2008 ARRL International DX Contest

[kg4kww]

2008 ARRL International DX Contest March 1-2, 2008
Contest Period: Starts 0000 UTC Saturday; ends 2400 UTC Sunday.

Hope to hear you on the bands.

[wb6mmj]

2008 ARRL International DX Contest March 1-2, 2008
Contest Period: Starts 0000 UTC Saturday; ends 2400 UTC Sunday.

Hope to hear you on the bands.
Just Wonderful.

[KB5FSV]

I have the TA-33 WAXED AND READY! The TS-2000 has the voice recorder installed and my Heil boomset standing by...

[k7mh]

It's the PHONE contest...who cares!!?? :p

[NV5H]

Have fun Jimmy, I will get alot of time in on the contest myself. I hope to get a good rain to knock down the noise off these power lines. Hope you (and me) get several new entities over the weekend. Best of luck to you es GUD DX!!!

[KI4RVH]

It's the PHONE contest...who cares!!?? :p

People who are into those phone contest care. My wife got on one of those phone contest and was 3rd caller. We got a free CD. I thought I'd tell you that and you might change your mind about phone contest. :D

73

Chris

[KB5FSV]

Have fun Jimmy, I will get alot of time in on the contest myself. I hope to get a good rain to knock down the noise off these power lines. Hope you (and me) get several new entities over the weekend. Best of luck to you es GUD DX!!!

You too Brad! Heres wishing us BOTH good DX! I need some new ones. I only made 75 new ones during CQWW.

[k7mh]

My wife got on one of those phone contest and was 3rd caller. We got a free CD. I thought I'd tell you that and you might change your mind about phone contest.
Ah yes.Radio station contests! I was the KING of them around here when I was a kid. I am the reason they went to anything other than the first caller. I had it down, found the secret about rotary dial phones. Kept one around for many years just for that. I was banned from contests on local station KOL. I bet Danny Holiday still remembers me!! He knew my voice so well he would just hang up on me. I won a lot of stuff!!
Now I am reduced to a lowly 9-ball player. :cool:

[n4qwb]

I have most of the weekend free to do some serious S&P. I hope to have DXCC completed after this. Actually, I have 104 countries worked, but only 65 confirmed. Just hoping I see a lot of LoTW QSLs from this and the upcoming CQ WPX. Contesters seem to be real good about uploading their logs. The majority of my 41 LoTW DX QSLs are from contests.

Can't wait!

[N2RJ]

MonstIR aimed and wound up ready to go...

Going to run EU and AF until the ionosphere decides to PUKE.

[k3wrv]

You lads are sharpening your knives already. California Kilowatts rampant, mic gains adjusted fer max splatter. (Measured one guy at 10 KC on SSB). Calling "Zisfreqinuse - zisfreqinuse-CQCDQCQCQ with your voice keyers.

Me? I think I'll take a renewed interest in my collection of bulk rate mail logo stamps and pray fer no sunspots.

ICK!

[kg4kww]

I have gas and it's bad, but I will be ready to go. Bought an exhaust fan. :D

Might even work dx from the FH just to show my clients ham radio. :D

[w8rsi]

Me? I think I'll take a renewed interest in my collection of bulk rate mail logo stamps and pray fer no sunspots.

ICK!

Thats so very nice of you. Since you wont be around anyways and it's not your cup of tea, thanks for wishing that no one has any fun in your absence.

I wouldn't hope that you get heavy QSB on your next long ragchew about audio quality and health ailments now, would I?

to each his own...

[KU0DM]

I am ready!

13 more entities to go and 48 hours!

DXCC here I come!

[kn4ds]

I expect I'll play in the contest a bit... make a little progress toward DXCC. I have 72 worked, but only 23 confirmed, so a ways to go yet.

[kg4kww]

I will be listening out for Tom 9ECI this weekend too.

[kg4kww]

I hope the pile ups will not be to bad.

[K9STH]

Greg:

DREAM ON!

Glen, K9STH

[K0DXC]

I am ready!

13 more entities to go and 48 hours!

DXCC here I come!


No,

You'll take years to confirm them unless you sent EVERY Card direct and got Extremely lucky.

[kn4ds]

Greg:

DREAM ON!
Glen speaketh truth. The first several hours of any contest are pretty much the big guns logging each other... a bit later the rest of us can join in :p

[kg4kww]

I have been able to work some stations on 40m and 75m and yep the pileups are dog eat dog (nasty).

[KI4ITV]

I hope the pile ups will not be to bad.

Is this related to your "bad gas" comments?? :D

[KI4ITV]

I have been able to work some stations on 40m and 75m and yep the pileups are dog eat dog (nasty).
I've been working the stations on 40M using split.
(I have more fun doing that... one of my favorite things to do on phone)
GL, gud DX!

[KI4RVH]

No,

You'll take years to confirm them unless you sent EVERY Card direct and got Extremely lucky.

I'm beginning to agree with you Cal. I sent envelopes to the buro and cards to the ARRL in July. I haven't seen a one. One day I hope to open the mailbox and see some. I sent Australia direct! I want to see that one a little sooner.

