CQ160 SSB Soapbox built 3-30-2008 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: AA1K Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 9,570 This weekend was reserved for mostly noncontesting things with the XYL. See you all in ARRL DX SSB! 73/Jon AA1K www.aa1k.us ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: AB2E Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 25,392 Just giving out points. Rig: IC756ProII - Dentron DTR2000L Antenna: 160m half wave dipole @55ft fed w/ladder line. Highlight was having M6T answer my CQ. 73 and CU in ARRL SSB, Darrell AB2E ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: AB5MM Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 164,960 Condx not as good as CW weekend. But still fun. See ya'll next year. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: AD8J Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 22,344 Lots of QRN in WPA and this OM isn't big on staying up late. As a result didn't work much out west this year. But did manage to give out some contacts to the usual cast of characters. Wish that XE would get some ears as I could have used that mult. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: AD8P Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 36,990 Fried the Orion and the Titan last weekend so ran with the mobile radio, FT-857D all weekend. No receive antennas, no computer hook up, no DVK. I must be nuts. However I did work VP6DX on 100 watts. It sure was fun saying hello to lots of old friends. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: C6ANM Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 354,220 Rig: IC-7000, KD9SV DXPeditioner II Beverage Switch and AL-811 @ 250w. Ant: Inverted-L 43'Vertical, 2-Beverages (SW, NW) Max Rate: 240/hr in first hour. Lower score this year due to high noise levels but more civilized location with AC power. Sorry if we did not hear you on Friday nite. The QRN was very high due to T-Storms in Gulf of Mexico and Florida. Didn't hear EU until Saturday morning. Band was loaded up to 1980 KHz. EU CQs under stateside CQs. Beverages sorted out signals but our omni antenna clobbered stateside...sorry. It would be better if EU CQ Runs were in one section of band, US CQ runs in another, etc. Last contact was UU7J who called me in last 30 seconds. Best DX was VP6D, KL7 and NH6. Another enjoyable 80 degree F Bahama adventure concluded with a swim off the reef and a Conch dinner. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: CN3A Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 753,342 Another great experience from our CN3A Contest Station. After less then 2 years of our new Contest Station opening we made the first CQWW 160 SSB as Multisingle. We flout to Marocco Feb. 21 and we start the same day to built up from zero our best solution antenna for 160mt. We decide to utilize a 18 mt. fiber and we put it on 18 mt. tower to create approx. 36 Mt. vertical with approx. 100 radials. At the same time CN8WW Said started to implement 2 200Mt. beverages, one into the NA direction one into Europe. After less than 5 hours an lot of test with great Mini VNA check we were able to be on the air to test all the new system ready for the competition. Friday morning we fixed some additional radials and we work a little for the next March WPX SSB '08. We started CQWW 160 and immediately we realize that our beverage system was very powerful especially with the US/VE (all over we did 180 qso`s with USA). We had the best rate the second night with 77 qso per hour, during US sunset. Not to bad !!! for a tough and so difficult band. Our main goal was to win the contest, first of all, and beat the 3V8BB 1999 record in the MS category. We realize that we were in a good shape to win but too far away the second night to over pass the record, may be we have to wait VP6DX score! They are rocking! Sunday night was very difficult due the fact that in Europe they had a lot of noise, our signal was not strong enough to by pass qrm so it was impossible to have at the end 100 qso more to beat the record. The great qso's to remain are with the west cost US/Canada, 2 with California, Arizona and a great one from New Mexico. After the second night with VP6DX into the log an a real 59 +30 report we had the incredible opportunity to have a 4 min. chat with them. Really incredible VP6DX was loud and clear and the feeling was great. The sensation we had after the contest was that our transmit antenna was pretty good, probably 10 mt. more to get more efficiency are necessary next time, we can improve next time also the directions and the length of our beverages especially into Europe but....sometimes was impossible to have an answer from East Cost and Cental US due the fact they are not able to listen. Too many US/VE are running only "local" stations, the signals we received were very good but there was no way to receive an answer. We hope an improvement next year. As usual we would like to thanks SV8CS and ARRAM for the support and all the fellows we contacted. See you next WPX SSB 08 as 5D5A Stefano IK2QEI and Matteo IK2SGC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: CT9L Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 305,804 Had bad PLC-Noise ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: DK1MM Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 355,308 Highlight was our QSO with VP6DX on Sunday morning. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: DK8EY Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 5,106 ICOM IC-7400, dipole 2x24m ladder line, N1MM, Toshiba Tecra M4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: DL1Z Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 240,474 Fed my tower against two elevated radials@15m as my new full size vertical, worked pretty well. Other antennas dipol@30m and 4 short beverages Thanks for all qsos See you in ARRL ssb on 20m 73, Peter ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: ES5RW Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 397,062 Great experinece to work from Tõnno's contest qth, while he was operating at VP6DX himself. The full size 4square did its' job. Lots of good mults called in, though couldn't spend enough time calling to other directions than EU - the battle for keeping the frequency clear was continuous. The biggest surprise was W0EWD from IA with real S9+ signals at 0200z Sunday morning. The explanantion came promptly - 4squares on both sides. The qso rates were not high making the use of the 2nd VFO for seeking for new stations useful. Thanks to all who called. CU in ARRL DX next weekend. 73, Rein ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: HA8BE Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 130,567 Rig: IC-756 Ant: Vertical(28m) Rx ant: 2x50m Lw, Delta Loop(30m band) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: HG7T Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 101,185 Sri big QRM EU...... My rig FT9000D+OM Power. Ant: Titanex V160HD and K9AY Vy 73&DX Tibi HA7TM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: HG8DX Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 599,637 RIG? IC 781 + LA ANT: 40 M HIGHT VERTICAL & 8X BEVERAGE (3 LAMDA) Very poor conds to North America during first night - Saturday morning closed with 9 state/prov only. Sunday morning brings the breakthru: a 30 minutes long US/VE pileup helped us to catch 28 state/prov at the end. Total QSO number about the same vs last year, DXCC mults improved a bit - except Asia and Africa. HG3DX - a similar callsign to our HG8DX, was active in the contest too. This causes some strange comments in the band and cluster: "HG8DX has two signals in the band, in the same time". Commentants missed the number in the callsign only... (I am wondering on theirs UBN QSO rate.) Antenna setup consists of 7 Beverages, 540m each, a fullsize quarterwave vertical and a horizontal loop for Eu. on behalf of the team Des, HA8DZ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: I2WIJ Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 91,728 Less than 10 hours of operations. I just missed both afternoons/early evenings into Asia. I operated both mornings from 04.30z onward, and the sunday late evening. I enjoyed some European pileups and was also rewarding to work some USA and Central America stations on the first call, but then having difficult in copying their report!. No VE heard. Thanks to my Radio Club for letting me use the IQ2MI station setup. IC765, Ameritron AL-1200, Inverted L. City noise was disturbing a lot. Unfortunately we do not have any dedicated receiving antenna (beverage, loop or similar). A K9AY would be a good compromise, and we'll look to have something in the next future. Thanks to all for the contacts. CU next one. Bob, I2WIJ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: IK8UND Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 32,430 160 without amp....total pain!! Heard many us/ve but nobody heard me... cu in 2008 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K0GAS Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 24,885 Never got a good east coast opening. Misses most east and south east states. Nice to hear a bunch of Colorado ones. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K0PK Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 54,280 Topband contesting with LP SSB feels a lot like QRP CW....it can be a long, slow grind! Didn't quite make my goal of 400 Qs, but came close. Conditions from here were not as good as the CW weekend, but not much QRN either. The band seemed to die early on Sunday morning. Very little DX heard but managed to work C6,CN,CT3,KP4,VP6D & XE. Tried hard for ZF2AH but he QRTd before I could get through. States missed: KH6, KL7, MS & WY. Nice to hear VE4 activity for a change! The DVK in my FT-2000 got a good workout. Thanks for the Qs! Setup: FT-2000, TS-940S, N1MM logger, 95' TX vertical and various little RX antennas on a small lot. 73 - Paul, K0PK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K1EP Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 64,090 Better results than last year, about a 40% increase in Qs. The band was crowded, I worked some stations up to 1.980 and beyond. Even had some DX call me, which was nice. Heard lots of DX that couldn't hear me, like ES, UA2, OZ, DL, OH, LA, etc. But I did work VP6DX rather easily Sunday morning, so it was good. Thanks for all the Qs and for pulling out my weak signal. