12/07/2004 | WA2EMF From: Rock Hill, SC

This was my first 160Mtr Contest. Started the contest using 100 watts to a 1/4 wave sloper for 75Mtrs. Needless to say each of my first 25 QSO's was hard-fought.

Decided to try something else so I took the coax from my horizontal full-wave 40mtr loop and tied the shield to the center conductor and jammed it into the transmatch. Ended up with a top-loaded vertical (er... sort-of!). Anyway... it worked a lot better than the sloper and I managed 107 Q's in 41 sections. Not great... but a LOT better than I expected.

I hope to be prepared with a better skywire next time around!

Thanks for a FUN Contest.... and THANKS TO THOSE WHO DUG MY SIGNAL OUT OF THE NOISE!

I wonder how much power was dissipated as heat in my transmatch!

73, Bob Bacharach WA2EMF
Rock Hill, SC -- WA2EMF