73

Chris

[n4bfd]

OK I got sucked in.. first phone contest I have bothered with and it has been fun playing on 40 meters after working all of the big guns on 80. It must be fun.. it is 4:30 in the morning and I am still awake....:rolleyes: I got a new (to me) FlexRadio SDR1000 recently and the panadapter and the ability to narrow my transmit passband to sound like I am using a Heil HC-4 with AND a stuffed up nose makes it a bit easy. :D

[KB3JZD]

I like good DX as much as the next guy but it's sad that while engaged in a roundtable with people from the east coast to Mich. and states in between a contester takes over 1/2 a kc above and 1 kc below the existing QSO. :(

[KB3LIX]

I like good DX as much as the next guy but it's sad that while engaged in a roundtable with people from the east coast to Mich. and states in between a contester takes over 1/2 a kc above and 1 kc below the existing QSO. :(


That is the chance you take trying to operate on a MAJOR contest weekend in the same mode as the contest on a non-WARC band.

[N2RJ]

I like good DX as much as the next guy but it's sad that while engaged in a roundtable with people from the east coast to Mich. and states in between a contester takes over 1/2 a kc above and 1 kc below the existing QSO. :(

You have WARC bands. Use them.

[N2RJ]

Well gee wiz, I know Tim Duffy just HAS to win every ARRL int'l DX contest, but when the DX is calling ME, he had better STAND BY.

Stupid LID.

[KB3JZD]

You have WARC bands. Use them.

Yes I can. But according to the so-called Amateur code-

The Radio Amateur is CONSIDERATE,

I would think courtesy to existing QSO's would be something practiced.

[N2RJ]

Yes I can. But according to the so-called Amateur code-



I would think courtesy to existing QSO's would be something practiced.

Agreed, but no amount of complaining is going to get rid of contests, so you might as well just save yourself the aggravation.

[N2RJ]

Wheeeee

OM3RJB on 14.349.50 (USB)

And W3LPL just worked him! The hilarity...

[KC9ECI]

Do not let it be said that I don't know when to admit defeat. I figured I'd take advantage of being able to work a bit lower on 20M that I normally would were I operating from home. That doesn't work. Canadians can't hear M/ and only hear the KC9ECI as I was told by no less than 3 of them that I was out of band and off they went to work the next station in the pile. A bit further up the band I finally got the attention of a NH station, who must have thought the M/ stood for mobile and advised me that the contest was for DX stations only.

I'm lucky to be on the air at all. The wind here today is fierce and I had to switch the antenna bas over from the tripod to the clamp. I was able to find a very large walkway brick that was otherwise not doing anything and is making a dandy antenna base.

So, I'll check the bands a bit tomorrow. In the meantime, my spidey-senses are tingling, somewhere, there is a cold pint being held in a pub and it needs my help...

[KU0DM]

It's been slow here, not much EU and more SA than I care for.

Did get HC8A but that's the only new one.

[N8UZE]

Do not let it be said that I don't know when to admit defeat. I figured I'd take advantage of being able to work a bit lower on 20M that I normally would were I operating from home. That doesn't work. Canadians can't hear M/ and only hear the KC9ECI as I was told by no less than 3 of them that I was out of band and off they went to work the next station in the pile. A bit further up the band I finally got the attention of a NH station, who must have thought the M/ stood for mobile and advised me that the contest was for DX stations only.


Where are you operating from in the UK? It might help to say something like "M/KC9ECI in xxx, England" so they know you are not mobile and use a longer alternate phonetic for the M. If you are NOT using phonetics to give your call sign I strongly encourage you to do so EVERY time in this case.

Good luck and have fun.

What time do you think you'll be on the air? I might get on for a bit and work you if I can. If I do get on, I'll only be searching and pouncing though as for the most part I'm "cherry picking" for things I don't have on certain bands.

[N2RJ]

It's been slow here, not much EU and more SA than I care for.

Did get HC8A but that's the only new one.

I started around 1300z and right now up to 129 contacts/39 mults.

Not really looking for new ones, just having some fun on the radio.

[n4qwb]

What a dissappointing contest so far for DXing. Haven't heard a single new country. Nothing but SA and a handful of Europeans that I don't need. Only thing close would be Montenegro (4O3A), which I've worked before, but just haven't gotten confirmed yet. Some propagation to Africa and the Mid-East sure would be nice.

Hope the WPX contest at the end of the month will be better.

[KB3LIX]

2008 ARRL International DX Contest March 1-2, 2008
Contest Period: Starts 0000 UTC Saturday; ends 2400 UTC Sunday.

Hope to hear you on the bands.

Break time from the DX contest, but something hit me a while ago.


So Greg,

A week or so ago, it may have been longer, in another thread you made a big deal about contests being STUPID. It was even in an ODD color and a HUGE font.


Now, you are promoting one.

So, which side of the fence are you on ????????


You whine about contests in one thread, then you promote them in another........


and we thought only politicians did the "Flip-Flop"

Pick a side !!!!!

[KB3LIX]

Yes I can. But according to the so-called Amateur code-



I would think courtesy to existing QSO's would be something practiced.


DREAM ON !!!!!

[KB3LIX]

What a dissappointing contest so far for DXing. Haven't heard a single new country. Nothing but SA and a handful of Europeans that I don't need. Only thing close would be Montenegro (4O3A), which I've worked before, but just haven't gotten confirmed yet. Some propagation to Africa and the Mid-East sure would be nice.

