Author: K5ZD

Audio – CQ WW SSB 2008

audio

Audio Archive – K5ZD CQ WW Phone 2008

Call: K5ZD

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: W1
Operating Time (hrs): 44.5
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  112    14       55
   80:  412    21       86
   40:  771    27      100
   20: 1905    36      127
   15:  462    23       90
   10:   44     6       12
------------------------------
Total: 3706   127      470  Total Score = 6,303,126

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Equipment: FT-1000D + Alpha 76CA, FT-1000D + AL-1200

Antennas: 10m - 6-el @ 90', 15m - 5/5 @ 66'/33', 20m - 5/5 @ 100'/50'
40m - 2-el @ 110', 80m - 4 square, 160m - GP, shunt fed tower

Links to Audio Files

Click on the Audio link to listen to individual 30-minute segments. Click on the Log link to view the corresponding section of the log. View rate sheet to find the best hours.

Note: When you click on Listen, your browser will download the entire audio file before it begins to play. This could take some time depending on your Internet connection speed. (Typical 30 minute mpeg file is 5.2Mb.)

I recommend that you listen to the audio clips using headphones. Listening from a speaker makes it difficult to hear the calls through the QRM and to hear the SO2R headphone switching.

Time Segment Audio Log QSOs Comments
Day 1 – 0000Z Listen Log 57 Tuning on 40m and 20m
Day 1 – 0030Z Listen Log 34 Tuning on 20m then 40m
Day 1 – 0100Z Listen Log 35 Tuning on 40m, 20m, 160m
Day 1 – 0130Z Listen Log 38 Tuning on 75m
Day 1 – 0200Z Listen Log 36 Tuning on 75m then 40m
Day 1 – 0230Z Listen Log 30 Tuning 40m then 75m
Day 1 – 0300Z Listen Log 30 Tuning 75m then 160m
Day 1 – 0330Z Listen Log 24 Tuning 160m then 75m
Day 1 – 0400Z Listen Log 37 Tuning 75m with some short runs
Day 1 – 0430Z Listen Log 43 Run on 75m with SO2R on 40m
Day 1 – 0500Z Listen Log 45 Run on 75m with SO2R on 40m, then tune 160m
Day 1 – 0530Z Listen Log 26 Tune 160m then 75m
Day 1 – 0600Z Listen Log 33 Tune 75m, then 40m, run on 75m
Day 1 – 0630Z Listen Log 22 Tune 75m then 160m
Day 1 – 0700Z Listen Log 22 Tuning 75m and 40m
*Recording gap due to computer reboot. Remaining files are off by 7 minutes.*
Day 1 – 0737Z Listen Log 12 Tuning 75m
Day 1 – 0807Z Listen Log 7 Tuning 40m and 75m
Day 1 – 0900Z — — 1 hour sleep
Day 1 – 0956Z Listen Log 34 You can hear JH1OGC on 75m early in this session. Then tuning 80m and 40m.
Day 1 – 1037Z Listen Log 55 Running on 20m
Day 1 – 1107Z Listen Log 79 Running on 20m
Day 1 – 1137Z Listen Log 68 Running on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1207Z Listen Log 71 Running on 20m
Day 1 – 1237Z Listen Log 69 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1307Z Listen Log 55 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1337Z Listen Log 51 Try to run on 15m, then back to 20m
Day 1 – 1407Z Listen Log 53 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1437Z Listen Log 66 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1507Z Listen Log 64 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1537Z Listen Log 63 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1607Z Listen Log 74 Running on 20m
Day 1 – 1637Z Listen Log 63 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1707Z Listen Log 63 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1737Z Listen Log 52 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1807Z Listen Log 29 Tune for mults on 20m, find new run frequency
Day 1 – 1837Z Listen Log 53 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1907Z Listen Log 61 Running on 20, second radio on 15m, 10m
Day 1 – 1937Z Listen Log 51 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 2007Z Listen Log 53 Running on 20, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 2037Z Listen Log 40 Tuning on 20m, then 15m, then 40m
Day 1 – 2107Z Listen Log 60 Running on 40m, second radio on 20m
Day 1 – 2137Z Listen Log 50 Running on 40m, second radio on 20m
Day 1 – 2207Z Listen Log 54 Running on 40m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 2237Z Listen Log 40 Running on 40m, second radio on 15m, 10m, 75m
Day 1 – 2307Z Listen Log 52 Running on 40m, second radio on 75m, 20m
Day 1 – 2337Z Listen Log 21 Running on 40m, second radio on 20m
Day 2 – 0007Z Listen Log 3 Dinner break from 0000z to 0030z.
Day 2 – 0037Z Listen Log 12 Tuning on 160m and 75m
Day 2 – 0107Z Listen Log 34 Tuning across 75m, then run on 75m
Day 2 – 0137Z Listen Log 25 Run on 75m, then tune 75m and 160m
Day 2 – 0207Z Listen Log 4 More off time, beginning of rain static
Day 2 – 0237Z Listen Log 11 Tuning 40m, 160m, 75m
Day 2 – 0307Z Listen Log 18 Tuning 75m and 160m
Day 2 – 0337Z Listen Log 11
Day 2 – 0407Z Listen Log 3
Day 2 – 0437Z Listen Log 12 Mostly tuning 160m
Day 2 – 0507Z Listen Log 6 Tuning on 75m
Day 2 – 0537Z Listen Log 11 75m, 160m, 40m
Day 2 – 0607Z Listen Log 30 Start Europe run on 40m
Day 2 – 0637Z Listen Log 51 Run on 40m
Day 2 – 0707Z Listen Log 57 Run on 40m, second radio on 75m
Day 2 – 0737Z Listen

Contest HOF Acceptance Speech

blog

These are the notes I used for my acceptance speech and may not represent a true transcript of my remarks.

