[CVCC] WU4G ARRL 160

[Ronnie Bolton]

While 160 is a band that has always been a struggle for me, I still usually
enjoy dabbling in a 160 only contest.   So once again, I put up my
inverted-L.  But this time I decided to try elevated radials just to see if
I would notice a difference.  So in my limited spare time, I added 2 of
them; one cut to the "supposed" correct length, the other wound up shorter
just because that's what I happened to find close enough without splicing.
It must have been ok because the analyzer actually display a decent figure
and it showed only 10W reflected with 100W out.  So late Friday I gave it a
whirl.   Didn't take long to get frustrated.  I just wasn't getting heard
very well.  Lots of stations sent "?", a good number gave up and said "sri"
and went on to others.   My usual high noise level of S6 didn't help either.
After an hour and 45 minutes my head was starting to hurt from the noise and
I had a made a grand total of 38 contacts.   Best DX was STX and SD.  Only
got 1 VE and that was just QC.

 

When I got home late Saturday afternoon, I decided to quickly add 2 more
random length radials, one elevated. The other I threw on the ground because
it was getting dark quickly and I didn't have time to make any kind of
temporary support in that direction.  Didn't even get to use my antenna
analyzer like I did with the first two; it would just have to do.   Well it
was both good and bad.  The bad was that now instead of 10W reflected, I had
almost 60..ouch.   But the tuner dealt with it even if I had to retune
almost every 15khz.  On the good side, either conditions were better and/or
there were more participants on the band as it seemed as I was getting heard
a bit better.  Also it was a lot earlier in the evening - 2255z instead of
my Friday night start time of 0258z.  Still had S6 continuous noise, so I
decided to give up on the weak signals and turn the rf gain up a bit and the
volume down a tad to lessen the wear and tear.  It helped a lot.  I operated
for an hour and 20 minutes when Debbie hollered that supper was ready.  I
had another 37 Qs in the log.  Absolutely nothing but East coast, but hey,
the contacts came a bit easier.  After supper I had a music project to help
Debbie with for church Sunday so it was 2 hours (0306z) before I was able to
get back on again.  And then I was still finalizing music files on the other
computer in between picking off some multiplier spots.  Now however, the
noise was a continuous S8 because it was snowing.  I put in another hour and
15 minutes and added another 34 Q's.  Best DX was CO.  The higher noise was
getting to me again and I had broken 100Qs which was a good milestone for me
on 160 CW.  I turned it off for good and went to bed.

 

Random thoughts: 

 I only heard 4 actual DX stations: C6, ZF, XE, P4.  I called the C6 a lot
Saturday evening has he had very few takers.   Never even got so much as one
"?" out of him.  Even though he was loud, I didn't feel too bad as I heard a
lot of others get the same results as I.  His noise must have been higher
than mine; poor guy.   I tried the ZF a couple of times with same result.
He was really in the noise so gave up quickly.  Didn't bother with the other
2.  Heard very few VE's which surprised me.  

 

I had pipelines to TN and EPA but yet had to fight to get heard in NC.  What
the heck was that?  Only CVCCer I heard (and worked) was W4PM.   Can't
figure that one out either as I tuned s.l.o.w.l.y. up the band each time
trying to work everyone I heard.  I watched the packet bandmap as well and
only saw W4HZ spotted once - he wasn't there or I couldn't hear him when I
got there.

 

Did I have fun?  The frustration and resulting headache after Friday night's
stint left me wondering why I bothered.   But there I was in the dark
Saturday evening playing with the antenna and at it again even with higher
noise.   Would I do it again - yes.  So I must have had fun there somewhere.

 

Okay Puck, 

I dragged you through all this just to give you my puny score.

 

109Qs

42Mults

9156 big points.

 

Hope to hear everyone in the 10M!  I'll be at W4HZ so I at least I won't
have to deal with the continuous S5 noise I have on 10m.   Darn noisy power
lines.

73

Ronnie

WU4G