Hope the WPX contest at the end of the month will be better.


Only new entity so far for me is San Andreas 5J0E, found them on 40 last night.

Right at 118 Q's and 78 multipliers, but the power line noise is HORRIBLE here today. Like it KNOWS I'm trying to run some DX.

*&@!%$# Power utility

Heard some traffic on 15m today. Difficult to work 15 though as 15 seems to be where the noise peaks.
10 is like a morgue.

Back to the foray !

[KB3LIX]

What a dissappointing contest so far for DXing. Haven't heard a single new country. Nothing but SA and a handful of Europeans that I don't need. Only thing close would be Montenegro (4O3A), which I've worked before, but just haven't gotten confirmed yet. Some propagation to Africa and the Mid-East sure would be nice.

Hope the WPX contest at the end of the month will be better.


I hate doubling !

[N2RJ]

Only new entity so far for me is San Andreas 5J0E, found them on 40 last night.

I got 5J0A in the CQWW CW test last year.

It was nice that they were in LoTW, so I got them confirmed.

Heard some traffic on 15m today. Difficult to work 15 though as 15 seems to be where the noise peaks.
10 is like a morgue.

Back to the foray !

Been working South America and the caribbean on 15, just S&P, sweeping the band and cleaning up.

So far 250 Q's 55 mults.

[KI4ITV]

It would be nice to work at least one station were the temperature outside is cooler than it is here.

Almost everything I have worked fits in a box bordered by 30N to 30S, 75W to 15E.
Mostly the hurricane highway.

Well, its not even half way over yet.

[KI4ITV]

I got 5J0A in the CQWW CW test last year.

It was nice that they were in LoTW, so I got them confirmed.



Hey, that's great! Thanks for the "pick me up". I found them on 40 last night too. I really like LOTW, it's like Christmas with a password.

[KC9ECI]

Meh. I'm going to go check the band conditions at the pub. If anyone needs me, I'll be at the Black Bull.

[N2RJ]

What a shame, Europe on 40 is just booming here.

[n4qwb]

YES!!!! Just snagged A35RK on 21.371.5. Finally, a new country! I thought this contest was gonna be a bust.

[kn4ds]

YES!!!! Just snagged A35RK on 21.371.5. Finally, a new country! I thought this contest was gonna be a bust.
It was fun... for a long time, I couldn't break the pileup... I had to go out and get the grill going, and when I came back in, one call and got him.

So there's Tonga... the only new country so far, but I have some pretty severe operating limitations imposed on me this weekend by SWMBO, step daughter and 7 month old granddaughter.

[kg4kww]

Well I managed to work TM6M from France today on 20m from the Science Museum station I setup this morning. The antenna used was a club antenna and it was no more 20 ft up due to restrictions at the Museum.

If you have never TM6M's QSL Card you should check it out. It's a real collectors item.

[KB3JZD]

DREAM ON !!!!!

Yeah, I guess it's too much to ask for.

[N2RJ]

If you have never TM6M's QSL Card you should check it out. It's a real collectors item.

I'm sure.............

[kn4ds]

Well I managed to work TM6M from France today on 20m from the Science Museum station I setup this morning. The antenna used was a club antenna and it was no more 20 ft up due to restrictions at the Museum.

If you have never TM6M's QSL Card you should check it out. It's a real collectors item.

Wow, France... Impressive, OM, dunno how you managed to snag that one.

[KG6WOU]

I'm doing a few contacts, one I enjoyed was FO5A/MM - that's the call sign of the Clipperton Island DXpedition on the boat. They were working 20 meters this afternoon for the contest so you might want to give a listen - they were running 100 watts but were an honest 56 here on a small vertical.

I have a lot to learn about being a barefoot station with dipoles and contesting I guess. But I still get one or two. Seems late at night is easier if 80 stays open.

Selah!

[KI4RVH]

I've done 16 new countries since Thursday. This contest and the pre-contest stuff has been a blast!

73

Chris

[k9xr]

Wheeeee

OM3RJB on 14.349.50 (USB)

And W3LPL just worked him! The hilarity...

He must use SNSSB (super narrow ssb) and he must really need that mult. badly.

[N2RJ]

He must use SNSSB (super narrow ssb) and he must really need that mult. badly.

Apparently.

Sadly enough ARRL won't disqualify LPL for illegal operation.

Hey, maybe I should send an email to the contest branch asking them what happens if a station makes a contact out of band?

[N2RJ]

Wow, France... Impressive, OM, dunno how you managed to snag that one.

TM6M

Look at the QSL.

I have a feeling after seeing that QSL, everything in Gregs world isn't dead anymore. ;)

[kn4ds]

Apparently.

Sadly enough ARRL won't disqualify LPL for illegal operation.

Hey, maybe I should send an email to the contest branch asking them what happens if a station makes a contact out of band?
Double-edged sword there... it'd be interesting to know what they say, but if they said it was ok, it would encourage folks to do it...

The problem is that frequency isn't required in the logs, just the band. So I would presume if both stations claimed it was on 20m, the contact would count.

Sad. But hard to enforce band edges, even if frequency were required, so long as both stations "claimed" they were on a slightly lower frequency...

<shrug> All I can do is operate legally... I never go beyond 5 KHz from the band edges.... I don't want an OO QSL card.

