[NLRS] W0ZQ - 10gigs contest summary

[W0ZQ at aol.com]

Total score is 28 uniques (2,800 pts) plus 51,268 km = 54,068.    Last years 
score was 44,283, so an improvement of 22%.
 
August Weekend Summary (as part of the North Shore group):
*  166  QSOs
*  35,082 distance points (average of 211 km per Q)
*  Last  years distance points were about 37,100 so a drop of about 6%.
*   Longest DX = 313.761 km
*  27% of all contacts > 275 km
*  9%  of all contacts > 300 km
* Just over 11 hours of logged ON  time.

September Weekend Summary (as a part of the Sisseton group):
*  64 QSOs
* 16,186 distance points (average of 252 km per Q)
* Last years  distance points for the second weekend were about 5,300, so an 
improvement of  about 205%.
* Longest DX = 336.566 km
* 55% of all contacts > 275  km
* 35% of all contacts > 300 km
* Just over 18 hrs of logged ON time  in winds that varied from 15 mph on Sat 
to better than 35 mph on  Sunday.


Discussion:
Well, what a hoot.   Its wonderful to have 28  unique calls in my log (I see 
N0UK has 31).   Who would have thought  that a few years ago.   The NorthShore 
score was down a bit, largely  due to the difference in conditions we had 
last year compared to this year, but  the score from the second weekend was way 
up.   

Regarding  Sisseton (and that area), I think we have just tapped the 
potential of what can  be done from out there.    Looking at my summary above, you can 
 see that better than half of our contacts were over 275 km.   We heard  
VE4MA at 500 km, but our 2 to 6 watts could not make the path back to him (this  
time).   

This was the first "large" expedition to Sisseton for  the 10gigs contest and 
we learned A LOT.    Here are some  discussion points:
1.  The ridge runs from about 350 or 355 degrees to  about 160 degrees (or 
so, depending on where you are at).   The take  off from this panorama is very 
good as the ridge is about 700 feet above the  valley floor.   However, when 
mobile stations move outside of the 355  to 160 bearing, you lose them.   For 
rovers to work Sisseton, they  need to stay in this 355 to 160 degree bearing 
angle (from EN15kp). 
2.   Based on this one weekend, and my previous trips to this area, 250 to 
330 km is  the maximum ("normal") range for SSB contacts for our systems.   
There  is variability here.   However, once beyond about 300 km the need for  CW 
to complete the contact rises quickly.   If you are not well versed  in CW, or 
if you just plan hate using CW (which is OK), then do not exceed 300  km 
(unless conditions are good) because you will need CW. .

If we do  Sisseton again next year, and I hope we do, my input is that we 
need more  rovers, or rovers packs, in south central, central, and/or north 
central  MN.   In addition, for those who do not use CW, perhaps they can rove  as 
one pack and stay in that 250km max range (unless conditions are  good).   
>From south central, central, or north central MN you can  drive 10 miles, stop, 
work Sisseton, and move on, all rather  quickly.   YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE ON A 
HIGH ELEVATION, you just have to  have a good take off angle (good horizon) 
which most of western MN does  have.    I would rather have twelve 250km SSB 
contacts  than four 330 CW contacts (whether I was the Sisseton Op or the  rover). 
   Bottomline is that we can do a much better job of  maximixing points for 
all Op's, SSB only AND SSB/CW ops.

Lastly thanks to  all for the Q's and the fun.   I'm already planning 
improvements for  next year ( .... more power ???).   It was interesting to note that 
 although we often complaint about frequency (accuracy) that we were always 
able  to find each other pretty quickly on these long paths with weak signals 
.... I  think that we found everyone within about two to four minutes of  
looking, or we never made the contact at all.

73, Jon
W0ZQ