At the half-way point in the ARRL 160 Mtere Contest, things are not going well. Condx are not very good. Skip is very short. Making contacts past 9-land and the Mississippi River has been a struggle. So far I’ve only worked one station in California. Did manage one WWA, a BC, and did work KH6LC, who was weak. So far only 53 sections. Went to bed at two different times last night in the hope it would be better later. It wasn’t. Did work a few Europeans early, but they were not on for their sunrise around midnight. So far only 10 DXCC countires. I’m way behind last year’s score. Worked several CTRIers including K3IU who said he was running 10 watts! Anyone having better luck? Hope for better condx to the West Coast and EU afater 4 PM today. Out!
4 comments on “This Contest Stinx! de W1XX”
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Concur John on LOUSY condx…only got on for a few hrs at 11 PM last night. Had great rate calling CQ but QSOs almost exclusively east of the Mississippi. Furthest west was CO and NM…1 each. No Eu here at all and just a few DX :>( …44 mults total (tnx for my 1 RI). On for an hour B4 S/R, again mostly running.
K index is rising so NOT expecting better propagation tonight (though lack of any lightning crashes has been nice). I DID have S-8/9 QRN which appeared this morning which covers up anything weak. Not good. W1AN and K1DM also were worked!
Misssing only NNY, WCF, MS + PR and VI this side of the Mississippi. Good luck to all…
73, Bill W1WBB
TNX for your cuncurrence, Bill. DX is not as plentiful in this 160 contest as in the CQ affairs. DX to DX makes for mare DX for everybody. I worked a few EUs from about 6 PM to 8PM…so they are more likely to be worked in their late evening hours when they just happen to be on….rather than at their SR which takes some effort to get out of bed. Will put in a bit more effort this evening…but so far only got in 7.5 hours. GL! — John, W1XX
Gents;
I worked through the night after I got on around 10:00 pm local. I have got about 365 Qs so far and 49 sections. KP4A called me this morning, and I worked PJ2 – my only 5-pointer. I didn’t work much out west, have no 6’s or 7’s. Didn’t get KH6, and have NEVER heard KL7. I suspected that the increased solar activity is making it tough. I will put in several more hours this evening. Running low power makes it even more fun. I worked W1AN, NG1G, W1WBB. Mostly I have been calling CQ with pretty good results, but though the wee hours this morning is got really slow, but S&P didn’t improve the rate.
Keep on slugging. This one may be tough. Mike, K1DM
I only put in 6 hours on this one. My neighbors electric fence was S9+; almost as bad torture as any ham could imagine. The beverages did help as well as the NB on the FT1000. And I agree conditions especially Friday nite stunk. Saturday nite was a little better with several very strong EU stations OM2, OK2, OL7 and EW8 worked. Several Caribbeans were also worked. Early to bed both nights. Very little was heard from the 6 and 7 call areas. Conditions will be better for the CQ 160 contests I’m sure.
73,
John, W1AN