[kn4ds]

TM6M

Look at the QSL.

I have a feeling after seeing that QSL, everything in Gregs world isn't dead anymore. ;)
I looked at the QSL... and my reaction was sadness that Greg can only look upon such and dream.

He's such a hypocrite it's hard to feel bad for him, though. He'll preach in one thread, then show his double standards in the next... and we all know he's an expert on HF operation, particularly contest operation.

[N2RJ]

<shrug> All I can do is operate legally... I never go beyond 5 KHz from the band edges.... I don't want an OO QSL card.

Well, IMO, the "big guns" breaking the law sends a bad message to prospective and new hams - I think they should be following the rules first and foremost, no 2 ways about it, and should be held to a higher standard.

[k9xr]

Apparently.

Sadly enough ARRL won't disqualify LPL for illegal operation.

Hey, maybe I should send an email to the contest branch asking them what happens if a station makes a contact out of band?

Used to be if you got 1 FCC pink slip or 2 OO warnings in 1 contest you could be disqualified. But that was back in the days when there was resspect for the regs.


Is it that busy that a OM3 needs to be that high anyway?

[N2RJ]

I looked at the QSL... and my reaction was sadness that Greg can only look upon such and dream.

He's such a hypocrite it's hard to feel bad for him, though. He'll preach in one thread, then show his double standards in the next... and we all know he's an expert on HF operation, particularly contest operation.

Yeah.

I have no problem showing a little soft core on QSL cards, unless you're sending it to a kid, in which case just print a kid safe QSL.

I have a few QSLs with semi-nakedness in it, and it doesn't bother me one bit. Some of the artistic ones especially from Eastern Europe are pretty interesting.

[N2RJ]

Is it that busy that a OM3 needs to be that high anyway?

Oh hell yeah. 20 was wall to wall today, even heard a few US stations below 14150.

In fact, for CQWW phone last year it was so bad even 15m was packed.

[kn4ds]

Well, IMO, the "big guns" breaking the law sends a bad message to prospective and new hams - I think they should be following the rules first and foremost, no 2 ways about it, and should be held to a higher standard.
I agree with ya, Ryan. The only trouble is finding someone to enforce the rules.

I've worked a few 59 100 stations in this contest... including Tonga... which, to me, is the best part... since I'm also 59 100 (if that were my part of the exchange in this contest).

I follow the rules, and if I become aware that I'm interfering with any other ongoing QSO, I move... I'm just not one of the "at all costs" type of people.

[NV5H]

I too worked A35RK on 15 meters first call. It was a new entity for me as well. I have only been able to snag 2 new countries this weekend. Tonga and the other new one being C21DL (Nauru), although he was on 17 CW. Congrats to everyone that got some they needed.

[KB5FSV]

Well reading everyone's post makes me feel a little bit better. I haven't really done crap in this contest. I think maybe I may have made two or three new ones, but like everyone else, for me its mostly been South America. Hardly any EU. And what EU I have heard or could work, I've already worked before. I think I was up to about 75 Q's. I stopped dealing with it around 4pm saturday.

I spent most of the day sleeping heh. I might jump back in there in a little while on 40meters and see if I can work anyone else. Its been very difficult trying to get through the pileups.

[kn4ds]

Well reading everyone's post makes me feel a little bit better. I haven't really done crap in this contest. I think maybe I may have made two or three new ones, but like everyone else, for me its mostly been South America. Hardly any EU. And what EU I have heard or could work, I've already worked before. I think I was up to about 75 Q's. I stopped dealing with it around 4pm saturday.

I spent most of the day sleeping heh. I might jump back in there in a little while on 40meters and see if I can work anyone else. Its been very difficult trying to get through the pileups.
Don't feel bad... not a lot of EU heard here... like you, mostly South America and the Caribbean. I have Italy a couple of times in this contest, but that would be it for Europe.

Unfortunately, I'm in the midst of data recovery on my log... work required me to install Vista today, which did not go well for HRD. Yeah, I should have backed it up, but at this moment, it is starting to look like I won't be submitting a log on this one...

So in addition to my operating restrictions, I can't log 'em... so I'm staying off the air.

Don't let anyone suggest to you that Vista is an upgrade.

[KB3LIX]

This is developing into a ROUGH ONE.
Not even near last years numbers at this point in time.
Bed time for Bonzo now, have to get some ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's
so I can get up in 4 hours (max) and hit it again.

165 Q's (YUK) 100 multi's (Double YUK)

Good night all !!!!!

I sure hope things pick up tomorrow.

[NV5H]

Well reading everyone's post makes me feel a little bit better. I haven't really done crap in this contest. I think maybe I may have made two or three new ones, but like everyone else, for me its mostly been South America. Hardly any EU. And what EU I have heard or could work, I've already worked before. I think I was up to about 75 Q's. I stopped dealing with it around 4pm saturday.

I spent most of the day sleeping heh. I might jump back in there in a little while on 40meters and see if I can work anyone else. Its been very difficult trying to get through the pileups.


Like Dave said, don't feel bad Jimmy. I made 190 Q's and only 2 being new for me. I quit about 5pm Sat myself. Everytime I would tune through the bands it was the same stations I had already worked. The only other new one for me that I seen on the cluster all weekend was the one from Guam. It is a shame I live abt a block east from an electric sub-station. If I head the beam anywhere from west to north I get around 15 over noise, so Guam was out of the question for me.