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K1LZ Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 536,520 Station: mirta for EU, inv V @ 55m, 2 ful size phased verticals, 2 beverages ic7800 & ic781 interlocked on transmit plus one ic781 just on receive with beverages acom2000 Best part of the contest is contact with RV0AR 10 minutes before the end. Thanks to W1VE and another people for www.getscores.org. Congratulations to WE3C for the best competition. Big thanks to everyone who work us. 73 from K1LZ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K1TO Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 138,411 Some late intermittent S&P low power on Friday evening. Couldn't break the West Coast wall to VP6DX with LP, so flipped the amp on, worked 'em, and shut the rig off with just 20 QSOs in the log. Saturday evening, taking a break from other activities, I flipped on the rig, called CQ, and had several enjoyable stretches, punctuated by frequent short ragchews with old and new friends. Spent much of that time either really low in the band at 1806 or up in the nosebleed section above 1900. I see now that 4O3A spotted me at 1806, but that not all EU could call that low in the band. Nonetheless, a surprising amount of EU made it into the log and 4Z1UF was an FB caller right at his SR. Apologies to HB10DX who I sucessfully called later, but whose call I could just not make out initially despite 5+ minutes of effort. Lots of manual switching between Beverages to pull out the weak ones. The static crashes, while not summerlike, were just annoying enough to cause lots of repeats. It's neat to work EU and long-haul west QSOs in the same period. Heard N1HRA call several folKS Friday night from RI, but I missed that state and WY for WAS. Really neat to see the huge rates reported at the beginning by some of the 160 studs. Next weekend's ARRL DX SSB will also be a part-time effort from here this year. 73, Dan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K2WK Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 47,190 Thanx to all for the contacts, especially those that were persistent and patient. Receiving on the TX antenna (Inv-L) is for alligators :) Stn: Pro III; 87A; 1/4 wave Inv-L, 4 elevated radials. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K3LL/6 Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 17,040 Fun times! Put up an inverted L Friday afternoon and connected it directly to the TS-940SAT tuner. Added more radials and trimmed it up a bit on Saturday afternoon. Quite a thrill to be called by KL7RA and then 15 minutes later KH6ND. Thanks to all of the stations that put up with the weak signal (esp NP4A and C6ANM) and of course the guys at VP6DX for handing out a new mult and country during the contest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K3MZ Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 672 I came down with a cold and my voice was shot. Decided to rest my voice for the ARRL SSB DX contest coming up. I could really use the DVR for my K3. Come on Elecraft. :) PK (Paul - K3MZ K2 #3135 K3 #84) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K3PH Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 3,612 Just the DX Cluster and me, cherry picking at the end of the contest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K3WW Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 279,840 As good as I can remember doing on SSB, and I spent half the first night chasing VP6DX. First hour of 202 may have been my best clock hour ever, any mode. Second hour wasn't bad either. I spent 0300 to 0343 seeing an emergency dental patient, which hurt my momentum and knocked me down on the online scoreboard. One of these years I will bring in a second op for a real Multi. 73 Chas K3WW ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K3ZM Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 397,491 Early in the contest, I heard N4PN (very loud) and K1LZ (running like mad) and figured my 160 meter goose was cooked. Kept at it and tried to emulate W4MYA with some plain old perseverance. I am lucky Paul was operating from a city lot instead of the Death Star. But the LZ guys DEMolished me. This contest is hard! I spent much of the weekend looking longingly at the button for the 250hz filters. Often, I had to retreat to the frontier above 1900 to try and attract EU's that I could copy. Two different US stations up there kindly agreed to my request to slide up a tiny bit further into the neutral zone so I could copy EU - thank you! That was gracious. Had some QRN on Friday night, but less so on Saturday night. Rates started out very high the first two hours, then nosedived. When I went to bed Saturday morning, I had only about 670 contacts and figured I was toast, but I kept setting little goals to keep myself going. At times, it was brutal trying to copy through the QRM, especially when digging out EU stations. I was flattered to be called by many contest champions, including (that I can think of) W2GD, K5ZD, K1IR, NP4A, K1ZM and, of course, my other brother K2DM. Also, many friends from EU, some with quite powerful stations. Nice to see WB9Z still flying. Special thanks to W3DQ for calling in with DC again. You're the man! Also VE4TV (formidable, mon ami!). I'm grateful to VY2SS for supplying me and others with PEI in Jeff's absence. Thank you! Was nice to get called by PJ2DX toward the end of the contest to supply a final country. Missed WY and the usual rare VE territories. Was glad for the VE4, actually. Did not work anything in the Pacific. Thanks to KL7RA, CX6VM, and many others. Peter K3ZM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K4BAI Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 31,409 FT1000MP, Alpha 78, 1 KW, "t" vertical. Time was limited, but I enjoyed the contest. Thanks for the QSOs. 73, John, K4BAI. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K4DLI Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 14,895 Didn't get to spend a lot of time on the contest this year. However, had a great time when I did. Couldn't hear any of the European stations for the splatter from all the stateside stations. Seemed to be a lot more stations on the air this year and many with less the stellar audio. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K4EU Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 18,275 I decided to play a little in the CQ 160m SSB Contest -- This is a first for me - CW yes - but operating SSB on 160m - never.... There I am S&P'ing and then find a relatively clear spot on 1869khz.... I call CQ, work a bunch of guys, then the MAGIC of topband hits.... All of a sudden VP6DX calls ME!!!! I nearly fell out of my chair!! The time was 0300Z so the sun was just setting at VP6.... I've been working DX and Contesting now for 44 years, and I'm just blown away by what happened to me on 160m/SSB.... Thanks for the Q's. FT1000/Field - Inverted L 73....//Steve K4EU ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K4JNY Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 25,438 Used an Icom 706 and Inverted V @ 85'. Thanks to all the patient ops that stuck with digging my puny signal out of the noise. 73 Jeff K4JNY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K4RO Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 8,854 I operated a little over an hour late Saturday night, after the NAQP RTTY contest was over. Boy, there sure are a lot of contests to choose from these days. Highlights included being called back to back by N6AA and K3ZO. What other sport besides contesting do you get to say "hello" to hall-of-fame legends? The enthusiasm that these guys still have for radio, after literally decades of accolades, is inspiring. As with all the greats in any human endeavor -- they don't love it because they're great, they're great because they love it. N1HTS really knows how to hang in there and complete a very tough QSO. He is the kind of operator that I would like on the other end of the circuit during critical traffic handling. The final highlight was being called by VP6DX. To have my CQ answered by a rare DXpedition on 160 meter SSB is not an everyday occurrence at K4RO! :-) We just never know what fun awaits us when we sit down to do a little contest operating. 73 -Kirk K4RO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K4XD Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 7,616 This was a really limited time effort, with the NAQP RTTY competing along with family stuff. My low point was the return of the problem where the SWR spikes and the amp shuts down (protection circuit). This had been happening on 160M CW, but was eliminated when I turned of the K9AY receive loop preamp. Still OK on 160M CW even running 1KW, but I guess I didn't check SSB, and trying to run any kind of power with SSB on 160M only causes the SWR to jump and the amp to shut down. So apologies for my "quick fade" on a number of QSO's, I was resetting the amp and trying to debug the problem. Since I don't work much 160M SSB, this is not a crippling problem, especially as 160M CW works OK with full power. But it does look like RF in the shack and for some reason SSB is triggering it but CW is not. Kind of odd because you would think the continuous high CW power would generate more RF than the peaks and valleys of SSB, but maybe it's just that fluctuation that is causing the problem. So I ended up mostly S&P and doing a little bit of running, and mostly just running barefoot with 100W. As others have commented, the QRM and splatter was pretty horrendous in the evenings. I did notice an even bigger difference (improvement) using the K9AY loops vs. my inv L transmit antenna than I do with CW, kind of interesting. I really enjoy 160M CW -- 160M SSB, not so much! 73, Rowland K4XD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K6CSL Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 630 Unbelievable! At 13:18Z I worked VP6DX, my only DX contact, with my 100 watts and my 40 meter Delta Loop! Bert, K6CSL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K6JEB Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 384 I could hear more stations than I could work on my 28' high 82' shortened dipole I tossed-up to try out 160m from this QTH. I have since installed a decent inverted-L about 40 feet in height. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K7XC Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 50,004 Hi All, SSB contesting is not as much fun as it used to be. Back when I was in my 20s and 30s it was an awesome experience but now phone is just such a chore... It makes my head hurt! CW FOREVER! LOL. So I figured I would show up Fri Night, activate the mult for the deserving, and see what I could do to put a dent in my 160M SSB WAS totals. What I didn't expect was to have so much fun do it! I stayed up until sunrise Sat morning working the contest and was amazed at how the conditions kept slowly drifting up and down in signal strength. At one point the W1's were S9+ for about 15 minutes and the NV feeding frenzy that ensued was a thing of pure joy. It just proves that operating from a rare mult is easily worth 10DB or more! Later as the terminator began to work its way across the the country, Stations who were barely audible earlier started to come screaming out of the noise. I was amazed that I was able to work many eastern stations well after their sunrise. My back woke me 3AM this past Thursday. While waiting for the ibuprophen to kick in I found and worked VP6DX on 160M SSB, so I felt no overwhelming need to join that chaos until well after it had settled down. During the peak of the activity, the VP6 commanded plenty of attention which left more room to CQ than I remember from previous contests as so many were calling them. Later on, it was obvious I was the only NV station still actively CQing and the constant stream of callers was a real kick in the butt! I only wish I had some kind of rcv ant as many were too weak to copy. Yes... all season long I have operated 160M using only the Inv L on transmit and rcv. Time to buld a rcv loop! Saturday evening the condx seemed to be better but my inability to get any sleep during the day made operating like thinking through dense fog. I worked in spurts while taking many breaks to refocus. Around 9PM I gave up and called it a night. Sunday AM I found barely enough active to nudge the score above 50K. All in all I'm pretty happy with the results... The station here is rather simple consisting of a IC-746, 800W from an ALPHA 78 into a 175' long Inv L up 35' with only seven 1/4 wave radials. After operating the W7RN super station last week, I wonder what I could have done if I had his full gallon and 120' verticle on Xmit and his 4 square rcv array! 