Dayton Contest Dinner, May 16, 2008

Randy K5ZD (left) receiving CQ Contest HOF plaque from Bob Cox, K3EST.

Good evening,

I was at the very first CQ Contest HOF ceremony – the birthday party for K2GL.  I remember being in awe of the concept and wondering if I would ever accomplish enough to even be considered for induction into the HOF.

I have to start by thanking the YCCC members who nominated me and did it all in secret.  I had no idea they were doing so until I received the invitation from K3EST.

Thanks to the HOF voters who accepted their nomination. 

To my mentors – K5TM and K5RC. 

K5TM did much more than give me a place to operate and teach me how to do tower work.  He helped me navigate through college and taught me a lot of about life.  K5RC used my tower skills and gave me some great operating memories.  Somehow, both of them got me to paint their houses in return for operating time!

To all the people who let me guest op their stations

K5NA – was first in 1976 Bicentennial Contest

N5AU – who gave me the keys to a fantastic station for 4 years

K3TUP – who gave me my first CQWW single op win

To name a few other places where I had the privilege to operate: PY5EG, K3TUP, KA5W, NP4A, K1GQ

I could not have been here without the visibility and experience that I gained from each of them.

I also have to thank all of the people who helped me with the NCJ.  Especially Dave, K8CC. 

Thanks to all of you for your support and for so many QSOs over the years.  And for your kind words over the past several days.

Most importantly, I have to thank my wife and family.  They haven’t always understood why I do contests, but they have allowed me to do them, and for that I am extremely lucky and very grateful.

—

My philosophy about contesting has always been simple.  Share information, help others as much as I can…  beat them anyway.

As N6BV said last year in the CTU, “You don’t get there by secrets, you get there by doing everything better.”

This urge to share has been behind my writing articles and contest writeups.  Supporting the NCJ.  Sharing my logs and breakdowns with anyone who asks. Having guest ops to my station.  Streaming audio on the Internet.  I have received much more than I have been able to give back.

I didn’t learn my second great lesson of contesting until after I had won my first Sweepstakes.  No one cares that you won as much as you do. 

The reward from competition is not in the winning, it’s in the journey. 

Winners tend to bask in their victory.  Everyone else does their log analysis and station improvements and gets physched up for next year.  You always seem to learn more when you lose. 

I was getting beat year after year by K1AR in CQ WW contests.  I could track him for 36 hours and then lose when 15 meters would open on Sunday morning.  I kept telling him I only had to win once. I finally did!

The contesters that I respect most are the ones that demonstrate passion and integrity.  They play the game hard, but always above board and within the rules.  Win or lose, these are the guys I want to hang out with and compare myself to.

I am truly honored to be inducted into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame.  Thank you.

—

I found this video of my acceptance speech.

Going past 10

blog

At the Contest University I gave a talk on Contesting Ethics. During the section on obeying power limits, I made a reference to turning the knob past 10 to 11 as a metaphor for breaking the rules. Several people in the audience identified the movie this was from (Spinal Tap).

K1DG found a video clip from the movie that explains it all. Be sure to
watch all the way to the end.

http://youtu.be/4xgx4k83zzc

And just because the knob on your amplifier might let you go to 11 (or 12, or 13, or even more), please remember contesting is a game and it only works if everyone trusts each other to stay within the rules!

Randy Thompson, K5ZD

(This originally appeared on the cq-contest mail list, May 21, 2008)

Randy Thompson, K5ZD, Named WPX Contest Director

blog

CQ Communications, Inc. / 25 Newbridge Rd. / Hicksville, NY 11801 / Phone: (516) 681-2922 / Fax: (516-681-2926) / e-mail: w2vu@cq-amateur-radio.com

NEWS RELEASE

For more information, contact:
Richard Moseson (W2VU)
Editor, CQ Amateur Radio
(516) 681-2922 / w2vu@cq-amateur-radio.com
Randy Thompson (K5ZD)
k5zd@cqwpx.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 8, 2008

Randy Thompson, K5ZD, Named Director of CQ WPX Contests

(Hicksville, NY) May 8, 2008 — Contesting luminary Randy Thompson, K5ZD, has been named Director of the CQ World Wide WPX Contests, effective immediately. Randy succeeds Steve Merchant, K6AW, who has been WPX Contest Director since 2002 and who needed to step aside due to business obligations.

Randy has been a contester for more than three decades and has multiple wins to his credit in the single-op, all-band categories of both the CQ World Wide DX Contest and the CQ WPX Contest, in both CW and SSB modes. Randy is also a past editor of the “National Contest Journal” (a post he has held three separate times) and a co-founder of the eHam.net website. He is a longtime member of the Yankee Clipper Contest Club and an instructor at K3LR’s Contest University. In the past year, Randy has been working with Steve Merchant behind the scenes on the WPX contests, so he is already familiar with the program from the administrative side.

Any questions regarding the 2008 WPX Contests (SSB weekend was held last March; CW weekend is coming up at the end of May) should be directed to Randy via e-mail to <k5zd@cqwpx.com>. We thank K6AW for his years of dedicated service to the WPX Contests and look forward to a seamless transition to K5ZD’s administration of the event.

