CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW
Call: HA3LN
Operator(s): HA3LN
Station: HA3LN
Class: Single Op Assisted LP
QTH: JN96BT
Operating Time (hrs): ~7
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 359 State/Prov = 5 Countries = 44 Total Score = 90,258
Club: Hungarian DX Club
Comments:
FT1000MP Field > 100W > Inv-L (with 15m vertical section) with 60 radials,
no RX antenna
I wanted to test the new Inv-L antenna which I managed to finish 2 hours before
the contest start. It is based on ON4UN's trapped version of 80/160m duobander.
So I had plenty of time to tune the band see what I have. I was sitting on
DM7C's freq trying to copy anything I can. At the JA sunrise the shocking
surprise came... There are JAs on the band... a lot of them with unbelievable
signals. I though working JA on top band is the privilege the stns with big RX
antenna systems. JA3CJO with s9+10Db on Inv-L. I could log JA7NI
("only" with s8) for the second call. I heard at least 15 different
calls during this period with easy copy. Not bad...
This was my first reals 160m contest with a "not only radiating
somehow" antenna. I thought there's nothing worse than 40m CW at the
beginning of a CQWWCW. There were stations on every 200-250Hz with killing
splatters. I feel K8ND's pain not being heard by EU stn's but at the first
couple of minutes took to find the way how I could get myself logged even with
EU big guns... I pulled the 250Hz filter with the 240Hz DSP filter which proved
to be the working setup.
I planned to be on air only until my sunrise. I didn't feel too tired but
around 02z I had really frequent sleep black-outs even during a QSO. This
horror jungle did not help to maintain my focus for sure. I think CQ160
requires the biggest attention at the start.
There is a interesting habit I noticed. My running freq was stolen several
times with "no QRL?" but it's OK, 100W is 100W. But in the prime time
of NA when I assume everybody in EU is listening towards there why are we
starting CQ on top of the CQing DX station I cannot get. There were several K
and VE stations who was impossible to work because the EU "peer" was
CQing like hell without receiving the DX... When I have a semi-clear period for
10 seconds the stn was logged easily even with 100W. I know I know, top band is
a different crowded world. I lost C6AGU, HK1R, XE2X, PJ2T due to this with at
least 6-8 states/provinces.
Despite the difficulty I enjoyed the contest. Being LP on 160m is even more
pain but I could even run for shorter period of time with good rates
(68/73/91/60). DX is only 4% in log. I guess I have 45 cty mults with logging
EU6F which was recognized by the current cty file yet.
Thanks for the contacts next year definitely I plan with full time effort.
73!
Csaba HA3LN
http://ha3ln.hu/
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|