CQWW SSB K4TMC SOSB10 Classic LP

[Henry Pollock - K4TMC]

 Call: K4TMC
Operator(s): K4TMC
Station: K4TMC

Class: SOSB10 LP
Class Overlay: Classic
QTH: NC
Operating Time (hrs): 23

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:    0     0        0
   80:    0     0        0
   40:    0     0        0
   20:    0     0        0
   15:    0     0        0
   10:  452    25       90
------------------------------
Total:  452    25       90  Total Score = 149,730

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

With the XYL Mary Ann still in recovery from her late August fall, a trip
to the beach site was not in the offing. So, I did the CQ WW SSB from home
using two 10M Moxons in the attic. With my compromised antennas and the
home density in my neighborhood, my plan was to trying running in the band
above 28.500 or even 28.600, thinking that I would have a better chance to
be heard. Worse-case, I would just be limited to only a S&P effort. The
antenna plan was to keep the higher Europe-oriented Moxon in that direction
as long as possible and only re-orient it to the West after the band closed
to the NE. The other lower Moxon remained oriented South for the duration
of the contest, mostly because it was in an attic area that would not
support orientation to any other desirable direction.

Friday night 10M was slow, but with S&P managed to work HI and AK, and got
Zones 3 & 4 in the log. Saturday was great, stayed too busy S&Ping that I
never took the opportunity to try running. There were even stations above
29.000. Worked everything I could hear, missing only ZS and 9Y. Saturday
evening was slower with only a few VK, ZL and JA, even though I could hear
the West Coast stations working more of them. I only worked 1 JA, 1 ZL and
3 VK. Finished Saturday with 267Q/23Z/76Cty. My Sunday plan was to run as
much as possible if the band was like Saturday.

Well, the plan to run most of Sunday did not happen. I tried several times
to establish a run but the rate was just not there. Lesson learned – don’t
try a run with LP and compromised antenna coupled with a poor location. So,
it was back to S&P.  The band was amazing on Sunday! I would start at
28.300 and just work up the band one QSO at a time, able to make the QSO
the first, second or third attempt. After the 5th attempt, I just moved on.
For new countries/zones I wrote down the freq for reference. After running
out of stations after 29.000+, I returned to the ones missed and usually
was able to get through after a call or two. This process worked well both
days, except for missing 2 countries – 9Y and ZS. Later in the day, I moved
the upper attic Moxon toward the SW to work more of the SA stations. That
was a good decision – picked up around 2 dozen extra SA stations.

Now looking forward to the ARRL 10M Contest in December, just not sure
whether it will be at home or the beach site. If at home, I have to do some
more work in the attic to accommodate a better antenna to the South.

Elecraft K3+ with Heil HC-4 mic element

Two MFJ-1890 10M Moxons in home attic , one at 20 ft and one at 26 ft

73,

Henry – K4TMC