####

Audio – NA Sprint CW February 2008

audio

Audio Archive – K5ZD North American Sprint CW – Feburary 2008

Call: K5ZD

Class: Single Op HP
Operating Time (hrs): 4
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Op Time
---------------------
   80:  118        
   40:  125        
   20:   76        
---------------------
Total:  319    Mults = 46  Total Score = 14,674

Club: 

Team: YCCC #1

Equipment: FT-1000D + Alpha 76CA, FT-1000D + AL-1200

Antennas: 20m - 5-el @ 100', 40m - 2-el @ 110', 80m - 4 square

Links to Audio Files

Click on the Audio link to listen to individual 60-minute segments. Click on the Log link to view the corresponding section of the log.

QSO/Mult by hour and band

Hour       80M    40M     20M    Total    Cumm  

D1-0000Z  --+--   20/9   72/23   92/32    92/32 
D1-0100Z   11/2   66/8    4/0    81/10   173/42 
D1-0200Z   53/1   26/2     -     79/3    252/45 
D1-0300Z   54/1   13/0     -     67/1    319/46 

Total:    118/4  125/19  76/23

This was not one of the better Sprints. Conditions were difficult from New England with 20m closing early and 40/80m going long early. I was on 80m by 02z, which is much earlier than normal.

Note: When you click on Listen, your browser will download the entire audio file before it begins to play. This could take some time depending on your Internet connection speed. (Typical 30 minute mpeg file is 7.0Mb.)

I recommend that you listen to the audio clips using headphones. Listening from a speaker makes it difficult to hear the calls through the QRM and to hear the SO2R headphone switching.

Time Segment Audio Log QSOs Comments
0000Z Listen Log 92 20/40
0100Z Listen Log 81 20/40
0200Z Listen Log 79 40/80
0300Z Listen Log 67 40/80

 

CQ WW CW 2007

audio

Audio Archive – K5ZD CQ WW CW 2007

Call: K5ZD
Operator: K5ZD

Class: SOAB HP
Operating Time (hrs): 43
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  225    18       69
   80:  642    25      101
   40:  775    30      115
   20: 1301    31      118
   15:  506    24      100
   10:   29    11       20
------------------------------
Total: 3478   139      523  Total Score = 6,574,984

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club 

Equipment: FT-1000D + Alpha 76CA, FT-1000D + AL-1200

Antennas: 10m - 6-el @ 90', 15m - 5/5 @ 66'/33', 20m - 5/5 @ 100'/50'
40m - 2-el @ 110', 80m - 4 square, 160m - GP, shunt fed tower

Links to Audio Files

Click on the Audio link to listen to individual 30-minute segments.  Click on the Log link to view the corresponding section of the log.  View rate sheet to find the best hours.

Note: When you click on Listen, your browser will download the entire audio file before it begins to play. This could take some time depending on your Internet connection speed. (Typical 30 minute mpeg file is 5.2Mb.)

I recommend that you listen to the audio clips using headphones.  Listening from a speaker makes it difficult to hear the calls through the QRM and to hear the SO2R headphone switching.

Note: There are audio problems on the recording when transmitting on some bands on the right hand radio.  They do not affect the received audio.

