2005 ARRL International DX Contest (CW)
06/17/2005 |
K5ZD
With W4PA operating from here for the past few years, I had forgotten how much fun ARRL DX CW can be. I have been travelling a lot for work so told Scott that I didn't want the pressure of having to get the station ready. Decided I would just play around instead.
How to have fun in a contest
First, you have to be cooking dinner when the contest starts. This immediately removes all pressure to feel or be competitive. I did sneak into the shack and do some S&P on 40m during the first hour while the kids were watching TV.
Then take 3 hours off to put the 2 year old through the bath, stories, and bed process. Fall asleep waiting for her to fall asleep.
Wake up and go to shack to turn radios off. Can't resist listening and find low bands really good. Proceed to work next 4.5 hours until finally make myself go to bed. Set alarm to wake up for sunrise (addiction beginning to take over).
Wake up 15 mins after sunrise and go to 20m. Band is rocking and have 178 hour followed by switch to 15m for 196 hour. The best 60 minute rate was 209/hour from 1315 to 1414. This is my personal best
hour ever from the USA.
My wife asks me to watch kids while she goes to vet. Take 3 hours off.
Back on at 16z and bands still rocking. Operate next 6 hours until time to cook dinner. Another two hours off.
Fun inside fun
Decide that I need something for motivation. Go to ARRL web page and sort last year's results for USA SOAB High Power. See that my score at that moment would place me in 65th place for previous year. Decide to set goal to see how far up the list I can move.
With this mini-contest and the great conditions, I proceed to operate next 18 hours without stopping. Was planning to go to bed until I found 20m wide open at 09z.
Finally, after enjoying the brief 10m opening and with 15m still wide open, I decide that I really should stop operating and go back to the family. Had managed to get up to 13th place based on last year's scores, so maybe will be close to the Top Ten.
Total operating time: 33 hours
The following stations were worked on 6 bands:
CU2M , DL3YM , 8P5A , PJ2T , 9Y4W , V26G
P49Y , PS2T , PJ4R , IR2C , G4BUO , V47Z
FM5BH , F6KHM , EI5DI , V31TP , PJ7/ND5S
-- K5ZD
How to have fun in a contest
First, you have to be cooking dinner when the contest starts. This immediately removes all pressure to feel or be competitive. I did sneak into the shack and do some S&P on 40m during the first hour while the kids were watching TV.
Then take 3 hours off to put the 2 year old through the bath, stories, and bed process. Fall asleep waiting for her to fall asleep.
Wake up and go to shack to turn radios off. Can't resist listening and find low bands really good. Proceed to work next 4.5 hours until finally make myself go to bed. Set alarm to wake up for sunrise (addiction beginning to take over).
Wake up 15 mins after sunrise and go to 20m. Band is rocking and have 178 hour followed by switch to 15m for 196 hour. The best 60 minute rate was 209/hour from 1315 to 1414. This is my personal best
hour ever from the USA.
My wife asks me to watch kids while she goes to vet. Take 3 hours off.
Back on at 16z and bands still rocking. Operate next 6 hours until time to cook dinner. Another two hours off.
Fun inside fun
Decide that I need something for motivation. Go to ARRL web page and sort last year's results for USA SOAB High Power. See that my score at that moment would place me in 65th place for previous year. Decide to set goal to see how far up the list I can move.
With this mini-contest and the great conditions, I proceed to operate next 18 hours without stopping. Was planning to go to bed until I found 20m wide open at 09z.
Finally, after enjoying the brief 10m opening and with 15m still wide open, I decide that I really should stop operating and go back to the family. Had managed to get up to 13th place based on last year's scores, so maybe will be close to the Top Ten.
Total operating time: 33 hours
The following stations were worked on 6 bands:
CU2M , DL3YM , 8P5A , PJ2T , 9Y4W , V26G
P49Y , PS2T , PJ4R , IR2C , G4BUO , V47Z
FM5BH , F6KHM , EI5DI , V31TP , PJ7/ND5S
-- K5ZD
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