I take that back there was a South Korea station that I could not hear which I wished I could have worked. Even though I only got 2 new ones, it is 2 I did not have before the contest, so it was worth it and I had a lot of fun. I have got to figure out a 40 meter rotatable dipole to get up on the tower. I've decided the heck with VHF, so I am going to take down the 13B2's and replace that spot with a 40m dipole I hope. I feel like the dipole would help me alot compared to my Inverted-V.

[kg4kww]

I worked a few more stations on 75m & 40m Sat night then went to sleepy town for a good nights rest. It was a zoo on 40 & 75.

[N2RJ]

It was a zoo on 40 & 75.

It's because they got rid of the code test.

[k2gsp]

15 meters was fun today. Even on the weak stations they were picking me up on first or second call. Love no pileups. Everyone else must have been on 20. I added 7 new countries today, including the Galapagos Islands. Great stuff. WooHoo, just worked The Galapagos on 10 meters as well. Much fun today even on a bad antenna.

[k8jd]

This contest sure screwed up the 40M cw portion of the band last night. Thank goodness there was at least some room for CW ops on 80M !

[KB3LIX]

Well,
Another DX Contest goes in the record books.
From my numbers, there is NO JOY in Mudville tonight.
Q numbers on 40 & 80 are almost EXACTLY what they were last year.
Some decrease in 20 meter Q's and multi's.
Big difference here, was no decent opening on 15 meters like last year. Had 82 Q's on 15 last year, decrease to 38 this year with a corresponding reduction in multi's.

10 never cracked as much as a smile both years.

AND, fighting the nasty power line interference, you can't work what you can't hear.

Final: 244 Q's 732 Q points 129 multipliers
94,428

Last years total was over 135K.

Looks like I'm not taking the section in the low power, single operator category this year !!!!!


:mad::(:mad::(

[AC0FP]

I worked a few stations in South America & the Caribbean. I did work LU1 on 15 for the first time from the USA, I worked LU1 on 15 previously, from the Company Amateur radio station in Seoul Korea, quite a few years ago.

Have fun!

73,

Frank:)

[KB3LIX]

One more observation,

Every year after the International DX contest, we see complaining about the over driven, splattering, excessive microphone gain stations.
This year I made mental notes as I worked the contest about who sounded good and who sounded POOR.

An interesting result, ALL of the splattery station were OUTSIDE the USA.
I did not hear 1 single US operator that was splattering, "buckshotting", or had an obviously overdriven amplifier. The stations that were set up incorrectly WERE OUTSIDE the US, and it seemed like they were concentrated in South America.
I may be wrong, but that was my observation.

FWIW

[N2RJ]

Band QSOs Pts Cty
7 93 279 39
14 449 1347 74
21 28 84 12
Total 570 1710 125

Score: 213,750


Moral of the story: I need antennas for the low bands.

I'd have done a lot better had I snagged those QSOs on 80 and topband.

I'm seriously going to put up back my 80m antenna, and in the summer my 4sqr will be erected.

I also didn't operate the full 48 hrs.

I operated from 9AM to midnight Saturday, and 9AM to 7PM Sunday.

I had work interrupting me as we had a server move and I had to help out one of our DBAs with an Oracle installation.

Oh well, next time.

WPX is coming up soon though, CU in the pileups!

[KB3LIX]

This contest sure screwed up the 40M cw portion of the band last night. Thank goodness there was at least some room for CW ops on 80M !

You can make up for lost time over the next 3 weekends. Not much happening. On the 8th & 9th, is the Oklahoma, Idaho and Wisconsin QSO Parties, and on the 15th & 16th is the Virginia QSO party, so things should be peaceful. 22nd and 23 are evn quieter.........Nothing that I can see on the sked.

Then 29th and 30th......Look OUT !!!!!!

CQ WPX Phone !!!!!

40 will probably SUCK that weekend with all the europeans working phone between 7025 and 7100.

Enjoy the next 3 weekends, they should be OK for CW.

[KB3LIX]

Band QSOs Pts Cty
7 93 279 39
14 449 1347 74
21 28 84 12
Total 570 1710 125

Score: 213,750


Moral of the story: I need antennas for the low bands.

I'd have done a lot better had I snagged those QSOs on 80 and topband.

I'm seriously going to put up back my 80m antenna, and in the summer my 4sqr will be erected.

I also didn't operate the full 48 hrs.

I operated from 9AM to midnight Saturday, and 9AM to 7PM Sunday.

I had work interrupting me as we had a server move and I had to help out one of our DBAs with an Oracle installation.

Oh well, next time.

WPX is coming up soon though, CU in the pileups!



With that setup of yours, I'm quite surprized you didn't get more multipliers.

Here is my breakdown, such as it is:

80m 19 Q's 57 pts 16 multis
40m 59 Q's 177 pts 39 multis
20m 128 Q's 384 pts 54 multis
15m 38 Q's 114 pts 20 multis

244 Q 732 Pts 129 multis

I'm still lamenting (and will be for a while) only 1 new DXCC entity,
San Andreas on 40, 20 & 15m

I would LOVE to have as much aluminum in the air as you do,

YES, I AM jealous !!!!!!!