Time Segment Audio Log QSOs Comments
Day 1 – 0000Z Listen Log 48 S&P across 40m
Day 1 – 0030Z Listen Log 39 S&P across 40m, then 80m
Day 1 – 0100Z Listen Log 37 S&P across 80m
Day 1 – 0130Z Listen Log 26 Mostly 40m, some 80/160
Day 1 – 0200Z Listen Log 26 Tuning 160m
Day 1 – 0230Z Listen Log 30 Tuning 80m
Day 1 – 0300Z Listen Log 18 Tuning, then start run on 80m
Day 1 – 0330Z Listen Log 22 80m, 160m, 20m
Day 1 – 0400Z Listen Log 19 Tuning 40m, 80m
Day 1 – 0430Z Listen Log 33 Tuning 80m, start run on 80m
Day 1 – 0500Z Listen Log 34 Run on 80m, tune 160m
Day 1 – 0530Z Listen Log 36 Nice run on 160m!
Day 1 – 0600Z Listen Log 54 Run on 160m
Day 1 – 0630Z Listen Log 36 Run on 160m, run on 80m
Day 1 – 0700Z Listen Log 33 Run on 80m, second radio on 160m
Day 1 – 0730Z Listen Log 49 Run on 80m, second radio on 160m/20m
Day 1 – 0800Z Listen Log 33 Run on 80m, second radio on 40m
Day 1 – 0830Z Listen Log 24 Run on 80m, second radio on 40m
Day 1 – 0900Z Listen Log 16 Tune 80m, 40m
Day 1 – 0930Z Listen Log 9 Tune 40m, 80m – sleep at 0945z
Day 1 – 1000Z — — 0 Sleep
Day 1 – 1030Z — — 0 Sleep
Day 1 – 1100Z Listen Log 2 On at 1126z, JH1OGC on 80m!
Day 1 – 1130Z Listen Log 22 Tune 80m, 160m, 40m, 20m
Day 1 – 1200Z Listen Log 64 Run Eu on 20m
Day 1 – 1230Z Listen Log 74 Run on 20m, some second radio on 40m
Day 1 – 1300Z Listen Log 90 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1330Z Listen Log 73 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1400Z Listen Log 70 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m, run on 15m
Day 1 – 1430Z Listen Log 70 Run on 15m, second radio on 20m
Day 1 – 1500Z Listen Log 76 Run on 15m, second radio on 20m
Day 1 – 1530Z Listen Log 81 Run on 15m, run on 20m
Day 1 – 1600Z Listen Log 100 Run on 20m
Day 1 – 1630Z Listen Log 83 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1700Z Listen Log 65 Run on 20m
Day 1 – 1730Z Listen Log 60 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1800Z Listen Log 43 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1830Z Listen Log 28 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 1900Z Listen Log 25 Tuning 20m
Day 1 – 1930Z Listen Log 40 Tune 20m, then start run on 40m
Day 1 – 2000Z Listen Log 77 Run on 40m
Day 1 – 2030Z Listen Log 73 Run on 40m, second radio on 15m/10m
Day 1 – 2100Z Listen Log 54 Run on 40m, second radio on 10m
Day 1 – 2130Z Listen Log 68 Run on 40m
Day 1 – 2200Z Listen Log 52 Run on 40m, second radio on 20m
Day 1 – 2230Z Listen Log 46 Run on 40m, second radio on 20m
Day 1 – 2300Z Listen Log 39 Run on 40m, second radio on 20m, tune 80m
Day 1 – 2330Z Listen Log 28 Tune 80m, 40m
Day 2 – 0000Z Listen Log 32 Tune 80m
Day 2 – 0030Z Listen Log 26 Run on 80m, second radio on 40m
Day 2 – 0100Z Listen Log 7 Tune 160m, take break at 0110z
Day 2 – 0130Z Listen Log 17 Back at 0130z, tune 80m
Day 2 – 0200Z Listen Log 26 Tune 80m, 160m, 40m
Day 2 – 0230Z Listen Log 28 Tune 40, tune 160m, run on 80m
Day 2 – 0300Z Listen Log 30 Run on 80m
Day 2 – 0330Z Listen Log 14 Tune 80m, tune and run on 160m
Day 2 – 0400Z Listen Log 14 Tune 80m
Day 2 – 0430Z Listen Log 28 Run on 80m, second radio on 160m
Day 2 – 0500Z Listen Log 16 Tune 160m, 80m, 40m
Day 2 – 0530Z Listen Log 21 Run on 40m, second radio on 80m
Day 2 – 0600Z Listen Log 32 Run on 80m, second radio on 40m/160m
Day 2 – 0630Z Listen Log 33 Run on 80m
Day 2 – 0700Z Listen Log 18 Tune 80m, 160m
Day 2 – 0730Z Listen Log 13 Run on 160m, tune 80m
Day 2 – 0800Z Listen Log 6 Tune 80m, sleep at 0815z
Day 2 – 0830Z — — 0 Sleep
Day 2 – 0900Z — — 0 Sleep
Day 2 – 0930Z — — 0 Sleep
Day 2 – 1000Z — — 0 Sleep
Day 2 – 1030Z — — 0 Sleep
Day 2 – 1100Z Listen Log 4 On at 1122z, tune 80m
Day 2 – 1130Z Listen Log 9 Tune 40m
Day 2 – 1200Z Listen Log 55 Establish run on 20m
Day 2 – 1230Z Listen Log 73 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 2 – 1300Z Listen Log 79 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 2 – 1330Z Listen Log 78 Run on 20m, run on 15m
Day 2 – 1400Z Listen Log 68 Run on 15m, second radio on 20m
Day 2 – 1430Z Listen Log 65 Run on 15m, second radio on 10m
Day 2 – 1500Z Listen Log 42 Run on 15m, second radio on 10m
Day 2 – 1530Z Listen Log 31 Run on 15m, second radio on 10m
Day 2 – 1600Z Listen Log 55 Run on15m, mults on 10m, run on 20m
Day 2 – 1630Z Listen Log 77 Run on 20m
Day 2 – 1700Z Listen Log 47 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 2 – 1730Z Listen Log 39 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m, 10m
Day 2 – 1800Z Listen Log 28 Run on 20m, then tune 20m
Day 2 – 1830Z Listen Log 17 Tune 20m, 15m
Day 2 – 1900Z Listen Log 19 More tuning, then start run on 40m
Day 2 – 1930Z Listen Log 28 Run on 40m, then tune 40m
Day 2 – 2000Z Listen Log 24 Run on 40m, second radio on 15m
Day 2 – 2030Z Listen Log 19 Tune 40m, tune 20m
Day 2 – 2100Z Listen Log 19 Run on 40m
Day 2 – 2130Z Listen Log 27 Run on 40m, second radio on 20m
Day 2 – 2200Z Listen Log 30 Tune 20m, start run on 40m
Day 2 – 2230Z Listen Log 28 Run on 40m, second radio on 20m
Day 2 – 2300Z Listen Log 17 Tune 80m, then run on 80m
Day 2 – 2330Z Listen Log 27 Run on 80m, second radio on 160m

 

2007 CQ WW CW Contest K5ZD

writeup 
                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: K5ZD
Operator(s): K5ZD
Station: K5ZD

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: W1
Operating Time (hrs): 43
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  225    18       69
   80:  642    25      101
   40:  775    30      115
   20: 1301    31      118
   15:  506    24      100
   10:   29    11       20
------------------------------
Total: 3478   139      523  Total Score = 6,574,984

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments

Whew, that was harder than I expected.  We are at the bottom of the cycle, but the Phone contest was so much fun that I expected even better conditions for CW!  Great competition for SOAB HP USA this year.  Definitely provided the motivation to keep pushing through the poor conditions.

