2014 CQ 160 Meter SSB Results

For those who played on the top band this weekend, please post your results here so I can include them in the CTRI Champions leaderboard. Thanks!

73,
Ken K3IU
Keeper of the CTRI Champions Leaderboard

5 comments on “2014 CQ 160 Meter SSB Results

  1. Call: KA1CQR
    Operator(s): KA1CQR
    Station: KA1CQR

    Class: Single Op LP
    QTH: Norwich, CT
    Operating Time (hrs): 1.1

    Summary:
    Total: QSOs = 37 State/Prov = 20 Countries = 1 Total Score = 1,806

    Club: CT RI Contest Group

    Comments:

    Felt good to get back into the chair, if only for a little while. I’m glad you guys inspired me!

  2. Chuck, good to see you in there!

    I invested about 1.4 hours in this one running 100 watts Peak Envelope Power, which I am sure translates into something well less that 20 watts of equivalent CW power. At least that’s what it felt like. I managed 31 QSO’s, for 74 points, 15 states/provinces, and one DX station. My total raw score came out to 1184 points.

    Once again, I remembered why I love SSB contests soooooo much.

    73, Mike, K1DM

  3. 2014 CQ 160-Meter Contest, SSB
    
    Call: W1AN
    Operator(s): W1AN
    Station: W1AN
    
    Class: Single Op Assisted HP
    QTH: CT
    Operating Time (hrs): 14
    
    Summary:
    Total:  QSOs = 408  State/Prov = 51  Countries = 29  Total Score = 98,800
    
    Club: CT RI Contest Group
    

    Friday night was painful. An odd winter lightning storm had just passed through before I started. The rest of the evening the noise level was S8-9 with continuous 30db over static crashes every half second. Copying calls was one letter at a time with many repeats. I can’t remember when hearing was this difficult. For a nice change Saturday night it quieted down a bit.

    Never heard NV, OR, MT and UT, KL7 or KH6. I also missed several VE sections. DX was copyable, but it seemed many CQn local stations were parked on top of the strong CQn EUs, so generally not workable. The bands were pretty full both evenings with stations every 3 KC from both band ends. Of course I had to avoid interference to the the plasma TV, switching power supply and electric fence FCC primary allocations.

    Worked W1XX, K1DM and W1CTN. W1CTN was very active, usually beating me to the new ones posted on the band map.

    73, John, W1AN

  4. CQ160SSB Summary Sheet

    Start Date : 2014-02-22

    CallSign Used : W1CTN
    Operator(s) : W1CTN

    Operator Category : SINGLE-OP
    Band : ALL
    Power : HIGH
    Mode : SSB
    Default Exchange : CT
    Gridsquare : FN31LM

    Name : DAVE ARRUZZA
    Address : 32 BENZ STREET
    City/State/Zip : ANSONIA CT 06401
    Country : USA

    ARRL Section : CT
    Club/Team : Ct RI Contest Group
    Software : N1MM Logger V13.10.2

    Band QSOs Pts StP DXC
    1.8 300 879 45 25
    Total 300 879 45 25

    Score : 61,530
    Rig : FT2000 VL1000 1 KW

    Antennas : INVERTED L 70 VERTICAL SECTION 35 – 100′ RADIALS

    Soapbox :

    8 hours of operation.

    I didn’t operate at all Friday night.
    Because my 160 antenna was FUBAR.
    It simply would not tune.

    The 160 antenna feedline has a splice, which I checked and it did not
    look like any water had infiltrated. It was bone dry. The splice had been
    made as waterproof as possible.

    Nevertheless I cut off both of the PL259’s and removed the barrel connector
    and made a “Hillbilly Splice”.

    For the uninformed a Hillbilly Splice doesn’t USE any connectors.

    Just pull the braid back, and place the two cables next to each other.
    Twist the braidS together
    Put a HOSE CLAMP over both of the cables.
    Tighten the hose clamp down.
    TAPE hose clamped braids with the cheapest electrical tape.
    Twist both center conductors together.
    Put a WIRE NUT on them.
    TAPE wire nutted center conductors with the cheapest electrical tape.
    Tape it all up and put an inverted GATORADE over the splice for weatherproofing.

    That’s a Hillbilly Splice.

    I don’t know if the original properly done splice was the problem or not.
    Because after checking all the feedpoint connections and remaking the splice
    the antenna worked, so I really don’t know where the problem was. I will rebuild
    the entire system this spring.

    The highlight of the contest was having C4A, Cyprus, call during a 1995 kHz run.

    Also when running on 1915 kHz, late Saturday afternoon (1700 local)
    while we were still in daylight, I had DK1FW running Europeans
    on the same frequency and we never stopped, or interfered with each other.
    He did his thing and I did mine.
    I’m sure he heard me but not loud enough to be a problem and visa versa.

    I also received an email from LY5W containing a wav file of our contact with
    the comment that I was loud in the Baltic. First time anyone had every done
    that for me. I sounded loud on the wav file or maybe I just turned up the volume
    to make myself think I was loud !

    After doing this contest for the last 15 or 20 years
    I have reached the point where I really can’t do much better without
    using separate receive antennas. I really have to concentrate this year
    to hear that next layer of signals that are now in my noise.

    I don’t want to be an alligator

    Chatted with W1AN while he was holding court on 1997. This contest is always
    comfortable enough to stop and compare notes from time to time.

    73
    Dave
    W1CTN
    Radio Ansonia

  5. Hello Hillbillys et al: It was not a good omen. One (1) minute and two (2) QSOs into the contest at 2201z, a loud thunderboomer and lightning flash scared the be-jesus out of me with a quick disconnect of all antennas for a safe amount of time. Then, barely one (1) hour and 116 Qs into the contest, just as I was about to take a break, an equally loud boom emanated from the amplifier power supply. Be-jesus scare number two (2)! The amplifier was put out of commission. So went my enthusiasm for a good 20+ hour effort and a good score. The secret to running successfully on either 80 or 160, is for the EU 100-watters to hear you and call in. Now I was the 100-watter! I managed to get on for several short spurts throughout the weekend, primarily to be sure that those in real need of RI had a chance….and was able to even work a few of the louder EUs…which I am sure does not surprise the likes of KS1J and W1WBB who routinely do this with LP. Thanks to W1AN for repair advice and replacement parts on the way. Oh, BTW, I made an on-the-air sighting: KA1CQR. Welcome back, Chuck, to the ether-space. 73! — John, W1XX

    Summary
    Call: W1XX
    Op: W1XX
    Class: Single Op HP (mostly LP though!)
    QTH: RI
    Time (hrs): 3.5

    QSOs = 212 DomMults = 37 DXMults = 13
    Score = 29,050

    Club: CTRI Contest Group

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