2006 ARRL 160 Meter Contest
03/30/2007 |
K0MAX
My first QSO in the 2006 ARRL 160M contest was my first-ever QSO on 160. Just before the contest I put up a Bilal Isotron 160C antenna at about 35 ft. I tried to set it up for the lowest possible resonant frequency. By contest time, my antenna tuner could get it to match on the 6 or 7 kHz below 1830 and the 8 or 9 kHz above 1835. Consequently, I spent my 12+ hours of operating time hunting up & down, up & down those 15 kHz & hating the 5 kHz I had to skip over each time because they were designated for international DX, none of which I even heard.
Eventually, I wound up with results that really surprised me. Operating only QRP with a TenTec Omni-VI & using the Isotron for both TX & RX from my home in Minneapolis, MN I wound up working 34 states & 5 provinces & claiming 10,920 points (130 QSOs, 42 sections).
The antenna seemed to radiate equally in all directions but the set-up was understandably restricted in terms of distance it could reach. For example, I was able to work only one Californian and nobody in Florida despite the best efforts of skilled ops in both states.
In fact, a good number of hams all over the US & Canada had to listen very hard to copy my weak signal. It's entirely to their great credit they were willing to do so. Many thanks to each of them/you. I'm very much in their debt & wish they got some sort of bonus for each QRP station they worked--it IS harder at the other end of a QRP signal, even with the finest of antennas and most ideal of QTHs.
All in all it was terrific fun and gave me a glimpse of the pleasure to be found on 160. I'll be back! And next time, I'm taking a nap during the day so I can stay up longer before falling asleep with my head on the key!
Best wishes to everybody & here's hoping all of us are able to be back in 2007.
72 & 73,
Max, k0max -- K0MAX
Eventually, I wound up with results that really surprised me. Operating only QRP with a TenTec Omni-VI & using the Isotron for both TX & RX from my home in Minneapolis, MN I wound up working 34 states & 5 provinces & claiming 10,920 points (130 QSOs, 42 sections).
The antenna seemed to radiate equally in all directions but the set-up was understandably restricted in terms of distance it could reach. For example, I was able to work only one Californian and nobody in Florida despite the best efforts of skilled ops in both states.
In fact, a good number of hams all over the US & Canada had to listen very hard to copy my weak signal. It's entirely to their great credit they were willing to do so. Many thanks to each of them/you. I'm very much in their debt & wish they got some sort of bonus for each QRP station they worked--it IS harder at the other end of a QRP signal, even with the finest of antennas and most ideal of QTHs.
All in all it was terrific fun and gave me a glimpse of the pleasure to be found on 160. I'll be back! And next time, I'm taking a nap during the day so I can stay up longer before falling asleep with my head on the key!
Best wishes to everybody & here's hoping all of us are able to be back in 2007.
72 & 73,
Max, k0max -- K0MAX
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