73s de Tim - K7XC - DM09nm... sk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K9MUG Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 41,160 I was hoping to work some dx, but they were hard to hear with 59+20 signals every 2 kc. Even an rx antenna with a deep rear null is not of much value in Alabama. My transmit antenna only covers about 80 khz, so working on the edges was not very practical.At least the ARRL dx test won't have all the stateside QRM. Harrell ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: K9NW Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 30,102 A little here, a little there was about all I could take. Nice DX signals out there if you could find them. My hat's off to all of you who tough this one out! 73, Mike K9NW ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KB0FHP Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 21,586 This was my first 160M contest, and really my first time on 160M. My antenna was a 80M loop fed with ladder line up about 40 feet, with the best SWR at 1.5:1 - and typically greater than 2:1. Equipment was an ICOM 756Pro and Kenwood AT-230 Tuner. I only worked about 8 hours or so, and I appreciate everyone's patience with my puny signal. Next year, a new antenna, and hopefully a bit more power. I did hear a bit of DX: S57, HA, G, DL, and F and others. I was able to work C6, OZ, KP4 and UA2 (WOW - RW2F came out of nowhere and was able to work him before the hordes)...I had a lot of fun. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KD5J Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 6,105 2008 CQ WW 160-Meter DX Contest KD5J SINGLE-OP-LP QTH = AR QSOs QSO pts. Mults. -------------------------------------------- TOTALS 82 185 33 Claimed score = 6105 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KG4IGC Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 22,088 Did very well on the first night, I surpassed my points goal of 10,000 by 1000 points. Things were not so easy the next night, most of the stations heard I had already worked. I was really pleased with my antenna, I think it did a great job for me in this contest despite being up for almost two years now.Rig used was my Yaesu Mark V Field running 100 watts into a homebrew W4TWW inverted L with 10 135' radials. Really nice to work the locals, thanks goes out to all who anwered my calls! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KG7H Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 51,184 Not much DX this year, probably because my bev's are partly buried under the snow - drifts to 6 feet. Heavist winter in 10 years! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KL7RA Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 64,368 About 20 hours averaging about 10 Q's a hour. Lots of people told me to try later so I did. Then when I was dark soaked and could run a little some of the same station would call me but they were now in the noise. Some East coast stations in the log but not like last week when I had that good hour during the ARRL CW. SSB on 160 is hard, heard many stations struggling with the calls they were getting. Doesn't seem to slow down the activity as the band was loaded from 1.804 to 1.950 at times and this contest does fill in the topband awards. Best moment, someone enjoying their cocktail and calling CQ Contest. I called and they asked me what I wanted and why did I call? I said, "you were calling CQ. They said, "no I wasn't. I said, "yes you were". And so on. Good luck to Andy, N2NT new CQ 160 contest manager. 73 Rich KL7RA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KP4KE Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 367,813 CONTEST: CQ-160-SSB CALLSIGN: KP4KE CATEGORY: SINGLE-OP 160M LOW CLAIMED-SCORE: 367813 OPERATORS: KP4KE CLUB: BCC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KR4F Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 62,580 Local noise very bad in alternate mode bandwidth. Apologies to those I couldn't hear! Rig: Orion II, Titan 425 Antenna: Shunt-fed 60ft tower ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KS8O Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 14,432 Band conditions good, only using 100 watts into a dipole up 96 ft. Did not have enough ears to hear DX.. Thanks for all who stuck with me and picked up my call and report. S & P only this trip.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KU1CW Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 266,944 One of the last contest from this contest locations-I will be closing it in April 2008. I'm not sure if I would like to rebuild it again somewhere else... 73 and thanks to everyone who worked me through this few fun years-I had a lot of fun. 73 de Alex, KU1CW/EU1CW ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KV0Q Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 73,511 The band sounded pretty good on Saturday evening to Europe. Couldnt make a serious effort this weekend due to family conflicts ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: KY5R Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 223,398 Had a good time with new Xcvr, new bidirectional beverage system and new top loaded vertical. Still sorting out Xcvr but the rest played as expected. some QRN at the start but after that pretty normal levels. Had a great start with 500+ Q's in the log in the first 4hrs then I hit the wall and ended with a little over 700 Q's in the log Sat morning.Never saw the rate come back like that again. All grunt work after that with only 400 Q's more by Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon about 50 Q's in 2 1/2 hrs which just wasn't fun. DX was as expected from this QTH. I had my best effort in three years from here so very content with station configuration. Glad to see the activity even though it seemed low at times I think due to the NAQP RTTY thing. TNX all Tim ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: MD0CCE Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 47,280 Not a serious entry, just a bit of fun with lots of sleep. Congratulations to the REALLY BIG signals heard on the band! Winds here kept the tower down first two nights, so the "inverted vee" was more like a pancake with a lump in the middle - thanks to those who dug my signal out of the noise. 73, Bob ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N0KE Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 57,288 Missed ME, VT, DE (and DC), and neighboring WY for WAS. I must have worked at least 5 ND and several SD. As to be expected not much DX but it was nice to get VP6DX and I hope they submit a contest score. D4C, VP6DX and KH6ND were my only 10 point QSOs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N3HBX Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 355,509 Best conditions in years! However, horrible QRM (some of it deliberate) and QRN! Managed to work quite a few Europeans. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N3YW Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 56,145 Always a real enjoyable time and a learning process for sure. Great to hear many of the now familiar calls and voices from my just 6 short years as a ham. Seems I had the same resolution last year to install a receive antenna. Next year for sure......Many thanks to those who were patient with the 'repeat' requests. Was able only to put in about 8 hours over the two nights. But with the then almost cured bronchitis and voice keyer was able to have a rewarding time. Look foreword to ARRL ssb test next weekend, good luck and "have fun". Isn't that why we do this? Joe, n3yw ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N4KG Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 15,180 Just playing around, mostly looking for VP6DX to complete 20 Band/Slots. Heard him calling people so I tried CQing to no avail. Checked Packet and he was spotted running split. Got through without too much difficulty but it took several exchanges back and forth before the full exchange was acknowledge thanks to the continuous callers and on-frequency garbage. 160M SSB? YUCK ! I decided to stick with the NAQP RTTY Contest Saturday night (along with all of the active stations from Wyoming :-) - WAY more FUN. Tom N4KG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N4NM Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 3,540 Just giving out a few Qs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N4PN Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 223,744 This was pretty much a struggle with all the QRN from storms/tornados this week. Still was able to get one first ever - Worked all 50 states in one weekend contest on SSB. Have done it before on CW but never phone. Thanks to Rich, KL7RA and Mike, KH6ND both on Sunday morning within a few minutes of each other at my sunrist. Nice short opening Saturday night around 0230 UTC to Europe. OZ1DD being the strongest followed closely by S59A. Worked VP6DX/Ducie early in the contest with a great signal. They were stronger than a lot of the U.S. stations. Missed VE4 altho there was at least two stations on...VE4EAR and VE4TV. Nice to be able to say hello and more than just a report to so many good friends without feeling quilty about the "lost" time.' See ya in the ARRL Fone. Rig: FT1000MP/AL-1200 - 1KW PTIV (that's Pine Tree Inverted Vee) Xmit/Rcve 2 - short (really short - 240' bev/wires thanks to the citys street light pole and friendly neighbors trees) Logging w/CT 73, Paul, N4PN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N4VV Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 34,038 Managed to work VP6DX, great signal. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N6RO Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 86,784 Plagued by rain static on all antennas both nights. Operated in spurts when the rain let up, mostly after 10Z, when I could hear the east coast. Missed DE, DC, VE2, and all maritimes except NB. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N6RV Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 3,984 Just in it for fun.. as always. Great to be called by KL7RA. Thanks to the VP6DX dudes! All bands from 160-10 phone and cw. They rock! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N6WG Class: Single Op QRP Total Score = 2,310 This was a very different contest from what I was hoping for. We had a lot of rain with some terrible precipitation static that made copy almost impossible at times. I wonder if this was like the static problems people from the equatorial regions talk about. Had to switch between two different loops and a dipole as receive antennas to have even a hope of copying signals. I ran my receiver with the attenuator in and the rf gain all the way down to keep the radio from overloading on the static crashes. Noise blanker didn't even make a dent, and the DSP was sounding a bit over whelmed at times. Even so, I had fun when I could hear. Contacts were way down, as I think a lot of the W6 stations I was counting on had battened down their hatches for the storm we were predicted to have with intense winds. Fortunately, the winds didn't show here, so all my wires stayed up. My high point was working VP6DX Saturday night, and then being able to ragchew with the operator for a few minutes Sunday morning when his CQs were going unanswered. My low point was having to shut down Saturday night due to intense precipitation static that kep me from hearing anything. I wound up with 5 fewer QSOs than last year, and missed the KH6 mult for the first time. Never even heard them. At least I got KL7RA in the log. As always, my K2 performed solidly, and was a joy to use. Even with these conditions, my K2 at 5 watts still got out, at least as far as KS and VP6 :-) Now to prep the station for the ARRL DX SSB coming up. Hope to work some good DX this time. 73, Bob N6WG The Little Station with Attitude ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N7AP Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 132,872 Ten-Tec Orion II, Alpha 91B, 78 ft vertical (shunt fed tower, omega matched) with approx 60 radials, K9AY Rx Loops. This was the inaugural appearance of the Butt Nekked Contest Club, N7AP callsign. The Charter Members of this prestigious group are known, far and wide, for their contesting prowess, most while in a, lets say, "air conditioned mode". These folks are the best there is, in their city block anyway. Its hard to mess with their success.;-) "Keep It In The Chair". QRZ.com explains it all. Conditions seemed better than last year, although we were surprised by lack of DX both years. This year wasnt plagued by the continual rapid QSB that was so challenging last year. The east coast signals, especially from the LP folks, were weaker than last year. Thanks to those US stations that stuck with multiple repeats sometimes needed by us. This year, we were plagued by new multi-source noises off to the northeast that kept the S-meter at solid S4, unusual for this QTH. Nulling and steering wouldnt work so we just had to tough it out. Since 90+% of the q's we do here peak on the NE loop, and a good 5-7% of signals were well below this noise, this was a lot of toughing it out, for sure. CU all in ARRL DX SSB next weekend! 73/88, Sandy N7RQ, Trustee BNCC Bob K8IA, Trash Remover/Dung Cleanup Detail, BNCC Arizona USA "Keep It In The Chair" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N7GP Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 107,712 Missed ME, WY and DC. Not too much DX here. Hope next year is better. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N7RK Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 32,864 Station: FT-1000MP, TL-922A Antenna: 66 foot 80 meter vertical- base loaded for 160 for both transmit and receive Fun contest despite constant S9 noise level at this QTH. Worked VP6DX on first call on Friday night through huge pileup. Missed DE, SC, MS, VT, RI and ME. Had about given up on KH6 but KH6ND showed up on Sunday morning. Got to build a receiving antenna for next season. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: N9CO Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 4,352 Just goofed around a bit on Friday night. 73, Charlie N9CO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: ND8DX Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 363,188 This was our 3rd effort as Multi-Op in 160 SSB and we certainly had a blast this year. First hour run provided us with 217 Qs. Also had a nice European run early Sunday morning. Missed WY for WAS. Apologies to those we could not pull out of the noise (especially during daylight hours). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: NS3T Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 71,176 I had done well last year in this contest, so I decided to focus on it again in 2007 and it was worth the effort. As always, if you had an SSB contact with me, i was all on tape, as my voice files with Writelog performed very well. If you noticed any troubles, it wasn't the fault of Writelog, but rather of the operator, who couldn't remember some of his shortcuts. My highlights included having a CQ answered by CN3A, working S5, EI and more. I also spent a few minutes late Saturday night figuring out how to put my totals on getscores.org. That is very cool. It definitely motivated me to stay in the chair all night and churn out some more Q's. I hope more people join up. I will have a story up on my web site Monday morning about the early results, so please stop by and/or send your photos and stories to ns3t (at) arrl (dot) net 73 Jamie NS3T http://www.radio-sport.net Your home for ham radio contest news ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: NX9T Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 132,300 WOW! The first hour was incredible (187 Qs) and the next two were not bad either but from then on...for the most part...the breaks were on. When it's rock'n it's a ball...at other times the QRM/QRN can make life as a contester on 160m much less glamorous. Thanks to all for the contacts and for the few that I could kinda hear but not well enough to pull you through. I still need some RX antennas. All-in-all...a good outing and yes, it was fun...mostly! Enjoyed a Q w/ VP6 and a few other DX stations along the way. FT1000(d) Inverted V @ 75' Inverted L Single 3-500z 73, Jeff NX9T www.qsl.net/nx9t ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: NZ1U Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 92,340 Only playing. 6.5 hours with an electric heater under my legs! Barn was cold and didn't feel like starting the wood stove. Beverages work great when trying to hear the Europeans through the stateside QRM. Packet was connected but used hardly at all. Mostly CQing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: OE9MON Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 24,220 Rig: FT-1000MP, Double-Zepp for 80m @ 17m tuned with Kenwood AT-230 Tuner. Managed to work some big signals over the city QRM with 9+20, found out 1h before contestend that my 40m Rotary Dipol is a lot better on RX... Big surprise to be called by CT3DL 10 min before the contest was over! TNX all, 73sss Carl ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: OG2P Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 145,000 I was too tired after the Kosovo trip to get up at the first night. Top band contest are always worth of spending some time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: OH4AB Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 155,150 Hello all! First night was nightmare only 84 qso, but thanks to Hannu OH1XX who said to as, on band that our signal was weird :) Then Jussi OH4KBC make chances on Yeasus menu and next night was nice working,Jussi get 4qso NA pileup :)Thats big think in here on north HI! But we have nice time working the contest with Jussi,and saturday afternoon fishing trip on ice , was good chance to get off on radio ;)Thanks to all who worked as and sorry to those who we could heard:( Cu next contest 73 dx!! Jouni OH4KZM/OH4JT Jussi OH4KBC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: OH4MFA Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 6,552 SOAPBOX: I made pedition to Kustavi EU096. Tried to operate also CQ 160. I was SOAPBOX: very tired after long work week and after antenna work in saturday. SOAPBOX: I put up also couple antennas for my miniature IOTA operation. SOAPBOX: So I went to sleep around 1830 UTC. Checked band couple of SOAPBOX: times and finally woke up around 03 UTC in morning. SOAPBOX: Less than four hours in contest. It was fun, even I can't log any DX. SOAPBOX: Heard couple of US, but no go with low power. Thank you for contacts SOAPBOX: and see you later! Big Thanks to my XYL for helping with antennas. SOAPBOX: Rig: Elecraft K2/100 SOAPBOX: Antenna: 15 m high T (50 m top wire), with two elevated radials SOAPBOX: 73 de Jukka OH4MFA from Kustavi IOTA EU-096 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: OK1ES Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 200,200 Thanks for QSOs . 73 Josef ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: OK1FPS Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 122,642 Used RIG Icom IC 746 Antenna LW 63m , 35m UP. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: OL0A Class: Single Op QRP Total Score = 13,282 What a difference to the CQ 160 CW, now participating in QRP category for a change. Very hard going with 5W and 25m Vertical. No chance of DX and sometimes impossible to reach some EU stations in the QRM. Only QRV for about 7 hours, I fulfilled my target of 100 QSOs and went QRT. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: P40A Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 27,360 I decided on Saturday to get on and give out the P4 multiplier, so I started laying out some radials under the vertical and loading it for top band. I only installed about half of the radials and I never had time to install a receive antenna. There is a lot of US activity, making it hard for weaker DX station to find a clear spot. I could not get a good run going and after 1 1/2 hours I decided to watch TV instead. 73, John KK9A , P40A ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: RL3A Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 328,926 QSL via W3HNK Tks all for QSOs. Nice surprise was W0EWD from IA on 160SSB. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: S50K Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 68,255 This was operated from the begining of the ctest. Setup as in cqww160cw. Marko, S50K ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: S52OT Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 67,928 FT1000MP @ 100W, Inv V @ 18m (60') Part time effort due to my birthday party. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: S54O Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 15,990 IC756 dipole @12m 73s GL de Boris S54O ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: S56A Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 13,050 Noisy band with 3 kHz filter and BCI at 1836 kHz. No DX but caught VP6DX on 40 m SSB. 73 de Mario, S56A ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: S57DX Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 342,307 MY PERSONAL BEST 160 SSB SCORE AND QSO TOTAL. 