The bands were either open with lots of activity or totally dead.  At one point I tuned across 20m and found stations all the way up to 14140!  And who would have expected 40m to be a daylight band?!  The 10m openings we short and spotty.  Definitely a good weekend for doing SO2R in order to run and chase mults.

Worked two JAs all weekend.  First one was on 80m. Second was on 20m on Sunday afternoon.  Nice to see so many African stations and multipliers.

Wish people would send their calls.  I understand the tactical use of not sending the call to run faster, but I would hear guys who had no one calling send TU then wait.  I spent a lot of time waiting for people to ID.  Not all of us are using packet (and the guys who are should want to hear your call too!).

Most annoying to have the guy finally send his call and it gets wiped out by someone calling.

Thanks to everyone who participated in making this the best contest of the year!

QSOs by Continent

          160M    80M    40M    20M    15M    10M   Total      %

    EU     149    510    615   1121    387      0    2782    80.0
    NA      60     82     72     85     49     14     362    10.4
    AS       1     10     20     27      3      0      61     1.8
    AF       9     16     26     34     27      2     114     3.3
    SA       4     15     27     29     32     12     119     3.4
    OC       2      9     15      5      8      1      40     1.2

Only out of the chair for 3 times.  Slept both nights so I would be ready for the high rates during the day.

Rate Sheet

 Hour   160M     80M     40M     20M     15M     10M    Total     Cumm    Off

D1-00Z  --+--   24/24   63/47   --+--   --+--   --+--   87/71     87/71  
D1-01Z   1/2    33/19   29/25     -       -       -     63/46    150/117 
D1-02Z  23/19   33/5      -       -       -       -     56/24    206/141 
D1-03Z  14/15   20/5      -      6/7      -       -     40/27    246/168 
D1-04Z    -     34/14   16/9      -       -       -     50/23    296/191 
D1-05Z  47/16   21/2     2/2      -       -       -     70/20    366/211 
D1-06Z  64/10   26/5      -       -       -       -     90/15    456/226 
D1-07Z  11/7    69/6      -      2/2      -       -     82/15    538/241 
D1-08Z   1/0    44/5    12/8    --+--   --+--   --+--   57/13    595/254 
D1-09Z    -     17/9     8/3      -       -       -     25/12    620/266    16
D1-10Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     620/266    60
D1-11Z   1/0     3/2     8/5    12/13     -       -     24/20    644/286    28
D1-12Z    -       -      3/3   135/33     -       -    138/36    782/322 
D1-13Z    -       -       -    139/10   23/33     -    162/43    944/365 
D1-14Z    -       -       -     42/5    98/26     -    140/31   1084/396 
D1-15Z    -       -       -     67/10   89/8      -    156/18   1240/414 
D1-16Z  --+--   --+--   --+--  171/6    12/10   --+--  183/16   1423/430 
D1-17Z    -       -       -    110/3    15/9      -    125/12   1548/442 
D1-18Z    -       -       -     55/7    15/12    1/2    71/21   1619/463 
D1-19Z    -       -     28/6    35/21    2/1      -     65/28   1684/491 
D1-20Z    -       -    141/6      -      4/1     5/10  150/17   1834/508 
D1-21Z    -       -    117/4     1/2      -      4/5   122/11   1956/519 
D1-22Z    -       -     90/4     6/4      -       -     96/8    2052/527 
D1-23Z    -     31/3    32/2     2/2      -       -     65/7    2117/534 
D2-00Z  --+--   45/4    13/2    --+--   --+--   --+--   58/6    2175/540 
D2-01Z   7/5    16/3     1/0      -       -       -     24/8    2199/548    24
D2-02Z  10/3    29/3    15/5      -       -       -     54/11   2253/559 
D2-03Z  10/4    32/2     1/0     1/0      -       -     44/6    2297/565 
D2-04Z   8/2    34/3      -       -       -       -     42/5    2339/570 
D2-05Z   4/0    13/1    20/1      -       -       -     37/2    2376/572 
D2-06Z   3/1    59/0     2/0      -       -       -     64/1    2440/573 
D2-07Z  16/2    14/6     1/0      -       -       -     31/8    2471/581 
D2-08Z  --+--    5/1     1/0    --+--   --+--   --+--    6/1    2477/582    48
D2-09Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    2477/582    60
D2-10Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    2477/582    60
D2-11Z    -      4/3     8/5     1/0      -       -     13/8    2490/590    24
D2-12Z    -       -       -    125/4     3/2      -    128/6    2618/596 
D2-13Z    -       -       -    122/0    35/5      -    157/5    2775/601 
D2-14Z    -       -       -     11/3   118/6     4/5   133/14   2908/615 
D2-15Z    -       -       -      3/0    61/4     8/6    72/10   2980/625 
D2-16Z  --+--   --+--   --+--  114/3    13/1     4/3   131/7    3111/632 
D2-17Z    -       -       -     78/0     5/2     3/0    86/2    3197/634 
D2-18Z    -       -       -     39/6     6/1      -     45/7    3242/641 
D2-19Z    -       -     43/2     1/0     3/0      -     47/2    3289/643 
D2-20Z    -       -     28/6    11/3     4/3      -     43/12   3332/655 
D2-21Z    -       -     40/0     6/1      -       -     46/1    3378/656 
D2-22Z    -       -     52/0     5/4      -       -     57/4    3435/660 
D2-23Z   5/1    36/1     1/0     1/0      -       -     43/2    3478/662 