As you say, WPX is coming !!!!!

[N2RJ]

That's because most of my QSOs were from running, not S&P.

When you S&P you get more mults.

This wasn't really a "serious" effort.

I was working half the weekend.

BTW, it's not aluminum, it's more like fiberglass and copper-beryllium. :D

[N2RJ]

Oh, the one thing I found is that a good antenna can be an advantage and a disadvantage.

Advantage: You've got a bigger mouth and ears.
Disadvantage: You've got a bigger mouth and ears.

Basically I was stepping over people who I wouldn't have normally with a dipole or the vertical, and I was hearing a lot more. I got yelled at quite a bit "the frequensieeee is in youuuuuuuse!!!"

The big guns are always LOUD, pinning the needle most times. In fact, every weekend on my radio like contest weekend, because I have so much gain, and I'm on top of a nice ridge, and a nice downward slope towards AF and EU.

I also can't believe people would really believe that the big guns were running 100 whiskeys. They definitely DID NOT sound like 100w, most of them.

One day when I'm unencumbered by this monster project at work I'll make a serious effort, plus I want to do multi-single or multi-multi with the XYL.

[AE1P]

" Final: 244 Q's 732 Q points 129 multipliers, 94,428"
(de KB3LIX)

Well Bill, that was 244 more Q's than I got this year,didn't even get a chance to turn on the radio and play in the contest at all...
Fri. nite was Blue&Gold banquet,with a very special guest for the boys, Staff Sgt. Hobbs had just landed in the U.S. and drove 600mi just to congradulate all the boys...very special and proud nite for everyone.
Sat. was Merit badge workshop for most of the day, I was too tired after to even try to fight any qrn or qrm...
And Sunday it was a choice of Play on the radio like I have for the past 3 weekends, or take my 2 son's snowmobiling, guess which I picked? It was well worth it ,as weather was great and the boys had a blast.
Dissapionted I didn't even get a Q' in the test, but there's always the end of the month and the WPX test.
Sorry you didn't improve on last year's results, from what I gather condx's weren't the greatest this weekend.
As a Bosox fan, we up here in New England have this saying....maybe you've heard it..
"There's always next year!" :D

[n4qwb]

I doubt my score will even show up in the results...

QSOs = 51
Mult. = 38
FINAL SCORE = 5814

New DXCC entities = 6

We had some beautiful weather, so I decided to spend more time riding the motorcycle. Conditions just weren't that good. I was just doing S&P looking for new countries, so I didn't even bother working stations I already had confirmed. Still, 6 new ones made the effort worth it.

Finally worked GW4BLE. I've heard him several times over the past few months, but never could break the pileups. Took me numerous tries to get him this time, but finally got him this morning.

The QRM was deafening, especially on 20m this morning. But I was a good boy. Heard a new country that was about 1kHz from a QSO (or perhaps the MM net) on 14.300. Didn't call him so as not to add to the interference. See, not all contesters cause QRM. :)

My main observation: Stations sending "59 Kilowatt" can't hear nearly as well as the "59 100" stations.

[N2RJ]

The band was so saturated I heard crackling throughout the band as some stations splattered 20kc and more.

[kg4kww]

Worked a few stations on 15m Sun morning after church.

Right now Sunday night at around 9:55 75m DX Window is
quite. Guess every one is radioed out.

Waiting to work FO5A/MM on 14.190 according to the DX cluster
if and when they turn their beam towards the US.

[N2RJ]

Waiting to work FO5A/MM on 14.190 according to the DX cluster if and when they turn their beam towards the US.

Just remember that any contact you make with a Maritime Mobile is not valid for DXCC.

[kn4ds]

My time this weekend was spent on data recovery (have I mentioned I hate Vista?).

Yes, my own fault for not creating backups, which I preach to everybody - backup, backup, backup.

So my quickie little task for work turned into the entire freakin' weekend... but I did recover everything.

Unfortunately, it left little time for operating... only 45 Qs, not a clue what the multis are, can't be more than 10 or 12, but I did get Tonga, which was a new one... and the only new one.

On the brighter side, I did get 1 on 80, several on 40, 20 and 15 and a couple on 10 (Brazil and Argentina)

I guess not horrible for 3 or 4 hours total.

I've already laid down the law... March 29 and 30 I will be camping in front of the radio, SWMBO is on notice to get any honey do lists to me before and if anything comes up she really wants done that weekend... oh, well. And if I have to paper log, so be it...

[kn4ds]

The band was so saturated I heard crackling throughout the band as some stations splattered 20kc and more.
I heard some of that myself... annoying, but still able to work through it.

[n4qwb]

(have I mentioned I hate Vista?).
You aren't the only one.

I've already laid down the law... March 29 and 30 I will be camping in front of the radio, SWMBO is on notice to get any honey do lists to me before and if anything comes up she really wants done that weekend... oh, well. And if I have to paper log, so be it...
Hope you have better luck with that than I did. I had this weekend planned and on my wife's calendar for over 2 months. Yet I still had to go to an anniversary party for one of her uncles on Saturday, which I didn't find out about until last weekend.

Hope the WPX weekend will turn out better.

[kj3n]

I doubt my score will even show up in the results...

