CW

 
Started out with high hopes for a good time, but immediately found the transmit array had a 2.8:1 standing wave in the EU direction!  I found the bi-directional, NW/SE antenna position could hear EU better than the EU
position!   And, the EU Beverage was 'marginal'.  When a local buddy, running
only 100 watts, beat me in two pileups, I said 'Screw it'! and quit.
I was intending to give it up entirely, but got back on the second evening, but was still faced with mediocre antenna performance.
Still managed to work 45 10 pointers.
 

My high band antennas are just too high for a domestic contest. Just couldn't
get any 'traction'. Didn't start having fun till I got to the low bands.

Thanks for all the QSOs

Always nice to run into friends.

I only operated when I wanted, which made it very enjoyable.  Ate with my wife, did a bit of 'this and that', then operated some more.
The first night, I didn't have an EU Beverage, but managed to work 6 EU stations, as I recall.
Second night after I repaired the EU Beverage, I NEVER heard a European station at all.
Never really worked much out west and what there was, when I was on, was weak.
Heard lots of PVRC members and it's always nice to work them.  My 40 year of home brew 4-1000 amp continues to work without issue.  If all things were that reliable...

CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW - 2023

Call: NR4M
Operator(s): NR4M KS7V K4QS KE3X KA4RRU K4MI WS6X N3AC N2YO N1RM K4GM K2WK KC4D W0IMD
Station: NR4M

Class: M/M HP
QTH: FM18 VA
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 270 19 63
80: 975 29 109
40: 1920 37 135
20: 1866 38 140
15: 2001 36 133
10: 1670 34 140
------------------------------
Total: 8702 193 720 Total Score = 21,795,136

I was busy keeping people fed and fixing things, so I operated very little.
Because of that, I can't really comment on propagation specifics.
But, I know that it sure would have been nice to have 10 meters be as open as 15 and 20.

Glad that is behind me.
Meteor pings were a bit disconcerting, but are part of the sport. It's amazing
the +/- 50 db, or more, in just an instant!
Was encouraged by the short EU opening on Saturday, only to see it almost non
existent on Sunday.

It was so nice to have everyone back together again for a Goat Farm M/M. Things were not 100% due to a few surprises, but most things worked very well. The blower in the 160 amp sounded like it had been working in a quarry crushing gravel during the Covid lull. Working on getting another blower installed by the weekend.

Glad this one is behind us. Just too much last minute stuff to deal with. Just about dusk on Friday, we discovered that part of the pair of 160 meter phased antennas had come down. One of the top loading wires had broken and was hanging down against the vertical radiator. I wasn't involved with the attempted 'fix-in-the-dark', but I can attest that it wound up a mess. The 160 antenna was mostly un-usable Friday night. More like a remote dummy load than an antenna.

Super conditions Saturday evening. Was fun just listening to Ken, K4ZW, run EU
Saturday evening (local.)
Thanks for all the Q's

Actually, a really nice contest. Everyone works everyone. And, plenty of activity.
Did work a very loud VU2 on 20 this morning and a long path VK2 on 40 in the afternoon.