Total: 225/87  642/126 775/145 1301/149 506/124 29/31

Best 30 minutes: 104 QSOs

Best 60 minutes: 187 QSOs

Worked 10 stations on 6 bands (a real accomplishment with 10m so poor):

3X5A  HC8N   HI3A   J3A   KP2M   PJ2T   PJ4A   VC3J   VP5W   ZF1A

CQ WW SSB 2007

audio

Audio Archive – K5ZD CQ WW SSB 2007 (K5ZD op)

Call: K5ZD
Operator(s): K5ZD

Class: SOAB HP
Operating Time (hrs): 40
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:   73    11       39
   80:  265    29       84
   40:  324    22       80
   20: 1599    38      124
   15: 1282    26      111
   10:  106    13       38
------------------------------
Total: 3649   130      476  Total Score = 6,328,458

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club 

Equipment: FT-1000D + Alpha 76CA, FT-1000D + AL-1200

Antennas: 10m - 6-el @ 90', 15m - 5/5 @ 66'/33', 20m - 5/5 @ 100'/50'
40m - 2-el @ 110', 80m - 4 square, 160m - GP, shunt fed tower

Links to Audio Files

Click on the Audio link to listen to individual 60-minute segments.  Click on the Log link to view the corresponding section of the log.  View rate sheet to find the best hours.

Note: When you click on Listen, your browser will download the entire audio file before it begins to play. This could take some time depending on your Internet connection speed. (Typical 60 minute mpeg file is 10.5Mb.)

I recommend that you listen to the audio clips using headphones. Listening from a speaker makes it difficult to hear the calls through the QRM and to hear the SO2R headphone switching.

Time Segment Audio Log QSOs Comments
Day 1 – 0000Z Listen Log 67 Start off tuning 20m, then 40m
Day 1 – 0100Z Listen Log 60 20m, 160m, 75m, then 40m
Day 1 – 0200Z Listen Log 68 40m, then finally a run on 75m
Day 1 – 0300Z Listen Log 49 75m, 160m, 20m, 40m, 160m
Day 1 – 0400Z Listen Log 67 Mostly 75m
Day 1 – 0500Z Listen Log 39 75m, 160m, 40m, 160m
Day 1 – 0600Z Listen Log 31 Mostly 75m, 20 mins off
Day 1 – 0700Z Listen Log 102 75m, then a good run on 40m
Day 1 – 0800Z Listen Log 35 Continue 40m, tune around, sleep
Day 1 – 0900Z — — 0 Sleep
Day 1 – 1000Z Listen Log 11 Back at 1045z, tune all bands
Day 1 – 1100Z Listen Log 152 Find a frequency on 20m and start running!
Day 1 – 1200Z Listen Log 193 20 minutes on 20m, then find run frequency on 15m
Day 1 – 1300Z Listen Log 168 Great run of Europe on 15m (lots of QRM!)
Day 1 – 1400Z Listen Log 97 Run for 25 minutes, then start tuning for mults
Day 1 – 1500Z Listen Log 155 Find frequency on 20m and start running
Day 1 – 1600Z Listen Log 136 Continue running Europe on 20m
Day 1 – 1700Z Listen Log 85 15 minute break, then tuning and CQing on 15m
Day 1 – 1800Z Listen Log 120 Find frequency on 20m, run and do second radio
Day 1 – 1900Z Listen Log 113 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 2000Z Listen Log 108 Run on 20m, fast search and pounce on 10m
Day 1 – 2100Z Listen Log 126 Run on 20m, second radio on 15m
Day 1 – 2200Z Listen Log 63 Tune 20m, then get a nice run of JAs/Asia
Day 1 – 2300Z Listen Log 69 Continue with Japan/Asia on 20m, 4L4WW on 75m
Day 2 – 0000Z Listen Log 27 Slow – grinding for QSOs on the low bands
Day 2 – 0100Z Listen Log 20 Even slower – still grinding
Day 2 – 0200Z Listen Log 35 Tuning on 160m and 75m
Day 2 – 0300Z Listen Log 29 Tuning 160m, 40m, 75m
Day 2 – 0400Z Listen Log 8 15 minutes tuning all bands
Day 2 – 0500Z — — 0 decide sleep would be more useful
Day 2 – 0600Z — — 0
Day 2 – 0700Z — — 0
Day 2 – 0800Z — — 0
Day 2 – 0900Z Listen Log 9 Back on at 0924z, work 3 LU on 75m, then tune
Day 2 – 1000Z Listen Log 18 Chasing mults on all bands, still very slow
Day 2 – 1100Z Listen Log 101 20m opens and start running Europe
Day 2 – 1200Z Listen Log 163 Switch to 15m and start nice run
Day 2 – 1300Z Listen Log 176 Continue run on 15m, GW4BLE tells me 10m is open!
Day 2 – 1400Z Listen Log 188 Run on 15m, second radio on 10m working Europe
Day 2 – 1500Z Listen Log 133 Run on 15m, some second radio on 20m
Day 2 – 1600Z Listen Log 104 Run on 15m, move to 20m at 1653z
Day 2 – 1700Z Listen Log 80 Run on 20m, then back to 15m
Day 2 – 1800Z Listen Log 80 Mostly running on 20m, some second radio work
Day 2 – 1900Z Listen Log 71 Run on 20m, chase mults on 15m, then S&P on 10m
Day 2 – 2000Z Listen Log 100 Nice run on 20m
Day 2 – 2100Z Listen Log 88 Run on 20m, lots of second radio on 15m
Day 2 – 2200Z Listen Log 54 Mostly run on 20m, second radio on 15 and 40
Day 2 – 2300Z Listen Log 51 Run on 40m for 30 minutes, then scan all bands

 

2007 ARRL DX Contest CW K5ZD

writeup 
                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: K5ZD
Operator(s): K5ZD
Station: K5ZD

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: W1
Operating Time (hrs): 21
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:  114    51
   80:  334    63
   40:  435    82
   20:  965    99
   15:  295    65
   10:    8     4
-------------------
Total: 2151   364  Total Score = 2,348,892

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments

Just playing around.  The rest of life was getting in the way of contesting this weekend.  Plans to visit my inlaws on Sunday canceled out enabling me to get more time in than had originally planned.