Mine certainly won't. I never submit a log. ;)

[KB5FSV]

Well I totaled out at 77 Q's for the entire contest. And managed to obtain 4 new ones toward DXCC. So my overall total now is 97. (44 confirmed). Much like everyone else, and including you, heard the same stations over and over while tuning around. I missed out on Tonga, and I never heard any ASIA. I could of used China, or Korea. Sorry to hear about that power station QRM. That has to suck. I didn't hear Guam on either. But Saturday afternoon I backed off and didn't get back on the air until Sunday morning. I'm going to try to pick up some more during WPX at the end of the month.


Like Dave said, don't feel bad Jimmy. I made 190 Q's and only 2 being new for me. I quit about 5pm Sat myself. Everytime I would tune through the bands it was the same stations I had already worked. The only other new one for me that I seen on the cluster all weekend was the one from Guam. It is a shame I live abt a block east from an electric sub-station. If I head the beam anywhere from west to north I get around 15 over noise, so Guam was out of the question for me.

I take that back there was a South Korea station that I could not hear which I wished I could have worked. Even though I only got 2 new ones, it is 2 I did not have before the contest, so it was worth it and I had a lot of fun. I have got to figure out a 40 meter rotatable dipole to get up on the tower. I've decided the heck with VHF, so I am going to take down the 13B2's and replace that spot with a 40m dipole I hope. I feel like the dipole would help me alot compared to my Inverted-V.

[kn4ds]

Well I totaled out at 77 Q's for the entire contest. And managed to obtain 4 new ones toward DXCC. So my overall total now is 97. (44 confirmed). Much like everyone else, and including you, heard the same stations over and over while tuning around. I missed out on Tonga, and I never heard any ASIA. I could of used China, or Korea. Sorry to hear about that power station QRM. That has to suck. I didn't hear Guam on either. But Saturday afternoon I backed off and didn't get back on the air until Sunday morning. I'm going to try to pick up some more during WPX at the end of the month.
Bah... again, don't feel bad. I've not heard Asia at all in the past year... and aside from Tonga this weekend, Hawaii is it for Oceania, too.

I don't hold out much hope for WPX weekend, but I'm sure gonna give it my best shot... have to make up for all the "off air" time this weekend!

[KB5FSV]

Oh I'm not feeling bad. Much. Considering what I have to work with. Which is 100 watts and a 40/20 meter wire only 20 feet off the ground, and just recently a TA-33jr triband yagi, also only 20 feet off the ground. I'm in a holding pattern for sunspot city.

[W4DFW]

The XYL and I were in Snowmass this past week enjoying some great skiing. Apparently, when making the reservations, I didn't realize we would be coming home on Saturday of the DX 'test.

Tisk tisk.

We got home about 6PM Saturday night and I smugly sneeked into the shack later in the evening to garnish a contact or two on 40 meters, then spent a couple of hours Sunday working the contest on 10 and 15 meters.

I didn't work anything new, but had fun working about 60 stations or so.

After the contest was over, I bagged 3B8 on 40 CW, only to find I had worked him before.

It was a fun few hours!!

[KC9ECI]

I was finally able to work a handful of stations in the contest yesterday. The East coast and Canada were coming in strong. I wasn't able to devote much time as it was Mother's Day here yesterday and there was family doings all day. Ah well...such is life. I worked a bit earlier in the day in a Ukrainian RTTY contest. That was fun. I'm going to try to be on now during the rest of the week as I can phone, PSK31, RTTY, and CW around the SKCC calling freqs.

[NA5Z]

Persevere, Jimmy.... you'll hear 'em even on that setup! ;)



In the very early morning hours, I'll hear Asia on 40CW on my low-lying doublet. It's very very weak for me, but given the right conditions, it'll happen.

I also snagged BD7CLO last April on these little wire antennas... no wait... that was on the too-low-to-the-roof-and-towered-over-by-trees Hustler vertical. I later put up the doublet and figured out it nearly always out-hustled the Hustler.

You'll get there!

[kg4kww]

N2RJ--Just remember that any contact you make with a Maritime Mobile is not valid for DXCC.


Thanks for the info Ryan it's appreciated.

[KB3LIX]

That's because most of my QSOs were from running, not S&P.

When you S&P you get more mults.

This wasn't really a "serious" effort.

I was working half the weekend.

BTW, it's not aluminum, it's more like fiberglass and copper-beryllium. :D

Yeah, Yeah.....Aluminum and copper beryllium.....not much different, just different places on the periodic chart :p

I have to stick to S & P, I don't have a big enough mouth to hold a freekencie for any length of time.
But what the "Hay" it WAS a good way to spend a weekend !!!!!


Look out WPX !!!!!

[M0JMO]

I made 27 contacts to US/Canada while I was mobile in England with 100w and a hamstick.

[KC9ECI]

I was running 5 watts from an Icom 703 to a Superantennas MP-1 with the 12 foot telescoping whip from MFJ.

Todays discovery is that Ukrainians don't like to be answered by UK stations when they're calling CQ DX. It would seem that DX is an abbreviation for North America.

[M0JMO]

Sorry to hijack, but does the 12' whip make much difference to the MP-1?

I've got a stock MP-1 with the 80m coil, but haven't had much chance to play with it yet.