225 DL STATIONS WORKED! BEST DX WAS VP6DX SATURDAY MORNING - SURPISELY VERY EASY. 73 DE SLAVKO S57DX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: SM6U Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 57,690 The temporary fullsize vertical with elevated radials came down in the storm five hours before the contest, after surviving for 14 days. It was re-mounted as a 25m high Inv-L in the middle of the night, two hours before the contest. A big dissappointment, but it still outperformed our old Inv-L. Quite pleased with the score after all. Heard at least 15 NA stations from the east coast (WE3C, K1LZ, some of the other big ones), but I didn't even get a "QRZ?" back. Time to get hold of an amp that does 160m :-) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VA7ST Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 352 Was bored, so turned on the rig and played phone for a little under an hour around midnight. Band didn't feel very good here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE2DWA Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 1,443 Not a lot of QSOs, but it was nice operate again as SO after more than 4 years, that I couldn't do that. I hope to be more active from now. 33, 73, 88 de Nelida (YL) LW8EXF ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3AP Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 318,324 Equipment Description: Yaesu FT-2000, Alpha 87A, Dipole 1/2 wave @ 20 meter, T w/4 radials Comments: There were some problem before start, because Friday afternoon in my way to VE3RM, I was stopped in a light red signal, and another car hit hard on the back of mine (he couldn't stop in a very icy road), btw between got the police, the tow truck, papers, etc, I've arrived almost three hours later to Don's and I've started the contest very late, with the band full of signal. Without any RX antenna (we lost the beverage some days before WPX RTTY) , it is very difficult get the weak signals in a band very noisy and crowded like this weekend. On Saturday together with VE3OKK we tried to set a beverage, but with 80 cm of snow on the floor we couldn't install the 170 meter long beverage because of difficult access and frozen snow/ground; we'd tried with a beverage of 90 meter long, but it was too short for 160. I quit Sunday early in the morning, very tired and frustrated. Unfortunatly 160 isn't any more "the gentleman band" as used to be. I hope to work all of you next weekend in ARRL SSB from VE3RM, we will be in MS "teaching-learning" category with some new hams. 73, Claudio VE3AP-LU7DW-VE2DWA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3CR Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 140,250 All factors considered - a very disappointing contest! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3CX Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 275,450 Almost worked all states, but missed Wyoming... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3DC Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 236,416 We tried a new dipole this year as well as the delta loop and the windom, so we were well prepared with antennas. Found the band to be very noisey with all the participitation that made things more fun. The radio cops had fun harassing us because we ended up near the listening frequency of VP6DX but we had been on the air for some time before the guys in Ducie Island were even heard in NA. We talked to them on 15m the next day and they said that we had no effect on them and they were glad to work us when things were so quiet on 15m because they had heard us all weekend without us working them. We mostly called CQ on whatever frequency we could, even though we moved 3 times to keep the radio cops in NA happy. Seems like we couldn't keep them happy no matter what as we were accused of moving close to their frequency again on the Saturday night, when we had called CQ on the same frequency from before supper just to secure the frequency away from the DX-expedition. The VP6DX boys said that they had trouble finding a spot on 160m too, and could not work split because of the contest. They figured this was normal for a contest. We had fun anyway and did better than last year. Some of the newer operators were surprised at working DX on 160m. Another great learning experience for some of the guys. 73 Rick VE3BK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3EY Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 741,788 In comparison to last year 160 SSB contest, this time the static crashes were almost nonexistent making the operating much more easier. I think the conditions were also better or perhaps the VP6 operation has attracted a large crowd of operators. Still it was very painful to copy weak signals among all the big signals on the band, but I guess this is just the nature of contesting using phone mode on top band. The finest hour was EU opening during their Sunrise between 5:30Z and 6:30Z. It did not repeat on Sunday though. Also, a big thanks to VY2SS, PJ2DX and YU1XX for calling in just minutes before the end of the contest. Other than typically rare Canadian provinces I missed only VE5. All US states made it into the log. I also missed KL7, KP2 and D4C. I worked KH6 as I stumbled on KH6ND by accident for I started calling CQ on his run frequency while I was listening on EU beverage. Sorry ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3FH Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 18,759 I definitely need more radials... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3FRX Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 78,408 What a blast!!! I almost didn't enter or even turn the rig on in my temporary shack setup, because of minor success with 160CW. First night was tough, but made some good DX contacts (KP4, C6, WA, VE7), so I cranked up the processing using the Rigblaster pro AND the onboard one in the old TS-140S, pushing the ALC to the limit. Only in this condition was I being heard on the first or second call and no reports of clipping or distortion so I ran that way the second night. Could hear everything, including EU, but running 90 watts into a 90ft longwire at 25ft with NO VERTICAL ASPECT, I was amazed I got any DX at all. My 90ft longwire runs from the tree right to the window of my 2nd floor shack. Use 5 130ft radials on the ground rod beneath the window. QTH is on top of a hill with a view of Lake Huron about 3.5 miles to the west. So this helps for sure. I used the realtime score reporting, which was a great motivator in the doldrums of 3-4AM. Too bad so few stations are signing on. Next year I will have receiving antennas and a vertical to give EU a chance. A BIG thank you to all those Ops with great ears and RX antennas for pulling me out of their noise floor. Especially thanks to HI3T for his effort, and the new 160m country. Countries: C6, HI, KP4, XE Missed: DE, ID, MT, NM, OR, WY and AB, NS, PEI and the all northern boonies. My El-Cheapo Station includes: Rig: Kenwood TS-140S with no SSB filters! Tuner: MFJ-949C Interface: Rigblaster pro Software: N1MM (the best!) Audio: I used a cheap ($20) Plantonics computer headset. 73 es gud DX de Jeff, VE3FRX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3HG Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 18,430 Always amazed how well the Alpha-Delta sloper does on 160. Of course running the modified SB-220 doesn't hurt. Actually had a good run going. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3MGY Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 112,168 I just couldn't get serious this year, partly because we had plans on Sunday morning and I knew I would have to get some sleep on Saturday night. But the main reason was the QRN and the splatter, especially the splatter!! On a positive note it was nice to see the band completely packed from 1.800 to 1.998Mhz. I must be getting very spoiled with CW [ or older, or maybe both ] because the last few months contesting in the ARRL 160, CQ 160 CW and ARRL DX CW there was just no QRM because of the mode and the narrow filters but this weekend the splatter was just slamming me at times no matter how narrow I shaped the filters. You just couldn't get away from it. That and the fact that the rate dropped very quickly after 0700Z convinced me to be part time this year and I was content to just "play" for the weekend. It was still lots of fun but give me CW anytime - Please!! Overall condx were not to bad - but not near as good as the CQ 160 CW! - and there was alot more QRN on Friday, S5 - S7 on the beverages, [ S7 to 10/9 on the TX ] than there was on Saturday, S1 on the beverages [ S5 on the TX ] due to a line of thunderstorms stretching from LA to NC on Friday night but they broke up over the Atlantic on Saturday giving the band a break on Saturday night. The highlight was definitely having VY2SS call me for a new mult - with just a couple of minutes left in the contest!! 73 Brian VE3MGY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3NE Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 120,658 No time to prepare the station but worked few DX and met a bunch of hard core CW friends...:-)) A few times found that the band was nice and clean around 1852 so I CQd...ooooops...:-))))) not a ping here from VP6. Best DX was D4C. CU in the WPX and I hope the 24th solar cycle was not cancelled because it sounds like. 73 Lali, VE3NE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3RCN Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 16,994 Could not work the late/early hours. The two younger kids decided they wanted to "Camp Out" in the basement next to the radio shack. Had to keep it quiet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE3RZ Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 75,472 Rig: K2/100 Ant: 3/8 wave inverted L S/w: N1MM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE4EAR Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 9,024 Put up a coaxial Inverted L last weekend to to put some time in and give out the VE4 multiplier. The antenna is only 25 up at the highest point so not a big signal. No DX but did manage to work FL, CA, BC for my best DX on 160. Heard VP6DX but with 100 W and a wet (albeit frozen) noodle, not a chance of him hearing me :( My highlight, finally working ND on any band, that should complete my WAS. Still need ND on all other bands for WAS (hint hint) In this one contest picked up 25 new states on this band. Thanks for the patience and the good ears out there. I could definitely hear better than speak in this one! 73 Ed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VE7/CE4CT Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 138,600 It is my first time in the CQ 160 contest.It is very difficult work this contest from Chile. Special thanks to VE7SV for the opportunity to operate your station. 