Best call worked: DA0UBOOT

Most fun: Getting 50 countries on 160 the first night.

Best rate: 177 QSOs between 1203-1302Z on Sunday (20 meters). This was done with the keyer set to 34WPM and I sent my call after every QSO.  If only more guys would send their calls while running…

Best DX: A tie between VK9DNX on 80m Sun morning or getting called by UN4L on 80m with 10 mins to go.

Worst band: 10m.  Worked all 4 guys that I heard!

Worked 1511 different stations.

Only one 6 bander: V31TP

Lots of 5 banders(28): 4O1A  9A7A  CN2WW  CT9L  DJ9MH  DL7UMK  EA3KU  EF8M F5OGL  FS5KA  HP1XX  I2WIJ  IR4X  J7OJ  LN3Z  LU4DX  OL3Z  OM0M  OM7M  P40W P49Y  PJ4A  UU7J  V49A  VP5/WJ2O  WP3C  YR7M  ZF2AM

(Not sure how I missed HP1XX on 40m!)

I think it is time to really retire from single-op DX contesting.  Had several times with big rates and walked away because I just couldn’t stay with it.

Hard to stay motivated in the part-time operating category as there is nothing to compete for.  Need more guys putting their score in the online scoreboard (www.getscores.org).

Some numbers just for fun.

          160M    80M    40M    20M    15M    10M   Total      %

    AF       4      7     13     23     11      0      58     2.7
    EU      87    298    366    846    224      0    1821    84.7
    AS       2      2     11     36      3      0      54     2.5
    NA      15     17     24     30     20      2     108     5.0
    SA       5      7     14     23     28      6      83     3.9
    OC       1      3      7      7      9      0      27     1.3

QSO/DX by hour and band

Hour   160M     80M     40M     20M     15M     10M    Total     Cumm  OffTime

0000Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
0100Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
0200Z  19/16     -     59/28     -       -       -     78/44     78/44  
0300Z  14/8    57/25    5/5     3/3      -       -     79/41    157/85  
0400Z  14/7    57/13   12/3      -       -       -     83/23    240/108 
0500Z  58/15   10/1     3/3      -       -       -     71/19    311/127 
0600Z    -    104/6     5/2      -       -       -    109/8     420/135 
0700Z   5/3    16/3    64/14     -       -       -     85/20    505/155 
0800Z   2/2    11/7    89/5    --+--   --+--   --+--  102/14    607/169    11
0900Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
1000Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
1100Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
1200Z    -       -      4/2     9/9     8/8      -     21/19    628/188    47
1300Z    -       -       -    147/31   11/9      -    158/40    786/228 
1400Z    -       -       -     19/1    14/9      -     33/10    819/238    36
1500Z    -       -       -      4/2    76/15     -     80/17    899/255    38
1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   58/4     8/0     1/1    67/5     966/260 
1700Z    -       -       -     34/2     1/0      -     35/2    1001/262    47
1800Z    -       -       -     42/2     6/3      -     48/5    1049/267    40
1900Z    -       -       -     71/15   15/5      -     86/20   1135/287 
2000Z    -       -      7/1      -      2/0      -      9/1    1144/288    49
2100Z    -       -      4/2    29/12    6/3     1/1    40/18   1184/306    22
2200Z    -       -      7/1     3/0      -       -     10/1    1194/307    53
2300Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1194/307    60
0000Z  --+--    2/0    69/5     6/1    --+--   --+--   77/6    1271/313    13
0100Z    -       -     28/1      -       -       -     28/1    1299/314    46
0200Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0300Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0400Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0500Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0600Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0700Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0800Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--    0/0    1299/314    60
0900Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
1000Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
1100Z   1/0     5/5    17/5      -       -       -     23/10   1322/324    24
1200Z    -       -       -    166/4     2/0      -    168/4    1490/328 
1300Z    -       -       -    166/4     1/0      -    167/4    1657/332 
1400Z    -       -       -     38/1   101/4      -    139/5    1796/337 
1500Z    -       -       -     64/2     3/2      -     67/4    1863/341    30
1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--    0/0    1863/341    60
1700Z    -       -       -     22/0    21/0      -     43/0    1906/341    30
1800Z    -       -       -     57/1    11/4      -     68/5    1974/346 
1900Z    -       -     18/0     8/0     5/1     6/2    37/3    2011/349    32
2000Z    -       -      4/0     7/3      -       -     11/3    2022/352    44
2100Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    2022/352    60
2200Z    -      1/0    30/4    12/2     4/2      -     47/8    2069/360    23
2300Z   1/0    71/3    10/1      -       -       -     82/4    2151/364 

Tot:  114/51  334/63  435/82  965/99  295/65    8/4

CQ WW CW 2006

audio

Audio Archive – K5ZD CQ WW CW 2006 (K5ZD op)

