET who continued 
> to put in a good signal all contest.  From there, I worked about four 
> per hour for three hours.  The last hour consisted of calling stations 
> ten to twenty times before they noticed me.  That was followed by many 
> fills to get the exchange right.  I appreciate all who worked with me 
> to complete the exchange.  They were doing all the work.  On my end I 
> could hear them all fine and seldom needed a fill.
>
> Heard about twenty stations altogether.  Also heard Ireland (hi Paul), 
> Italy, and the Slovak Republic.  I have no experience on 160 so don't 
> know if this is what I should have expected or not.
>
> I'm thinking the antenna should have worked better.  I was running 600 
> watts.  All that wire and height should have made the antenna a real 
> performer.  Again, I don't have a frame of reference.
>
> After three hours I was only hearing stations I worked or those that 
> weren't hearing me after lots of trying on my part.  I packed up and 
> went home an hour before the finish.  The antenna is about an hour 
> from my home through the woods.  I felt fortunate that there wasn't a 
> moose on the road waiting to collide with the car.
>
> So there it is, first contest with the quad netted eleven contacts and 
> England, Scotland, and Wales.  That doubles my DXCC total on 160 :-)
>
> 73 de K1ESE
> John
>