[PVRCNC] VP5M (K4QPL) ARRL DX CW SOAB-LP Unassisted (PVRC DXpedition)

[Jim K4QPL]

Call: VP5M

Operator(s): K4QPL

Station: VP5M

 

Class: SOAB LP

QTH: VP5

Operating Time (hrs): 30 (Less-see notes)

Summary:

Band  QSOs  Mults

-------------------

  160:  146    36

   80:  500    53

   40:  535    55

   20: 1057    59

   15:  875    59

   10:   19     7

-------------------

Total: 3132   269  Total Score = 2,521,875

 

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

 

QTH: Harbour Rock villa, Providenciales Island, Turks & Caicos, BWI.

Antennas: SteppIR 3 el 6M-20M at 25'; 80-40 trap inverted V, apex 25';
40-10M OCF dipole as inverted V at about 25' on fiberglass pole; 160M
so-called inverted L but really a "Lazy L" highest point 25' with two ad hoc
elevated radials strung through the bushes. More info at vp5vacationdotcom.

Radios: TS-590S; IC-7300

Software: N1MM+

 

Never seen so many "Pa's" and "Ma's" in a log! Good turnout from everywhere,
conditions were good. 10M sounded active, but the skip zone for me was laser
sharp from AZ to CO to ND. S9+ for the handful of stations there but nada to
major populations. 160M was surprising with such a poor antenna. Guess the
topography being about 100' above sea level on north facing ridge helped
everything. SteppIR played well but second gain antenna would be helpful.

 

48 hrs is too long for me as Single Op to go full time. Official time was 30
hours but I didn't keep track of numerous breaks and quick short runs so I
would guess about half time in the chair. N1MM didn't count time off second
day dozing on 10M with CQ-repeat running!

Although often overwhelmed, I could feel my pileup skills improving with the
10 minute rate meter in the first half of the contest getting close to 300
at times and feeling nervous when it dropped below 150. Below 100 and it was
break time, especially on the second day! Being unassisted there was no way
to wade through all the DX run stations looking for W/K multipliers so I
just let whatever there was come to me. While I tried to take a hard line
and take no DX calls, I took pity on a few plaintive callers to give them
the country they were obviously looking for. Forcing N1MM to log no credit
Q's affected my rhythm and rate. Probably should have used a paper log.

Never had time for SO2R although I left the IC-7300 band scope on 10M to
watch for openings. Not very effective with just a wire antenna. Spent a lot
of time with CQ repeat running to try for mults (1 mult = 11.0 Q's) so maybe
I  could call my 10M total the equivalent of 89 q's to justify the negative
effect on my overall rate :) .

Thanks for all the Q's and patience in the pileups!

73,

Jim, K4QPL