73 VE7/CE4CT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VO1MP Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 37,345 Managed a few hours of S & P Saturday night and just before end of contest.. wall to wall big signals from 1800 to 1960 , so I guess band condiitons were pretty good. Had more countries than had states, so band was good to Europe ...... Still waiting on weather window to repair some of my antennas prior to ARRL SSB ... who knows mebbe it'll warm up .... hi ! Tks for QSOs C'Y'ALL Next GLWCDR 73 Gus VO1MP ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VO1NO/VE3 Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 205,100 Missed a few states, but still had more multipliers than last year. Hopefully everyone I worked will list my call as VO1NO/VE3, or else the log-checking program won't recognize the QSO! 73 Al ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VP6DX Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 1,069,250 BEWARE. THIS IS LOOOOOONG !!!!! Well, it took while to get this one here. I didn't get back home until last Wednesday night and the Euro guys until Thursday night. Then the contest Q's had to be extracted from the general VP6DX log. I want to thank Tonno, ES5TV, and Dietmar, DL3DXX, for the time and effort in extracting my contest Q's, for creating the Cabrillo log for entry, and the statistics pages. What a ride!!!!! I also want to thank the VP6DX team for allowing me to indulge myself a bit and operate the contest single op. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. First of all, the timing of the contest in the southern hemisphere is equivalent to the last weekend in August here in the northern hemisphere. That is why all the Topband ops in the southern hemisphere are called static fighters. And I can vouch that is the case south of the Equator; just like our summer times in the northern hemisphere. Of course the equatorial zone has the T-storm activity year around. Together with the static is the fact that the dark hours contesting time at the latitude of Ducie is about 22 hours for the two nights. Daytime sleeping on a cot under a small tree in mid-90 degree F heat and mid-90 percent humidity is also not conducive to the best contesting environment. The tents were way over 100 degrees inside, so no chance for rest there. Oh, also, the constant rumble of the three gensets at the main East camp was always present. Now that I have painted the slightly negative side of things, let's concentrate on the positive which provided the stage for an astounding contest experience for me. Thanks to Dietmar, Robin, Les, Carsten, Tonno, and Andre (you can get their calls on the VP6DX website) for the FB installation of the 80 foot tall Titanex with 40, 1/4 WL radials. I was busy getting the gensets (5 total) and the electrical distribution system installed at both camps and did not participate in the TX antenna install. BUT, Robin, WA6CDR and I spent the better part of 4 days getting the four, 2-wire Beverage antennas installed half way between the two operating camps (separated by ~ 1 kM). It really wasn't jungle but the little trees (only plant/vegetation on Ducie) were very thick with deadwood underneath. We had to break a path the full length across the island in the azimuth of each Beverage. There was not a breath of air among the trees and it was like working in a sauna bath under a heat lamp. Robin and I installed (WL for 160 Meters; 75/80 Meters is double) two, ~one WL antennas; one each for 15/205, & 125/305 degrees. We installed a ~two WL antenna for 85/265 degrees and two, ~one WL antennas, phased with 1/2 WL spacing, for the most important 45/225 degree azimuths. Fortunately our job was made somewhat easier than we had planned because we were able to use the forks of the limbs of the small trees to support the Saxton 300 Ohm ladder line we used for elements. Not a single support was installed. That was a BIG plus. All terminations were DX Engineering. We used 4 foot copperweld ground rods. There was very little soil and in most cases just broken coral fragments (more of an insulator than ground) into which we pounded the rods. Single rods were used on the far ends of the antennas but at the feed points two rods were used on two feed points and four rods on three feed points. The reason for the four rods was that we hit bedrock (solid coral) at about 30 inches and the rods would not go in any farther. To make sure we had some semblance of a ground, we watered the rods each day with an average of 2 gallons per rod of sea water. You do what you have to do to make it work. This was done late in the day near sunset so that the wetness would last through the night time operations. The sea water disappeared quickly as there was no holding it with the coral pieces. The signals from each of the eight Beverages were split three ways; 75 Meter phone, 80 Meter CW and 160 Meters. Special pass/notch filters for the 75 and 80 meter splits allowed attenuation of signals from the opposite in-band station before being fed to the preamps for each system. The DX Engineering preamps had the operating DC voltage to them interrupted during transmit of its own transmitter to prevent overload and possible destruction of the preamps. Antenna selection was done by 8-way Ameritron switches. Each system required approximately 550 Meters of Ethernet control cable and an equal amount of flooded RG-6 cable from the Beverage signal collection/switching point back to the operating locations. At the operating positions there were special boxes for the injection of the voltage for the preamps (and the interruption of that voltage during transmit keying) and the separation of the RF signals. How well did the Beverage antennas work? You whom we answered can give one side of the answer. Dietmar, DL3DXX, who made the majority of the 160 CW Q's, said more than one morning; "No Beverages, no contacts"!! A number of the European operators expressed that they didn't know Beverages worked SO WELL!!!!! They were the key to all the long path and antipodal contacts VP6DX made on 160/80/75 Meters as well as perhaps 30-40% of the total Q count on those bands. The balance of the station for the CQ 160 contest: The new Elecraft K-3 transceiver and an Acom 2000 Amplifier. The logging program used was WinTest and the laptop was a Durabook (I think that is correct; all new, identical ones for the DXped). The generators were new Hondas; the 6.5 kW inverter type models. At Ducie the contest is already 2.5 hours old when there is a slight chance of getting someone's attention from the South Pacific. Both nights I was hearing loud signals from the states AND EU nearly two hours before sunset. The band was full of signals. Both nights HG8DX was nearly 5x9 30 minutes before sunset, but I never could get his attention. So, this is how I started. I knew I had to call a big gun with good ears to get the 1st log entry. I selected Jerry, WB9Z. He responded on my 2nd try. Thanks, Jerry!!! I then called and worked 4 more stations before calling and working Dave, AA0RS, in Colorado. I told Dave I was having a difficult time finding a clear spot to call CQ and get going with the horde of stations I knew were waiting for a chance at VP6DX on 160 SSB. Dave said, "Stay here. Take this one". THANKS DAVE!!!! Because in a nutshell the rest is history. I was able to stay on 1.852 for 9.5 hours. After 14 Q's the crowd has gathered and I had to go split. I apologize to the balance of the contestants, but it was the ONLY way that I had to satisfy as many stations as possible during the two nights of operation. I thank the 99% of the operators who adhered to my instructions and allowed me to make contacts when all I could get is one or two letters from the initial calls. I never did break the 100 Q per hour rate, but did get to 90 in the 0400 hour the first night and 66 in the 0500 hour the 2nd night. I think that is astounding where the nearest station I contacted off island was about 3,000 miles away. The low was 12 Q in the 0900 hour the 2nd night. Here are the rates for the complete contest. VP6DX 160 Meter SSB QSOs (with dupes) - By time ! Hr ! 160 ! Total ! ! ! ! ! ---------------------------- ! 00 ! ! ! ! 01 ! ! ! ! 02 ! 6 ! 6 ! ! 03 ! 81 ! 81 ! ! 04 ! 90 ! 90 ! ! 05 ! 84 ! 84 ! ! 06 ! 57 ! 57 ! ! 07 ! 53 ! 53 ! ! 08 ! 71 ! 71 ! ! 09 ! 61 ! 61 ! ! 10 ! 59 ! 59 ! ! 11 ! 44 ! 44 ! ! 12 ! 71 ! 71 ! ! 13 ! 60 ! 60 ! ! 14 ! 1 ! 1 ! ! 15 ! ! ! ! 02 ! ! ! ! 03 ! 59 ! 59 ! ! 04 ! 65 ! 65 ! ! 05 ! 66 ! 66 ! ! 06 ! 32 ! 32 ! ! 07 ! 48 ! 48 ! ! 08 ! 40 ! 40 ! ! 09 ! 12 ! 12 ! ! 10 ! 37 ! 37 ! ! 11 ! 52 ! 52 ! ! 12 ! 34 ! 34 ! ! 13 ! 37 ! 37 ! ! 14 ! ! ! ---------------------------- ! ! 1220 ! 1220 ! I wound up with 57 dupes, a 4.6% rate. Again, thanks to all the ops for being there and for not calling in twice. One W9 did call 7 times!!!!!!! A few stations who I did have a "good" callsign exchange with did not/would not give me a state exchange so they were removed from the log. Sorry guys. I was in the contest and needed the exchange for a good Q. I missed only WY, RI and DC for a WAS. VE participation was excellent also, with only 4 Provinces missed. DX was about as good as it gets in a contest environment from a postage stamp in the middle of nowhere. Here is my DX list with the Q count for each one. -------------------------------------------------------------- VP6DX - Continents 160 Meters - SSB QSOs (with dupes) ! Band ! EU ! NA ! SA ! AF ! AS ! OC ! -------------------------------------------------------------- ! 160 ! 4.0% ! 86.2% ! 3.3% ! 1.4% ! 0.8% ! 4.3% ! -------------------------------------------------------------- Worked DXCC DXCC | CT | 160 ================== 9A | EU | 1 C6 | NA | 2 CN | AF | 1 CT | EU | 7 CT3 | AF | 8 CX | SA | 1 DL | EU | 6 EA | EU | 2 EA8 | AF | 8 EI | EU | 2 FK | OC | 1 FM | NA | 1 G | EU | 7 GI | EU | 2 GM | EU | 4 GW | EU | 1 HI | NA | 1 HK | SA | 2 HP | NA | 1 HR | NA | 1 I | EU | 1 KH2 | OC | 2 KH6 | OC | 4 KL | NA | 9 KP2 | NA | 2 KP4 | NA | 3 LU | SA | 21 ON | EU | 4 OZ | EU | 3 PA | EU | 3 PY | SA | 14 S5 | EU | 4 SP | EU | 2 TI | NA | 2 UA9 | AS | 10 VK | OC | 15 VP6D | OC | 1 XE | NA | 21 ZL | OC | 29 ZP | SA | 2 ================== | | 211 That folks is ONE - 2 point contact (DXped leader had a VP6 callsign) 51 - 5 point contacts 1,111 - 10 point contacts What more can I say. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. It turned out to be the experience of a lifetime in my meager contesting career. EVERYTHING cooperated to the highest extent possible. Some QRN the 1st night but that was all. Just multitudes and multitudes of signals spread across 10 kHz. I apologize for not being able to put everyone in the log. The 2nd night had quite a bit of QRN and band QSB periods when all but the strongest signals would fade down 20-30 dB for 5-15 minutes. Also, all the big gun CQers who worked me the 1st night now had no reason to NOT jump on my QRG. But it all worked out and at dawn the 2nd night I was totally exhausted. I did fight the flying birdies eminating from the Astron switching supplies which we were never able to totally mitigate. That cost me some Q's for a minute or two at times. It was GREAT to work all the southern hemispere stations; the quantities of PY, LU, VK and ZL stations. Thanks fellows/blokes/compadres for fighting the QRN to give me a contact. Watch the Topband reflector. In a few days I will announce a webpage where you will be able to go and see some of the photos of the low band antennas. Also there will be a composite of the Google Earth image of the island with the operating site locations and low band TX and Beverage antenna positions shown on it. Stay tuned!!!! 