ARRL 160-Meter Contest
Call: W4IX
Operator(s): W4IX
Station: W4IX
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: SC
Operating Time (hrs): 22
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 697 Sections = 72 Countries = 10 Total Score = 116,768
Club: South East Contest Club
Comments:
Due to a last minute change to my work shedule on Monday I decided to operate
this one, so I had to buy some wire and build antennas. First I hastily put up
an Inv. L in some trees with the apex at about 45 feet, fed with straight coax,
no matching. Then I purchased 3 rolls of Fi Shock 17 gauge aluminum wire from
Lowes, ran about 12 1/4 wave radials. The end result was an antenna that would
work ok with my Dentron MT-2000A tuner. Then I checked on my NE beverage in the
woods and it was in about 6 pieces. So I rebuilt it and extended it from about
350 feet to 400 feet. It was then that I came up with an idea. I have this
little retention fence that runs NW from my property along the side of the road
that the construction people put up to keep the soil from eashing off the hill
into the road. Its about 2 feet off the ground, so my wife went out to Lowes
and purchased 10 wooden yard sticks for 60 cents each. I cut them in 1 foot
sections and tie wrapped 1 each to the metal fence posts every 50 feet. I cut a
slit in the top of the wooden sections and then ran the 17 gauge aluminum wire
all the way down about 900 feet and then worked back and spread the top of the
wood sticks and stuck the wire in and let go ( this put enough tension on the
wire to keep it pretty level between the sticks ). I then hammered an old broom
stick into the ground, drilled a hole in the top and ran the wire through then
down the stick and tie wrapped it in place. Pounded a small ground rod into the
ground and attached a ground clamp. Fed this wire RG-6 cable about 60 feet from
the shack. So now I had a 900 foot long wire to the NW since i did not
terminate the far end. I hooked both receive antennas up to a MFJ 1701 antenna
switch and fed them into an old TS-830S. ( This radio has awesome sounding
audio ) I used the TS930S at about 100 watts to TX and the TS830 to RX. I just
has to get used to my own signal on the RX end, but I tell you, the difference
between signals on the 2 RX antennas was incredible. I would have say WB9Z on
1824 at almost S9 on the NW wire, then switch to the NE wire and he would go to
S0. Some stations would be ESP on one antenna and S5 on the other. I have never
had this option before and it was awesome. So i could S&P the entire band on
one antenna, then switch to the other and S&P the band again with an entirely
new group of signals. Now about the contest, the band was pretty quiet to me
the entire weekend, lots of loud US staions east of the Mississippi. The west
coast and DX stations were not that plentiful at my QTH. I had many stations CQ
in my face over and over including N6RO whom I normally can work on a 80 meter
dipole through my tuner. Don't know if it was propagation or my antenna, but
did not hear many 6's or 7's this contest. I ran the first 8 or 9 hours of the
contest so I didnt try to work many DX stations, but when I S&Pd and found
them, it was like trying to pull your own teeth to work them. they usually had
someone calling all the time and I just kept calling, even when it sounded
quiet, they CQd again. When all was quiet and I put a call in anf got a W?, it
was on. I would have to call over and over again to make the QSO, usually a
good 3-5 minutes. Only worked a few DX the first night. Highlight was getting
through to CE1/K7CA after trying him at least 20-30 times all night. Then found
WL7E and after 30-40 minutes of trying, gave up. Then at around 1200Z, KL7RA
called me while I was running ( at least I think so, because one thing I
noticed about this contest, you could be on a frequency running for hours and
with a slight propagation change, you find out that there is someone else also
on the same frequency and guys could be working him not you and you would not
even know it ) Ended up with about 490 Q's 62 sect. and 5 DX after the first
night. 2nd day I started running early around 2100z and things were real slow.
As the band started coming in, more and more stations would show up on my freq.
or at least within 200hz of me. I just kept at it and they usually would leave.
Ran for about 5 hours then started looking for needed mults. Found several loud
Euros in the DX window and tried and tried and tried...finally got through to a
few including TM6M, OM2VL & M5O althought it took a lot of time. Tried running
a few more times but things were real slow, S&Pd and mostly every one was
already in the log. Decided to shoot for the 100,000 point mark and pull the
plug. Found a quiet spot on 1802.1 and CQd. Rate was very slow but but kept
getting closer to my goal. VE7CC & N6ZFO called in for a new
mults...Thanks..Spent at least 1 hour trying to work N3QQ in WWA and N6AA in
LAX for new ones, after that I decided to pull the plug. Thanks to everyone for
working us low power guys, just a quick note, I had one guy come back to me with
a W?..I called 2 more times and he said sri, too weak, try later...I went back
to him with NO NO and called 2 more calls, he got me! Thanks 73's and CU ALL
in the ARRL 10 meter contest next weekend. I will be SOLPCW only. John /
Drubber
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