Well done Dave, on a great score. I am somewhat surprised that I would even be ahead on QSO numbers at some point. It must have been pretty early on in the contest.

I went back to look at the log to try to understand the ‘differences’ – apart from the obvious – and I am certain it is nothing to do with sleep! I did not change the default in Wintest so the software probably thought I was mostly AWOL after about 0100. In fact, I only slept from 0300 to 0420. The rest of the time I was trying my best, it was just not enough. (PS I did hear a repeating message on 80m before I collapsed. The shack must have been quite warm when you awoke, assuming that was you J ). Looking at my QSO rate it was a very steady low 20 per hour until midnight, then it just died, everywhere. I made only 20 Qs between 0100 and 0600, accepting I was QRT for 90 mins, and only 3 of those were on 40m, which was essentially gone for me. There was a mild lift in rate after 0600 but not enough to catch up.

On 80m I worked 6 VK and one ZL in the afternoon/evening and, apart from VK7GN, all were actually easy QSOs – I mentioned VK2BJ just at my SS before, ZL4TT was actually also a very good signal at that time. I think the ‘difference’ is spread over 40, 20 and 15 when I think you were able to make more QSOs therefore you will have max’ed out on the call area bonuses whereas I didn’t/couldn’t. I was trying, I just neither found nor raised enough of a stir!

73 Keith GM4YXI