From: Jim GM0NAI
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2021 16:32:56 GMT
Contest : RSGB Commonwealth Contest
Callsign : GM0NAI
Mode : CW
Category : OPEN-SOU
Overlay : 12-HOURS
Band(s) : All bands (AB)
Class : High Power (HP)
Zone/State/… :
Locator : IO77UO
Operating time : 7h38
BAND QSO DUP DXC HQ POINTS BONUS AVG
——————————————–
80 23 0 11 9 115 460 25.00
40 66 3 19 18 330 1060 21.06
20 66 0 18 9 330 820 17.42
15 9 0 5 3 45 180 25.00
10 1 0 0 1 5 20 25.00
——————————————–
TOTAL 165 3 53 40 825 2540 20.39
============================================
TOTAL SCORE : 3 365
Couldn’t allocate a lot of time this year due to other commitments.
Sad to hear about Don’s pirate call issue especially as it comes from someone with a knowledge of BERU. Also the 20m DX window police this is completely un-acceptable.
Managed to do the first couple of hours that went OK with strong VE signals on 40m and allowed some comparison of the newly integrated FTDX1K and the original K3.
Quite like the implementation of the SYNC button on the 1K as it does not change the 2nd receiver antenna selection or amp selection only syncs the frequency.
Good for diversity so the RX antenna on port 3 can have AMP2 setting while the main VFO has IPO on a different port.
No TX audio was recorded on the USB CODEC audio in wintest contest recorder. I know this has already been reported to Yaesu.
Need to think of a temporary solution until the next firmware update.
The new updates to the 4 square control worked well but I really need to add a pre-amp to the receive 4 square. Job for later W7IUV 2N5109 I think any thoughts?
Rebuilt/Refurbished rotators worked without any problems after having the towers down for several months. Good that Hygain spares are still available but just slow due to COVID staffing at MFJ.
DXDOUBLER SO2R box worked well after some modifications to sort Audio hum and RF pickup. Mostly Pin1 issues and screening issues on the chassis. Had a hellish time getting the Parallel port adaptor to work on my new WIN10 Optiplex but got there eventually. I think an upgrade is coming to USB in future.
Came back on in the afternoon but was struggling with high noise from Static rain/hail.
Wind turbine noise was not bad but I haven’t got a resolution for this issue at the moment. Un-fortunately it is bearing 300deg so direct on the NA path. The electric fences were OFF so that was good.
Nice to work Gary ZL2IFB on 80m quite a bit before sunset.
Tesla contest kicked off on both 80 and 40 that surprised me as I seem to remember it was only 80m previously??
Wasn’t a show stopper as they stayed a bit higher in the band and the DX window police weren’t active then as they were on 20m earlier.
Quit at about 22:00 with aurora KP5.
Back on 06:00 with not a signal to be heard on 20m.
40M was in pretty good shape to ZL/VK though with some great signals but no depth of stations. VEs quite weak but workable.
Tough conditions but quite enjoyable.
Thanks to all the operators of the HQ stations.
As others have mentioned Wintest duped the ZL6HQ/ calls. Did about 9hrs in total but Wintest thought it was only 7:38
Well that’s enough waffling, un-fortunately as I have given up my RSGB membership after 25+ Years this means I can no longer enter BERU.
I wish BERU all the best for the future but un-fortunately I won’t be able to contribute anymore.
73
Jim
GM0NAI