[NLRS] Contest results for N0AKC

[Charlie Betz]

Wow!

I have been telling all the Chippewa Valley guys that we have been due for an opening like this.  I've told them about the openings in 1988 and 1992 when I was multioping with W0UC and how we worked 200+ grids and 600 + and 800+ Qs on 6M.  And I had thoughts of how great it would be to make 300 Q's on 6M from my station in a contest.  I just never dreamed I'd attain that goal 4 hours into the contest!  It took 2 hours to rack up the first 100 Q's.  Then I found a spot at 50.237 and called CQ and the floodgates opened.  For the next four hours I was able to maintain a rate of 100 Qs/hour.  Unfortunatly I got so wound up in 6M, that I missed the 2M opening.  Since I switched over to running both 6 and 2 on the same radio last year, it has become harder to monitor both bands simultaneously.  I kept working relatively close in grids with big signals and occassionaly checked 2, but gave up when I kept finding the band dead.  Guess I should have checked one more time....

The once difference with this contest compared to 1988 & 1992 is the big 6M E opening did not continue into Sunday.  I made about 60 Qs in the morning before the band died out. That did allow me to concentrate on the other bands a bit.  I managed to follow Jon, W0ZQ through most of his grids Sunday and that was a real treat.  

The downside to the contest was I was plagued by equipment problems again.  Right off the bat my 222 amp decided it wouldn't put out more than 100 watts, then the RX went south.  I'm not sure, but think the preamp may have blown.  On 432 the relay at the top of the tower kept sticking, so I could transmit, but occasionally could not hear.  And I discovered that I had a problem with my FT-736.  In the CWposition, I had a constant side tone and I could not key up and send CW.  That really hurt me on 1296 as I was limited to phone.

On the positive side (besides 6M), was working K2DRH on 1296 SSB, and working KC9BQA on 903.  In addition, I made my first 2304 QSO with W9RAY, though he was the only station I managed to work on that band.  That band obviously needs work, but hopefully I will have it running good in September.

My totals for the contest are as follows:

50:  706 x 161
144: 52 x 18
222: 23 X 12
432: 30 X 14
902: 9 X 7
1.2: 7 X 4
2.3: 1 X 1

Total: 828 x 217  = 198,772 points

Club Affiliation: Chippewa Valley VHF Contesters

My goal is always to top my previous best score.  My previous all-time best was 55K in a January contest back in the last 1990s.  This one might be hard to top.


Charlie, N0AKC