IARU HF World Championship - 2023
Call: K8CN
Operator(s): K8CN
Station: K8CN
Class: SOABCW QRP
QTH: NH
Operating Time (hrs): 7
Summary:
Band CW Qs Ph Qs Zones HQ Mults
-------------------------------------
160:
80: 2 1 0
40: 23 7 4
20: 25 9 1
15: 83 10 9
10: 4 2 0
-------------------------------------
Total: 137 0 29 14 Total Score = 16,985
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
I first did a brief entry in IARU HF back in 2009 as a QRP op. I've stayed with
that tradition ever since, although I have missed some years due to other
commitments. The past 3 years have seen declining results (i.e. points, Qs,
mults) for me for a mix of reasons, some beyond my immediate control and others
within the realm of possible change. I have fallen far from my peak entry year
in 2014 when I had ~ 242K points, 635 Qs and many more zones and HQ mults than
this year. I've been mulling over the diminished performance, especially since
I've been retired since January 2021 and can no longer attribute my results, in
part, to work distractions. A predominant factor is the loss of my Lazy H,
which made all the difference in getting EU stations (and Pacific, for that
matter) to hear my 5 watts reliably on 40 meters and up.
Enough rumination about the past IARU HF sessions! Congratulations to all the
WRTC teams for their ability to hear me, not to mention work so many stations
around the world in 24 hours. I did not detect much difference in signal
strength among the I4# stations I worked, but on my poor antenna none of them
were particularly strong, most at S2-3. How they heard me is a miracle, but
clearly due to their exceptional operating skills.
The biggest surprise for me was hearing the 15 meter opening to deep Asia around
0100Z Sunday - many JA, BY, and one 9N1AA heard easily even though I couldn't
work any of them. I rarely hear signals from Asia on any band given the poor
antenna I have, so it was rewarding simply to hear these ops running pileups.
Weak signals were much more readily copied since my power line QRN took a
vacation day this weekend.
I wish I had planned more carefully for this year's effort - I allowed several
events to take me away from the shack for hours at a time, and lack of good
sleep preparation didn't help when I finally got back to the shack around 0100Z
Sunday - I lasted all of an hour, then fell asleep. Now I just need to remember
to read this post before next summer's IARU HF to prepare accordingly!
Tremendous thanks to all for digging out my weak signal, especially those who
stuck with me through many repeats. The propagation variability within the
contest day still amazes me even though I know generally what to expect with so
many runnings under my belt as a QRP op.
73,
Mike, K8CN
Rig: K2/10 at 5 watts; droopy 135 foot doublet snagged in tree branches about 20
feet up ( a far cry from my old Lazy H at 60 feet); ladder line feed with KAT100
ATU and external BL2 balun)
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|