73 de Milt, N5IA ex op of VP6DX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: VY2SS Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 3,248 Sorry I missed Saturday. I was in the RTTY contest. Managed to get the mult out to a few anyway. -Robby ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W0BH Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 79,576 Friday was noisy and hard work. Saturday was a real pleasure to operate with very quiet conditions. Wasn't sure I'd be on Saturday night because the day started with freezing rain, then sleet, then snow, but the antennas stayed up and the power stayed on for once. Missed ME and RI and worked BC AB SK MB ON QC and NB north of the border. Played NAQP RTTY on and off in between and continued planning for a mobile effort in the Oklahoma QSO Party in two weeks. Thanks for the Qs! 73, Bob, w0bh ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W0ETT Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 15,870 Never felt my 100w had much punch to work the weak ones back east or in the Carribean. Band was pretty noisy compared to some past, recent 160m contests. Nice to hear GMCC activity: KV0Q, W0MU, K0GAS, K0UK, KO7X, N0KE, and K6XT. 73 Ken, W0ETT Rig: IC756pro3 to vertical and inverted L 65' high(used mostly for receiving). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W0SD Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 53,592 Was in Sioux Falls for a family reunion and Ed W0SD invited me out to operate for a couple of hours, what a blast! Thanks all for the QSO's and Ed and Edith for their wonderful hospitality. 73, Joe W0DB ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W1TO Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 14,001 Got on mostly to look for VP6DX. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W1UE Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 21,070 Stations all the way from 1800-1950; whatever happened to the "DX Window", or the "Bandplan". With the high noise level from the storm that was over us and the number of stations on the band, heard very few countries. Thanks for the Qs. Dennis W1UE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W2CG Class: Multi-Op LP Total Score = 34,160 Part time effort to hand out some Qs. QSL via LoTW ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W2NO Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 17,512 IC-756pro, Alpha 76CA, W9INN sloper. Someday I will have a real 160 antenna. And a beverage or two would be a plus. 73' DaNO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W3DQ Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 57,090 This was the best of times and the worst of times. I could never get the antenna situation(s) resolved. The inverted-L seems to be getting lower and lower, and it was very hard to get a decent match. Fortunately, the amp (TT Herc II) is very forgiving, so I was able to get *some* power. The RX antennas simply don't work, so there were lots of folks on the edge or not heard at all. Sorry 'bout that! And while my audio may have been pretty funky, I had the best hourly rates I've ever had on topband -- Saturday night 23:50 to 02:50 was phenomenal. Now that's what I call fun! Thanks to all... will be working hard to get both antenna problems resolved! Eric W3DQ Washington, DC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W3MF Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 55,200 Just me and DX Cluster. Had a good time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W3TS Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 232,008 I followed the band plan and did not transmit below 1.843Mhz. TX Ant: 1/8 wave wire Tee - with 70 x 70foot long radials (My 60 foot high 80/40M fan dipole with the feeder shorted). RX Ant: 2 x 300 foot long NE/SW and SE/NW reversable short beverages. (The best I can do with the neighbors help on an "in town" 150 x 200 foot lot). Homebrew small RX 4 square. (Which still needs work). Rig: Ten-Tec Orion + 2 x 3-500Z at 1300 watts output Logger: N1MM My brain and ears hurt! 73, Mike W3TS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W4NTI Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 9,731 Just passing out points. Lots of activity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W4SAA Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 16,562 73 Joe W4SAA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W4SVO Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 162,766 Friday night the QRN level was high, many repeats, many stations not pulled thru. The DX was good, but could'nt copy every one that called me with my stealth beverage(480'). Second night was quiet, could'nt find a clear freq to work europe. Anyway My highest score from Florida. Also the most countries I have ever work, plus my highest multiplier count. So I am happy, me and my packet. Mark W4SVO cu on 80 SSB in ARRL DX Test ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W5GZ Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 9,711 Can't win...Again, I had to work Sat. eve..... :( !!!!! This has gotta stop ! W5GZ Stan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W6NF Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 2,266 Planned to spend more time but things happened. I did work VP6DX Sunday morning on an inverted-L that would not tune...feed point loaded with snow. Surprised to hear that he needed a NV mult! I loved it when, rather than move off at once, two guys decided to complete a contest exchange on VP6DX's frequency...D'OH!!! :>) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W6YI Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 144,060 Thanks to everyone for the qso's and their patience during the static challenges. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W7MD Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 2,444 Jumped in to see how I would do with 100 watts and a half wave Inverted Vee with apex at 80' Worked 26 entities including Hawaii, Puerto Rico and VE in 2 hours. Fun!! Then I went to sleep. If I was serious, I would have set the alarm for the dawn gray line. Next time... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: W7WHY Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 72 Well, someone has to have the lowest score :-) A 160 SSB contest here is a lesson in futility. I called lots of stations who didn't hear me. It gets pretty boring quick when no one hears you :-) 73 Tom W7WHY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: WA4BUE Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 173,316 Thank you everyone for the contacts, great test of the rig and equipment at Radio Ridge. WA4BUE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: WB4MSG Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 36,240 Always a fun contest had to catch time when i could so not always the best operating times. Put up the 160 ant friday evening. It was just a wire hooked to the 80 meter vertical but seemed to work fine for 160. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: WB8JUI Class: Single Op LP Total Score = 40,095 Pretty brutal. Phone contests sure can be frustrating when running low power. Thanks to all who pulled me out of the splatter. Nice to run into a lot of old friends. Thanks to all for the QSOs. 73 - Rick WB8JUI ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: WB9Z Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 362,112 This was my first semi-serious effort in this contest in quite some years. I use to do quite well in this one with several plaques on the wall for Top Zone 4, Top USA and even a Top World in this contest. Over the years I just got tired of fighting all the SSB QRM... but this weekend I had nothing better to do... so I figured it was a good warm-up for ARRL DX SSB next weekend. I had 253 QSO's in the first hour.... almost as much fun as being at PJ2T on 20m the first hour. Then a 149 and 101 hours... and it all slowed down big time from there. Nice to be called by VP6DX, with Milt N5IA at the mic. He said I was the first contact for them in the contest and it was 15 minutes before sunset there. Other good DX that called me was UU7J, ES5RW, CX6VM, PJ2DX. Thanks to all the DX stations that were on for this one. Transmit Antenna: 160' guyed tower, base insulated, series fed. with 120 radials and 30K feet of wire. Receive Antennas: 10 beverages ranging from 880 to 1,100' and a low dipole. GL to all next weekend in ARRL DX SSB. WB9Z ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: WD5R Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 180,910 As a result of comments from EU friends in years past, we have tried to improve our beverage system in order to hear better in that direction. With S meter seldom falling below S9, we suspect we missed many EU's this year. Marlene, the real WD5R, did most of the contesting this weekend. I'm afraid it may have been a little too much for a 70 yr old Gal. She became delusional Saturday morning and thinks she worked RW0CF and UA0CA at our SR. I tried to explain to her that old women can't do that, She must have fallen asleep and was dreaming, not an uncommon thing for us guys that late in the contest... Thanks to PJ2DX, Marlene's tenacity paid off in last ten minutes of the contest. And thanks to all you guys that made nice comments to Marlene. It puts a smile on her face and it sure makes it easy for me when I'm looking for help with the antennas. Doug, n5ect 2nd in command at wd5r ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: WE3C Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 505,866 This was our best ever score in this contest. Conditions seemed good both nights, but proved to be better in the NE. Sunday night we had no EU. Ten Pointers First night 49 Second night 84 (six before 0000Z) Third night 0 Total 133 The first night there were a lot of workable EU mults, but the runs were light with EU callers. Second night we had many EU callers, but they were mostly very weak and difficult to copy. Thanks to all the stations worked and our apologies to those we didn't. The Real-time Scoreboard was a blast! Congratulations to the K1LZ team and thank you for the real exciting "horserace". It will be great when the interface programs are fixed so everyone's data is available. We use N1MM which seems to work perfectly. And, thanks to our team...our efforts really show in these results, super job! Thanks for a fantastic contest! The WE3C Team ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: WE9V Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 83,785 Was fun to run for a bit, then run into old friends and chat for 10-20 minutes. Sorry if you called and I couldn't hear you over my S9 noise. I was told various times that EU was calling but I couldn't hear a peep. See you from PJ2T next weekend. Chad WE9V http://www.we9v.