[PVRCNC] IARU KA1ARB M/S

[Robert Katz]

             IARU Score Summary Sheet

       Start Date : 2010-07-10

    CallSign Used : KA1ARB
      Operator(s) : KA1ARB

Operator Category : MULTI-ONE
             Band : ALL
            Power : HIGH
             Mode : MIXED

               Name : Robert Katz
             Call : KA1ARB

     ARRL Section : NC
        Club/Team : Potomac Valley Radio Club

        Band  Mode  QSOs    Pts  Zon   HQ
         3.5  CW      35      77    8    2
         3.5  LSB      4      10    0    0
           7  CW     120     282    9    7
           7  LSB    183     387   17   18
          14  CW     352    1224   16   22
          14  USB    761    2487   22   19
          21  CW     123     279    7    7
          21  USB     82     228   12   10
          28  CW      20      32    4    6
          28  USB     56      80    0    2
       Total  Both  1736    5086   95   93


            Score : 956,168
              Rig :

          Soapbox :

I was unexpectedly able to team up with Lee, WB1ADR, for a multi-single
effort this year, and we had a great time.  Condx stunk on the low bands,
but having openings on 20m for much of the night was very cool, and we
enjoyed working EU on 15.  This was by far my best DX contest effort ­ it
certainly helps having Lee¹s CW prowess at my station.  By the end of the
weekend, I was actually able to run at over 20 wpm, but only with the fixed
exchange (sorry to all of you that tried to send me an extra message!)

I used this as my excuse to finish building two-direction beverages for
NE/SW and NW/SE, but the S9+10 noise and high MUF limited our time on those
bands, so the jury is still out on whether I¹ve got them working.  The
catenary for my 40m delta loop to EU came crashing to the ground sometime
this spring when a storm took down half of a tree, so we had one element on
the ground, one element at 10¹, and one element at 25¹.  It still loaded up,
though, so we just went ahead and used it.  Our new addition was an 80m
vertical with 4 raised radials, and making permanent the ³temporary² 160
inverted-L.  

We ³discovered² just before the contest started that I didn¹t have a keying
interface for my computer (I¹ve always just sent by hand), so after
gathering some parts, I started the contest 15 minutes late while Lee cooked
one an interface.  He was ready by 14Z, and I¹m now a convert to computer
keying.  It took me a long time to get warmed up S&P on 20m and 15m before
finally having a good run at the end of 13Z hour.  We alternated running and
S&P, struggling to get any rate to EU.  Finally, around 17Z, Lee decided to
just run the US, and our rate soared to 113 and then 142 in 18Z.  Things
dipped for a couple hours until 20Z when things took off to EU with a rates
over 100 for 3 of the next four hours.  We got so wrapped up enjoying our
runs that we missed out looking south for mults on 10 and 15, but we had
fun!

Lee did the heavy lifting for much of the night, but I did have a 4 straight
mults call me on 40m at 09Z: HK6P, E51CG, OC4HQ, and 8N3HQ (SA, OC, SA, and
AS!)  I was certainly awake after that!  (And so was Lee, after all my
yelling.)

In all, a great time ­ thanks for all your Q¹s.

73,
   Rob, KA1ARB