[UK-CONTEST] 2nd 1.8 MHz Contest

[Andy Cook, G4PIQ]

Valid QSOs : 190

Bonuses : 24 DXCC + 47 districts = 71

Score : 735 according to the new rules - I've only just noticed that the
rules now show 2 points / QSO where it always used to be 3 points / QSO (and
is still 3 pt / QSO for the 1st 1.8 MHz event). 

 

I was lucky enough to have a few hours free to do this tonight. I thought
that conditions were not all that great and also activity from the UK seemed
a bit down, though as usual there was good activity from Europe. No time to
put up a vertical, so just ran with a dipole strung from a tall tree and as
such worked little DX - 4 stations from W/VE (and all but K3ZM were quite
weak) and about the same number of UA9s. 

 

Nearly 20 years ago I had the end of a dipole fall down in this contest
where the RF arced through the bailer twine which was doing a job of both
insulator and end support for the antenna - I learnt about the need for a
proper insulator (even if it is just a cable tie) from that! This year, 15
minutes before the end this year I had the middle of the antenna fall down
where the tree supporting the antenna had grown into the wires. At least it
lasted that long! Packed it in at that point!

 

This event also has something of a tradition for me of having to fix
amplifiers in a big rush immediately before this contest. In the hour
beforehand this year, I was busy replacing duff filter caps in the PA which
had failed a day or so ago - so not so much changes.

 

K3 + Ten Tec Titan. 400W. Inv-V Dipole @ 65ft.