I actually never planned to enter this contest! But, as we all are getting ready for next WPX SSB, LU1AEE, LU1FKR and I decided that the ARRL test, would be a great opportunity to double check everything and leave things in place for WPX.So on Thursday before the contest, after a couple of quick calls we were ready for the contest.I really must thank Karl, LU1FKR for his never ending support and hospitality. He is of those persons that you can only meet through amateur radio!! He never refuses when there is a chance to enter a contest from LT1F, instead he feels really happywhen we visit the antenna farm.
LU1AEE and I departed at 18Z from LU1AEE's in Buenos Aires, three hours later we were arriving in LT1F antenna farm in Rosario.Ariel, a neighbor who lives close to the station, gave us the keys. A few minutes later, LU1FKR joined us. He carried the rigs IC 775DSP + IC765 and the Drake L4B.You know, the station was not used very much during last year. Lucas LU1FAM, entered a couple contests. But there was no big Multi Multi for CQ WW. Anyway, everything seemed to be in place. Karl, started to hook up everything. There was only one minor repair to be done in the control cable of the 40m antenna rotor. Ariel and I fixed the cable, and that was all.We pointed all the yagis to USA, and we were ready to start the contest. I wanted to record audio, so we hooked a splitter to the phone jack in the 775, and from there we run a cable to LU1FKR's notebook and used total recorder to do the job.I started the contest on 20, because 15 sounded really punk.
As I have no experience in SSB contests, I really felt very nervous during the first hour. Anyway 296 Qs were in the log, at 0100 we shifted positions with LU1AEE, cause I needed a rest after what for me was like a dream come trhough. I never thought that I was able to make more than 200 Qs/Hour on SSB!Anyway, now I believe that more than 360/400 Qs/Hour are possible on SSB, cause there were lots of CQs during the big run. So, maybe from the Caribbean, with a continuous pile up you can do that.Conditions were really bad, we just had a few hours over the 200 Qs mark. Ten meters never really opened on Saturday. We only managed to work 136 Qs and 17 states the first day, and with very weak signals and deep QSB. Lots of stateside stations that did not know what the contest was about, so had to explain them what it was. One funny thing happened to me on sunday afternoon on ten. I was running stations on 28430. I was there for about an hour then I started hearing two guys rag chewing on my freq. The pile up was consistent so I did not want to give up and QSY.After a while, one of them who said to be N0XK, started making funny jokes about contesting, I asked him to QSY, and he refused, cause he was talking to his neighbor. I told him that I had been using that freq for over an hour, which he did not believe, anyway he left after complaining a bit and calling me liar for a while. I believe he did not have a clue about solar cycle, propagation, QSB and all that stuff! 40 M played well the firs night. There was a big thunderstorm but the beverage was of great help. Same thing on 80. Anyway we are building a new antenna for that band.No 160, but I'm sure we will build some new antenna for top band. Lots of stations requested us to QSY to 1.8, I reallyapologize guys, we will solve the lack of a good 160 antenna soon.Second day, was much better on ten, we finally worked 699 stations on that band.
We ended up the contest with the following score:
LU1AEE and I departed at 18Z from LU1AEE's in Buenos Aires, three hours later we were arriving in LT1F antenna farm in Rosario.Ariel, a neighbor who lives close to the station, gave us the keys. A few minutes later, LU1FKR joined us. He carried the rigs IC 775DSP + IC765 and the Drake L4B.You know, the station was not used very much during last year. Lucas LU1FAM, entered a couple contests. But there was no big Multi Multi for CQ WW. Anyway, everything seemed to be in place. Karl, started to hook up everything. There was only one minor repair to be done in the control cable of the 40m antenna rotor. Ariel and I fixed the cable, and that was all.We pointed all the yagis to USA, and we were ready to start the contest. I wanted to record audio, so we hooked a splitter to the phone jack in the 775, and from there we run a cable to LU1FKR's notebook and used total recorder to do the job.I started the contest on 20, because 15 sounded really punk. 
As I have no experience in SSB contests, I really felt very nervous during the first hour. Anyway 296 Qs were in the log, at 0100 we shifted positions with LU1AEE, cause I needed a rest after what for me was like a dream come trhough. I never thought that I was able to make more than 200 Qs/Hour on SSB!Anyway, now I believe that more than 360/400 Qs/Hour are possible on SSB, cause there were lots of CQs during the big run. So, maybe from the Caribbean, with a continuous pile up you can do that.Conditions were really bad, we just had a few hours over the 200 Qs mark. Ten meters never really opened on Saturday. We only managed to work 136 Qs and 17 states the first day, and with very weak signals and deep QSB. Lots of stateside stations that did not know what the contest was about, so had to explain them what it was. One funny thing happened to me on sunday afternoon on ten. I was running stations on 28430. I was there for about an hour then I started hearing two guys rag chewing on my freq. The pile up was consistent so I did not want to give up and QSY.After a while, one of them who said to be N0XK, started making funny jokes about contesting, I asked him to QSY, and he refused, cause he was talking to his neighbor. I told him that I had been using that freq for over an hour, which he did not believe, anyway he left after complaining a bit and calling me liar for a while. I believe he did not have a clue about solar cycle, propagation, QSB and all that stuff! 40 M played well the firs night. There was a big thunderstorm but the beverage was of great help. Same thing on 80. Anyway we are building a new antenna for that band.No 160, but I'm sure we will build some new antenna for top band. Lots of stations requested us to QSY to 1.8, I reallyapologize guys, we will solve the lack of a good 160 antenna soon.Second day, was much better on ten, we finally worked 699 stations on that band.More Pics at : LU5DX´s Photos
We ended up the contest with the following score:
ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST -- 2007
Call: LT1F
Call: LT1F
Category: Multi Single
Power: High Power
Band: All Band
Mode: SSB
Country: Argentina
BAND QSO QSO PTS STATES/PROV
160...... 0
160...... 0
80 ....... 84......252........32
40........642....1926.......55
20.......1033...3099........56
15.......1768...5304........59
10........699....2097........43
-----------------------------------
Totals 4226 12678 245 = 3,106,110
All reports sent were 59(9), unless otherwise noted.
All reports sent were 59(9), unless otherwise noted.
Operator List: LU1AEE, LU1FKR, LU5DX
Equipment Description: IC 775 DSP + L4B @ 1kw.
Antennas 6/6 for 10m, 6/6 for 15m, 5el for 20, 3 el for 40, 2 el wire array for 3.5
RX ant: Beverage straight north.
Club Affiliation: LUCG
Club Affiliation: LUCG
1 comment:
Great job and congratulations on a fine effort from LT1F. Good to know that 10-meters is beginning to open and a stellar first-hour run as well! I'm looking forward to working your station in the forthcoming WPX CW contest.
73s & Best DX.
Sincerely,
Scot, KA3DRR
ka3drr.blogspot.com
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