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: WJ9B Class: Single Op HP Total Score = 18,172 73, Will, wj9b, dit dit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: WX3B Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 83,708 Great contest/Diverse operating conditions experienced from WX3B. Friday night: VP6DX was HUGE, Europeans great early in the evening, however I could hear them MUCH better than they heard me. Saturday night - had much better time attracting answers to CQ from Europe/no trouble getting through pileups. My hat is off to folks like WB9Z, N3HBX and WE3C who were in there CQing for what seemed like forever. 73! Jim WX3B ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: YO5KAD Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 158,661 Vy strong QRN all contest.Noise level S8-9. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call: YT6T Class: Multi-Op HP Total Score = 266,696 1/4 wl gp + 7 beverage 2x drake tr7 + L7 Index of Calls Call: 9A2DQ Class: Single Op HP Call: 9A50KDE Class: Single Op HP Call: AA1K Class: Single Op HP Call: AB2E Class: Single Op HP Call: AB5MM Class: Multi-Op HP Call: AC0W Class: Single Op LP Call: AD8J Class: Single Op LP Call: AD8P Class: Single Op LP Call: AJ1M Class: Multi-Op HP Call: C6ANM Class: Multi-Op HP Call: CN3A Class: Multi-Op HP Call: CT9L Class: Single Op HP Call: D4C Class: Single Op HP Call: DK1MM Class: Multi-Op HP Call: DK8EY Class: Single Op LP Call: DL1Z Class: Single Op HP Call: DL8SCG Class: Single Op HP Call: DO4DXA Class: Single Op LP Call: EA1KY Class: Multi-Op HP Call: EI7M Class: Multi-Op HP Call: ES5RW Class: Single Op HP Call: EW6BN Class: Multi-Op HP Call: HA6IAM Class: Single Op QRP Call: HA8BE Class: Single Op LP Call: HA8JV Class: Single Op HP Call: HG7T Class: Single Op HP Call: HG8DX Class: Multi-Op HP Call: HI3T Class: Single Op LP Call: I2WIJ Class: Single Op HP Call: IK8UND Class: Single Op LP Call: K0GAS Class: Single Op HP Call: K0KX Class: Multi-Op LP Call: K0PK Class: Single Op LP Call: K0RI Class: Single Op HP Call: K1EP Class: Single Op LP Call: K1GU Class: Single Op LP Call: K1LZ Class: Multi-Op HP Call: K1TO Class: Single Op HP Call: K1ZZI Class: Single Op HP Call: K2WK Class: Single Op HP Call: K2XA Class: Single Op HP Call: K3LL/6 Class: Single Op LP Call: K3MZ Class: Single Op LP Call: K3PH Class: Multi-Op HP Call: K3WW Class: Multi-Op HP Call: K3ZM Class: Single Op HP Call: K4AB Class: Single Op HP Call: K4ACG Class: Single Op HP Call: K4BAI Class: Single Op HP Call: K4DLI Class: Single Op HP Call: K4EU Class: Single Op LP Call: K4JNY Class: Single Op LP Call: K4RO Class: Single Op HP Call: K4TMC Class: Single Op LP Call: K4WW Class: Single Op HP Call: K4XD Class: Single Op HP Call: K6CSL Class: Single Op LP Call: K6JEB Class: Single Op LP Call: K6NA Class: Single Op HP Call: K7ACZ Class: Single Op LP Call: K7WP Class: Single Op HP Call: K7XC Class: Single Op HP Call: K8BB Class: Multi-Op HP Call: K9MUG Class: Single Op HP Call: K9NW Class: Multi-Op HP Call: K9UW Class: Single Op HP Call: KA1VMG Class: Single Op LP Call: KA4OTB Class: Single Op HP Call: KB0FHP Class: Single Op LP Call: KC7V Class: Single Op HP Call: KD5J Class: Single Op LP Call: KE2DX Class: Single Op HP Call: KG4IGC Class: Single Op LP Call: KG7H Class: Single Op HP Call: KL7RA Class: Single Op HP Call: KP4KE Class: Single Op LP Call: KR4F Class: Multi-Op HP Call: KS8O Class: Single Op LP Call: KU1CW Class: Single Op HP Call: KU8E Class: Single Op HP Call: KV0Q Class: Single Op HP Call: KY5R Class: Single Op HP Call: LN9Z Class: Multi-Op HP Call: LQ5H Class: Single Op LP Call: MD0CCE Class: Single Op HP Call: N0KE Class: Single Op HP Call: N1IW Class: Single Op HP Call: N1PGA Class: Single Op LP Call: N1SV Class: Single Op HP Call: N1WR Class: Single Op LP Call: N2BZP Class: Single Op HP Call: N2NS Class: Multi-Op HP Call: N2SQW Class: Single Op LP Call: N3BM Class: Single Op HP Call: N3CHX Class: Single Op LP Call: N3HBX Class: Single Op HP Call: N3KHK Class: Single Op LP Call: N3YW Class: Single Op HP Call: N4KG Class: Multi-Op HP Call: N4NM Class: Single Op LP Call: N4PN Class: Single Op HP Call: N4VV Class: Multi-Op HP Call: N4VZ Class: Single Op HP Call: N5LZ Class: Single Op HP Call: N6AA Class: Single Op HP Call: N6KI Class: Single Op HP Call: N6RO Class: Single Op HP Call: N6RV Class: Single Op LP Call: N6WG Class: Single Op QRP Call: N7AP Class: Multi-Op HP Call: N7GP Class: Multi-Op HP Call: N7RK Class: Single Op HP Call: N8TR Class: Single Op HP Call: N9CO Class: Single Op LP Call: NA2M Class: Single Op HP Call: NB7V Class: Single Op HP Call: ND8DX Class: Multi-Op HP Call: NS3T Class: Single Op LP Call: NX9T Class: Single Op HP Call: NZ1U Class: Multi-Op HP Call: OE9MON Class: Single Op LP Call: OG2P Class: Single Op HP Call: OH4AB Class: Multi-Op HP Call: OH4MFA Class: Single Op LP Call: OK1ES Class: Single Op HP Call: OK1FPS Class: Single Op LP Call: OK1W Class: Single Op HP Call: OL0A Class: Single Op QRP Call: OZ1ADL Class: Multi-Op HP Call: OZ1DD Class: Single Op HP Call: P40A Class: Single Op HP Call: PJ2DX Class: Single Op HP Call: PY2WC Class: Single Op LP Call: RL3A Class: Multi-Op HP Call: RU6LA Class: Single Op HP Call: RW2F Class: Single Op HP Call: S50K Class: Single Op HP Call: S51F Class: Single Op LP Call: S52OT Class: Single Op LP Call: S54O Class: Single Op LP Call: S56A Class: Single Op HP Call: S56P Class: Multi-Op HP Call: S57DX Class: Single Op HP Call: S59N Class: Single Op LP Call: SM6U Class: Single Op LP Call: SN5J Class: Single Op LP Call: SP7MTF Class: Single Op HP Call: SV7BOT Class: Single Op LP Call: VA3EC Class: Single Op LP Call: VA3YP Class: Single Op HP Call: VA3YT Class: Single Op QRP Call: VA7ST Class: Single Op LP Call: VE2DWA Class: Single Op LP Call: VE3AP Class: Single Op HP Call: VE3CR Class: Single Op HP Call: VE3CX Class: Single Op HP Call: VE3DC Class: Multi-Op HP Call: VE3EJ Class: Single Op HP Call: VE3EY Class: Single Op HP Call: VE3FH Class: Single Op LP Call: VE3FRX Class: Single Op LP Call: VE3HG Class: Single Op HP Call: VE3JI Class: Single Op LP Call: VE3MGY Class: Single Op LP Call: VE3NB Class: Single Op LP Call: VE3NE Class: Single Op LP Call: VE3RCN Class: Single Op LP Call: VE3RZ Class: Single Op LP Call: VE3XAT Class: Single Op LP Call: VE4EAR Class: Single Op LP Call: VE6JY Class: Single Op HP Call: VE7/CE4CT Class: Single Op HP Call: VE7CC Class: Single Op HP Call: VE7KS Class: Single Op LP Call: VE9CEH Class: Single Op LP Call: VO1MP Class: Single Op HP Call: VO1NO/VE3 Class: Single Op HP Call: VO1TA Class: Single Op HP Call: VP6DX Class: Single Op HP Call: VY2SS Class: Single Op LP Call: W0BH Class: Single Op HP Call: W0ETT Class: Single Op LP Call: W0EWD Class: Single Op HP Call: W0SD Class: Single Op HP Call: W1BYH Class: Single Op HP Call: W1TO Class: Single Op HP Call: W1UE Class: Single Op HP Call: W2CG Class: Multi-Op LP Call: W2NO Class: Multi-Op HP Call: W2OO Class: Single Op HP Call: W3CP Class: Single Op LP Call: W3DQ Class: Single Op HP Call: W3GH Class: Single Op HP Call: W3LL Class: Single Op LP Call: W3MF Class: Multi-Op HP Call: W3TS Class: Single Op HP Call: W4NTI Class: Single Op HP Call: W4NZ Class: Single Op HP Call: W4SAA Class: Single Op HP Call: W4SVO Class: Multi-Op HP Call: W5GZ Class: Single Op LP Call: W5PR Class: Single Op HP Call: W6NF Class: Single Op LP Call: W6YI Class: Single Op HP Call: W7MD Class: Single Op LP Call: W7WHY Class: Single Op LP Call: W8DA Class: Single Op HP Call: W9JA Class: Single Op HP Call: WA2JQK Class: Single Op LP Call: WA4BUE Class: Multi-Op HP Call: WB4MSG Class: Single Op LP Call: WB8JUI Class: Single Op LP Call: WB9Z Class: Single Op HP Call: WD5R Class: Multi-Op HP Call: WE3C Class: Multi-Op HP Call: WE9V Class: Single Op HP Call: WJ9B Class: Single Op HP Call: WQ2N Class: Single Op HP Call: WT8C Class: Multi-Op HP Call: WW1M Class: Single Op LP Call: WX3B Class: Multi-Op HP Call: WZ8P Class: Multi-Op LP Call: XE1RCS Class: Multi-Op HP Call: YO5KAD Class: Multi-Op HP Call: YT6T Class: Multi-Op HP Index of Calls organized by Class Class: Multi-Op HP Call: AB5MM Call: AJ1M Call: C6ANM Call: CN3A Call: DK1MM Call: EA1KY Call: EI7M Call: EW6BN Call: HG8DX Call: K1LZ Call: K3PH Call: K3WW Call: K8BB Call: K9NW Call: KR4F Call: LN9Z Call: N2NS Call: N4KG Call: N4VV Call: N7AP Call: N7GP Call: ND8DX Call: NZ1U Call: OH4AB Call: OZ1ADL Call: RL3A Call: S56P Call: VE3DC Call: W2NO Call: W3MF Call: W4SVO Call: WA4BUE Call: WD5R Call: WE3C Call: WT8C Call: WX3B Call: XE1RCS Call: YO5KAD Call: YT6T Class: Multi-Op LP Call: K0KX Call: W2CG Call: WZ8P Class: Single Op HP Call: 9A2DQ Call: 9A50KDE Call: AA1K Call: AB2E Call: CT9L Call: D4C Call: DL1Z Call: DL8SCG Call: ES5RW Call: HA8JV Call: HG7T Call: I2WIJ Call: K0GAS Call: K0RI Call: K1TO Call: K1ZZI Call: K2WK Call: K2XA Call: K3ZM Call: K4AB Call: K4ACG Call: K4BAI Call: K4DLI Call: K4RO Call: K4WW Call: K4XD Call: K6NA Call: K7WP Call: K7XC Call: K9MUG Call: K9UW Call: KA4OTB Call: KC7V Call: KE2DX Call: KG7H Call: KL7RA Call: KU1CW Call: KU8E Call: KV0Q Call: KY5R Call: MD0CCE Call: N0KE Call: N1IW Call: N1SV Call: N2BZP Call: N3BM Call: N3HBX Call: N3YW Call: N4PN Call: N4VZ Call: N5LZ Call: N6AA Call: N6KI Call: N6RO Call: N7RK Call: N8TR Call: NA2M Call: NB7V Call: NX9T Call: OG2P Call: OK1ES Call: OK1W Call: OZ1DD Call: P40A Call: PJ2DX Call: RU6LA Call: RW2F Call: S50K Call: S56A Call: S57DX Call: SP7MTF Call: VA3YP Call: VE3AP Call: VE3CR Call: VE3CX Call: VE3EJ Call: VE3EY Call: VE3HG Call: VE6JY Call: VE7/CE4CT Call: VE7CC Call: VO1MP Call: VO1NO/VE3 Call: VO1TA Call: VP6DX Call: W0BH Call: W0EWD Call: W0SD Call: W1BYH Call: W1TO Call: W1UE Call: W2OO Call: W3DQ Call: W3GH Call: W3TS Call: W4NTI Call: W4NZ Call: W4SAA Call: W5PR Call: W6YI Call: W8DA Call: W9JA Call: WB9Z Call: WE9V Call: WJ9B Call: WQ2N Class: Single Op LP Call: AC0W Call: AD8J Call: AD8P Call: DK8EY Call: DO4DXA Call: HA8BE Call: HI3T Call: IK8UND Call: K0PK Call: K1EP Call: K1GU Call: K3LL/6 Call: K3MZ Call: K4EU Call: K4JNY Call: K4TMC Call: K6CSL Call: K6JEB Call: K7ACZ Call: KA1VMG Call: KB0FHP Call: KD5J Call: KG4IGC Call: KP4KE Call: KS8O Call: LQ5H Call: N1PGA Call: N1WR Call: N2SQW Call: N3CHX Call: N3KHK Call: N4NM Call: N6RV Call: N9CO Call: NS3T Call: OE9MON Call: OH4MFA Call: OK1FPS Call: PY2WC Call: S51F Call: S52OT Call: S54O Call: S59N Call: SM6U Call: SN5J Call: SV7BOT Call: VA3EC Call: VA7ST Call: VE2DWA Call: VE3FH Call: VE3FRX Call: VE3JI Call: VE3MGY Call: VE3NB Call: VE3NE Call: VE3RCN Call: VE3RZ Call: VE3XAT Call: VE4EAR Call: VE7KS Call: VE9CEH Call: VY2SS Call: W0ETT Call: W3CP Call: W3LL Call: W5GZ Call: W6NF Call: W7MD Call: W7WHY Call: WA2JQK Call: WB4MSG Call: WB8JUI Call: WW1M Class: Single Op QRP Call: HA6IAM Call: N6WG Call: OL0A Call: VA3YT