[Elecraft] WPX CW G3YMC

[Dave Sergeant]

Well G3YMC had a semi serious bash at WPX this weekend in the QRP 
section. I now have the KIO2 fitted to my K2 and this made it a 
delight to use as with the KAT2 it was really instantaneous band 
change. Logging via EI5DI's Superduper on my old 386 Toshiba laptop.

Conditions were fairly average and very little DX about - nothing at 
all from JA or the far east, and even Cyprus stations were scarce. 
However after 35 hours operating (single operator is limited to 36 
hours by the rules) I managed 677 QSOs, 318 multipliers, 69 DXCC and 
a grand score of 391,140 points. Two all time new QRP countries were 
added to my list making a total of 181 (124 during 2003).

QRN was a problem on the low bands and I only worked 3 stations on 
160m. 10m was dead on Saturday but had a nice opening during Sunday 
and was open well into the evening with some nice DX worked (usually 
first call!).

Operating times were adjusted to allow normal meal times - breaks 
have to be a minimum of one hour so I used those to advantage. Didn't 
quite manage to planned Sunday start at 0100z though....

I await to see the results, but with CQ they don't even publish 
claimed scores and the results take a very long time to get 
published.

Also uploaded the logs to eQSL and have already received 7 eQSLs for 
the weekend. And to ARRL LOTW to give me some more...

By the way the results of the ARRL 10m contest last December are now 
on the members only pages of the ARRL site at 
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/contests/results/2002/10-Meters/
I operated QRP CW in that contest and in that section, in the non-USA 
entries I am leading G in 15th place (European 6th) with 115,584 
points. My good friend Steve GW4ALG, also a K2 owner, beat me by a 
hairbreadth 200 points into 14th place.

73 Dave G3YMC
K2 #2498

dsergeant@btinternet.com
http://www.dsergeant.btinternet.co.uk