[KB3LIX]

I was running 5 watts from an Icom 703 to a Superantennas MP-1 with the 12 foot telescoping whip from MFJ.

Todays discovery is that Ukrainians don't like to be answered by UK stations when they're calling CQ DX. It would seem that DX is an abbreviation for North America.



I was listenin for ya Tom, but no such luck.
I did find one station, on 20 I think, signing as M/N2???
Got him fine.

[kg4kww]

Now I know why I didn't hear you Tom you were running QRP.

[KC9ECI]

Sorry to hijack, but does the 12' whip make much difference to the MP-1?

I've got a stock MP-1 with the 80m coil, but haven't had much chance to play with it yet.


Yes, quite a lot of difference it would seem.

Kind of feared for it the other day though, the winds here were fierce.

[KC9ECI]

Now I know why I didn't hear you Tom you were running QRP.


That must be it Greg, and would explain why all those other guys I worked back in NA didn't hear me as well. I know you hate hearing this, but antenna improvements work both ways.

I had a fantastic ragchew today with a station on PSK31. G3JKN, Mike. Turns out he and I share a birthday, a few years apart, but on the same day anyway. I was surprised to find out that he is in Long Sutton, and from my operating position here, I can just about throw and empty can of Guinness and hit Long Sutton. I was there just yesterday in fact looking at what they bill as the most perfect wooden spire on any church in England. I didn't stop to look at it, I just looked at it. I'd been out by the Wash, by a couple of lighthouses (darn shame I don't know more about the lighthouses on the air program) at the Peter Scott walk or some such. All I really know it that it was cold and windy. I'll be putting together some web pages with photos when I get home.

[kj3n]

Now I know why I didn't hear you Tom you were running QRP.

That must be it Greg, and would explain why all those other guys I worked back in NA didn't hear me as well.

ROTFL!!

Good one, Tom.

[N2RJ]

Now I know why I didn't hear you Tom you were running QRP.

Greg, you don't have an amp or a good antenna, so IMO you are in no position to comment either.

[kj3n]

Greg, you don't have an amp or a good antenna, so IMO you are in no position to comment either.

Since when has Greg's inexperience ever stopped him from commenting before? ;)

[N2RJ]

Todays discovery is that Ukrainians don't like to be answered by UK stations when they're calling CQ DX. It would seem that DX is an abbreviation for North America.

Not really.

What if I called "CQ DX" and some guy came back saying, "you're 5-9 Kaleefawwwwnya?"

DX for them means outside Europe.

Working Europe for them is like working stateside. You can work them on a wet noodle.

[KC9ECI]

I'd give them a signal report, be thankful for the propagation check, and resume calling CQ. Life's too short to get cranky over trivial things.

[N2RJ]

That is true, but when you have a bunch of Europeans from countries that you've worked and confirmed many times over already calling you, it gets tiring.


P.S. sorry for the dead thread revival, but I saw this while searching for something.

[KC9ECI]

No sweat, like I said, life's too short. Besides, it's a better thread than some that have been swirling around the top of the page for a while now.

[NN3W]

That is true, but when you have a bunch of Europeans from countries that you've worked and confirmed many times over already calling you, it gets tiring.


P.S. sorry for the dead thread revival, but I saw this while searching for something.

You suck it up and work them. I've got more DL cards than I know what to do with - probably over a thousand of them alone.

[K9STH]

RJ:

How do you think some of the rarer DX feel about all the stateside and JA stations calling?!!

Most of them could make WAS, WAJA, and DXCC in a single weekend.

Glen, K9STH

[N2RJ]

You suck it up and work them. I've got more DL cards than I know what to do with - probably over a thousand of them alone.

During a contest, as long as rules allow, sure. But during regular DXing? That would be the equivalent of me calling CQ DX and getting a stateside pileup that drowns out the DX.

I will work anyone and everyone, but I fully understand why these guys would get picky. It's kinda hard to work DX when "DX" is calling you.

[K0DXC]

No sweat, like I said, life's too short.

Then why do we all spend so much time on the computer?

[k9xr]

Then why do we all spend so much time on the computer?

probably so we can pad our post count

[N2RJ]

probably so we can pad our post count

In my case, no.

I spend an incredible amount of time behind the computer because my work and hobby activities need it.

And these days they are really killing me with work so the computer is where I am usually parked.

Will be that way for another couple months or so.

[K0DXC]

probably so we can pad our post count


That would be sad. When that happens, we may as well die. (or find something else to do):D

[KC9ECI]

Then why do we all spend so much time on the computer?


Some do, some don't.

Today worked like this for me.

0445 wake up.
0445-0545 Shower, dress, eat, play on computer. read newspaper.
0545--1130 Work
1130-1200 Lunch, play on computer.
1200-1530 Work
1530-1700 Get kid, fix snack, check schoolwork, look at email check QRZ
1700-1800 Officers Meeting at FD
1800-2015 Training at FD
2015-2100 Eat supper, play on computer
2100-2130 Watch news, annoy wife
2130-0445 Sleep.

I don't think I spent that much time on the computer.

[WA9SVD]

Some of us surf the 'ZED and other places while our work computer is downloading other things, or chewing numbers. Computers can be quite good at multitasking, even if some of us mere mortals aren't!:D