Conditions wasn’t so fine as year before, but it didn’t had to affect fun and relax.

I was playing with new RX ANTs control box, which integrates diversity reception direction synchronisation. As usually, solving of all side effects to the station setup was sometimes similar to IQ test. Last blocking point was found and solved 15 minutes before the start… I also installed repaired tribander A4S, fixed to NA. Especialy on 10m worked great to Caribbean and USA.

VOACAP is great tool, unfortunately this time. I exported „Planned“ band opening sheets for my QTH before the contest for every band and asked myself „Where are NA openings?“. I saw nice SA windows and expected at least the same for NA. But NA windows was shorter and of less success rates. For all bands. Unfortunately, predictions was right.

I hoped in base amount of QSOs, points and MULTs from 40m NA pileups during first hours. But 80m provided better traffic. No usual 40m NA opening. 20m was better choice on morning. Eastern directions was fine. Then Saturday break, but I needed another 2 hours of nap. 20 m in best shape on Saturday evening. And again, low bands, especially 40m didn’t want to work on Sunday morning. 10m was main playground after short Sunday nap, then I QSY to 2/6 points on 40m. But it was still under my expectations. A lot of S&P for MULTs.
I observed various strange QRMs on high bands, full narrow 40m and also a lot of weak signals, so sorry, if you are not in log. Sometimes I lost minute or two, but was not possible to complete QSO data.

I’m not the only one, who noticed a lot os Young Ladies and Youth operators. Maybe HAM radio will survive!

Thanks for calling, CU in CW!

FINAL score:    x xxx xxx
 Category:      SO AB HP
 Rank:          WW #xx    EU #xx    OM #x

RAW score:      4 981 500
 Category:      SO AB HP
 Rank:          WW #80   EU #27    OM #3

Call: OM7K
Operator(s): OM7RU
Station: OM7RU

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Dolna Micina
Operating Time (hrs): 36:00
Location : JN98OQ

Summary:

Band    QSOs
--------------------------------------------------
 160:    46
  80:   281
  40:   580
  20:   515
  15:   298
  10:   304
--------------------------------------------------
Total: 2024  Prefixes: 972  Total Score: 4,981,500

Club: Dozen Dashes Contest Club

Used equipments:
Yaesu FTDX101D
Kenwood TS-590SG
OM Power 3500A
ACOM 2000A
microHAMs: MK2R+, 2x Station Master, doubleTEN, ARCO
2x OM Power OM6BPF
DXLog

Antennas:
160m: Half Sloper
80m: OptiBeam OB1-80 @34m
AD-3446 @31m
Cushcraft A4S @6,5m
40m: Inv V @20m
5 circle phased vertical RX array

73!
Riki, OM7RU/OM7K
www.tucek.sk/om7ru