VE2TZT
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Re:ARRL 160 CW 2014 - 2014/12/07 18:48
Call: VA2EW
Operator(s): VA2EW
Station: VA2EW
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Montreal QC
Operating Time (hrs): 31
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 1389 Sections = 80 Countries = 28 Total Score = 329,832
Club: Contest Group du Quebec
Comments:
Is the 1830-35 intercontinental window rule still up to date?
Taking into account the few DX's in this window and in this contest in general
we can understand the temptation of some to run in it.
But it is still written in the official rules and those breaking it are taking
an obvious advantage on others then I see that as a form of cheating.
On the other hand this window could be narrowed to 2khz or so by an update of
the rules.
In any case I did not heard about any action from ARRL about the respect of
this rule so perhaps the ones violating it are right to do so.
On my side this year my lowest ever DX mult number and a low number of qso with
Europe perhaps this noise in West direction destroying rx on W beverage and
having an influence by 6-10dB on noise on N-E too is responsible when Eu sigs
are at the low level of this WE. After the contest I have seen that I have been
spotted by several EU that I was not able to hear. Sorry for that guys, you
should listen from here to understand!!!
Strangely, of the whole WE the EU signals were at their best during the K=5
period.
I do not see how this line noise can change before the coming CQWW 160.
Hydro already came two times on that and I am starting to lose hope.
Actually even if Hydro fixes this problem, another one could start at any
time.
The lines are close to 50 years old and everything has to be changed.
Not mentioning the frequent tree falls that are creating future failures after
too fast repairing in the hurry of after tempest situation.
Another score improvement source linked to local noise should be to have the
possibility to listen on the vertical antenna for common traffic and to use the
bev only on difficult cases.
It is not my case and 80% of the time I have to ask for a repeat the time to
find the right direction of the signal which is not helped by the FCC give up
of USA area numbers in callsigns.
The good thing is that it shows that my beverages even if short have a very
good directivity, the bad side is that a big amount of time is wasted and then
qso's.
Always the same dilema : to increase my score I should have to take a decision
about a remote contest site.
I use to think that this contest could last only 24 hours, because if the first
night is fun it is less the case of the other one with its 20q/h and its DUPE
festival. But this time, as the propagation was bad the former night, the
missing contacts were done the second night giving a little more activity and
interest.
The trick is to find other activities like preparing this text in parallel of
pushing the F1 key.
73's, thanks for the calls and for your patience
Gilles VA2EW / VE2TZT
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