[PVRCNC] FW: CQ160 CW K4CZ Single Op Assisted HP

[Barry Baker, K4CZ]

                    CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW

Call: K4CZ
Operator(s): K4CZ
Station: K4CZ

Class: Single Op Assisted HP
QTH: Durham, NC
Operating Time (hrs): 21

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 725  State/Prov = 56  Countries = 50  Total Score = 237,758

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club



Comments:

Rig:  Kenwood TS-930 w/ Piexx board, Ameritron AL-80B (running 600w)
Antenna:  Marconi-T (45' vert, 125' horiz); K9AY loop (NW only); 300'
beverages (NE, SW, W)

During recent 160m contests, I have been able to reach 500-600 Qs but my DX
mults have been disappointing.  My highest DX mult total was in the 2008
ARRL 160 when I got 16 DX mults.  I had a single RX-only antenna and it was
a K9AY loop facing NE since I hadn't added a relay for switching to the
opposite direction.  In order to improve my scores, I spent the past few
weeks planning and setting up two temporary beverage antennas.  One is a
300' terminated beverage facing west.  The other is a 325' two-wire
switchable direction beverage facing NE and SW.  I added a second loop to
the K9AY and used it for listening NW only.  Due to last-minute time
constraints, I simply ran a separate coax for each RX antenna to the shack
and switched them using an old B&W rotary switch.

This was only the second time I've used multiple RX antennas and it requires
some adjustments.  Strong signals weren't a problem since they could usually
be heard using any of the antennas but the weak ones were a challenge since
I had to find the correct antenna for listening.  In addition, since I
didn't have any RX antennas directly south or SE, a few weak Florida
stations (and some others) could only be heard on the transmit antenna so I
would switch back to that antenna occasionally.  It wasn't a smooth or
consistent process so I know some ops probably thought I was deaf and/or
incompetent...I prefer to believe that it was just part of my learning
curve...  In addition, I wasn't using a pre-amp on the RX antennas and many
times I switched back to listening on the transmit antenna but forgot to
lower the rig volume...only to be immediately called by a NC/MD/VA station
(usually a fellow PVRC member) with an S9+30dB signal...ouch!  It was nice
to have some new toys (sorry, I meant to say "tools") in the shack, but by
the end of the weekend I started to feel the onslaught of carpal tunnel
syndrome due to the constant switching of antennas and on Monday morning my
ears are still ringing from some of those unexpectedly loud signals...

My goal for CQ 160 was 625 Qs and 20 mults, which would exceed my Q and mult
totals in any prior 160 contest.  I feel good about reaching my goal for Qs
but am really excited (stunned might be a better word) about reaching 50 DX
mults...more than doubling my goal.  I'd like to give all the credit to the
new RX antennas but as everyone has stated, propagation was excellent all
weekend.  The true test of the new RX antennas will have to wait until next
contest season.  

During the weekend, I added 15 new DX entities to my total for 160.  With 68
worked, I'm still far from my goal of DXCC on 160 but it's now within
sight...if only it didn't get harder after you put the easy ones in the log!

Thanks for the Qs.

73, Barry K4CZ