CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW (2018)

CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW

Call: NR4M
Operator(s): NR4M K7SV
Station: NR4M

Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 25

Summary:
Total: QSOs = 1295 State/Prov = 61 Countries = 70 Total Score = 690,501

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

The CW CQ160 contest was as always a lot of fun. Lack of atmospheric noise and partial resolution to power line noise problems to the west made it even more enjoyable.
We (NR4M, KA4RRU and K7SV) spent a bit of time in recent weeks refurbishing the transmit array and the beverages.
The domestic runs didn’t seem to be as good as last year, but the 10 pointers more than made up for that.
The first night we worked some Europeans from the beginning and there was a nice peak with great runs as Eur sunrise approached.
The second night signals were typically not as good as the first night, but once again there was a nice Eur sunrise peak. A number of Scandinavian stations were notably loud.
This contest kind of shows that when the solar numbers are good we can’t necessarily translate that to stellar conditions on top band. The numbers were a bit better Saturday than Friday but Friday was definitely better.
Equipment – K3/Alpha 8410 – 2 el array with Tee to, about 60 radials under each, Phased 600 ft beverage on Eur, 600 foot beverages to SE and NW.
Thanks for the Qs!

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73 de Steve, NR4M
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