Call: K5ZD
Class: SOAB HP
Operating Time (hrs): 45
Radios: SO2R 

Summary: 
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------ 
  160:  220    18       68 
   80:  590    28       94 
   40: 1086    33      111 
   20: 1391    34      121 
   15:  780    27       98 
   10:   66    19       45 
------------------------------ 
Total: 4133   159      537     Total Score = 8,233,680 

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Equipment: FT-1000D + Alpha 76CA, FT-1000D + AL-1200
Antennas: 10m - 6-el @ 90', 15m - 5/5 @ 66'/33', 20m - 5/5 @ 100'/50'
40m - 2-el @ 110', 80m - 4 square, 160m - GP, shunt fed tower

Links to Audio Files

Click on the Audio link to listen to individual 60-minute segments.  Click on the Log link to view the corresponding section of the log.  View rate sheet to find the best hours.

Note: When you click on Listen, your browser will download the entire audio file before it begins to play. This could take some time depending on your Internet connection speed. (Typical 60 minute mpeg file is 7.1Mb.)

I recommend that you listen to the audio clips using headphones.  Listening from a speaker makes it difficult to hear the calls through the QRM and to hear the SO2R headphone switching.

Time Segment Audio Log QSOs Comments
Day 1 – 0000Z Listen Log 77 S&P across 40m
Day 1 – 0100Z Listen Log 71 S&P across 160m and 80m
Day 1 – 0200Z Listen Log 103 Running on 80m with second radio on 40m
Day 1 – 0300Z Listen Log 96 Running on 80m with second radio on 40 and 160
Day 1 – 0400Z Listen Log 52 S&P across 160 twice, then across 80
Day 1 – 0500Z Listen Log 93 Eu run on 160, second radio on 80
Day 1 – 0600Z Listen Log 60 Continue Eu run on 160, then tune 160, then run Eu on 80
Day 1 – 0700Z Listen Log 85 Run Eu on 80
Day 1 – 0800Z Listen Log 44 End run on 80, tune 80, 160, then 40
Day 1 – 0900Z Listen Log 26 Grinding for mults. 9M6NA on 20 LP!
Day 1 – 1000Z Listen Log 14 Mult chasing on 40 and 80, then sleep 30 mins
Day 1 – 1100Z Listen Log 77 Check low bands, then start running on 20
Day 1 – 1200Z Listen Log 127 Running on 20, second radio on 40 and 15
Day 1 – 1300Z Listen Log 176 Run on 20, them jump to run on 15
Day 1 – 1400Z Listen Log 180 Run on 15, second radio on 20
Day 1 – 1500Z Listen Log 171 Run on 15, then 20
Day 1 – 1600Z Listen Log 172 Run on 20, second radio on 15
Day 1 – 1700Z Listen Log 153 Run on 20, second radio on 10
Day 1 – 1800Z Listen Log 119 Run on 20. Lots of SO2r in last half of the hour.
Day 1 – 1900Z Listen Log 70 Lots of SO2R between 20 and 15.
Day 1 – 2000Z Listen Log 95 Find frequency and start running on 40.
Day 1 – 2100Z Listen Log 128 Run on 40, second radio on 15.
Day 1 – 2200Z Listen Log 88 Run on 40, second radio on 20.
Day 1 – 2300Z Listen Log 71 End run on 40, tune 20, 80, 20
Day 2 – 0000Z Listen Log 55 Run on 80
Day 2 – 0100Z Listen Log 55 Run on 80, tune other bands
Day 2 – 0200Z Listen Log 25 Tune 160 and 20, take 20 min break
Day 2 – 0300Z Listen Log 55 Slow run on 40, second radio on other bands
Day 2 – 0400Z Listen Log 49 Run on 80 then 40
Day 2 – 0500Z Listen Log 80 Nice Eu run on 40
Day 2 – 0600Z Listen Log 96 Nice Eu run on 40, few second radio on 80
Day 2 – 0700Z Listen Log 112 Nice Eu run on 40, few second radio on 80
Day 2 – 0800Z Listen Log 79 Run on 40, second radio on 80
Day 2 – 0900Z — — 0 Sleep
Day 2 – 1000Z Listen Log 2 ZL6QH on 80m
Day 2 – 1100Z Listen Log 98 Pass across 40 (few JAs), start run on 20m
Day 2 – 1200Z Listen Log 134 Running on 20, few second radio QSOs on 15
Day 2 – 1300Z Listen Log 162 Run on 20 then 15, discover 10m open to Eu
Day 2 – 1400Z Listen Log 154 Run on 15 while trying to catch mults on 10m. Good example of SO2R!
Day 2 – 1500Z Listen Log 115 Continuing to do the two band shuffle for rate and mults!
Day 2 – 1600Z Listen Log 113 Running on 20, few second radio QSOs on 15
Day 2 – 1700Z Listen Log 78 Running on 20 with second radio on 15 and 10
Day 2 – 1800Z Listen Log 37 Multiplier hunting!
Day 2 – 1900Z Listen Log 54 Early to 40m, mult hunting on second radio. 8Q7DV on 40!
Day 2 – 2000Z Listen Log 68 Run on 40, second radio on 15 and 20
Day 2 – 2100Z Listen Log 66 Run on 40, second radio on 20
Day 2 – 2200Z Listen Log 56 End of the run on 40, 20 open to JA and zone 27
Day 2 – 2300Z Listen Log 42 Anything and any band for a QSO!
1 … 14 15 16 17 18 … 20