What I Learned: Part 3
Hmmm…I guess this could be considered an ongoing series as is relates to contesting. I have written two previous parts focusing on filters in part one and having patience in part two. This third installment deals with knowing your limitations, which is directly proportionate to your station.
The ARRL International DX -SSB is in full swing, beginning at 0000z, 07 March. Filled with the anticipation, like a kid the night before Christmas I was in a hurry to get home and get the FT-1000MP fired up. I got into the shack, turned on the rig and computers and configured Win-Test for the contest. I started off well securing a VE with my first call, but that would be the extent of my work for the next 90 minutes.
Over the course of that time the band was full of call signs up and down 20M. I was hear new countries that I had not logged in the Caribbean, as well as into Centrat and South America. With only 12 confirmed DXCC entities, contests like this are exciting because it provides me with an opportunity to log many new countries. None of these entities are rare by any account, but with a real lack of DX I am excited when I log anyone outside of a VE, XE or JA.
There were DX stations reporting, “59 Kilowatt” while others were giving out “59 100.” This contest any non W/VE stations provided a signal report and the power they were running. Needless to say the “Kilowatt” stations were easily heard. Unfortunately I was not being heard very well or at all. I tried for 30 minutes to contact YN2NB, as well as a station in Brazil and Argentina. Both to no avail. Even NL7V and KH7X were unreachable in Alaska and Hawaii respectively. Both of which I have logged in previous, yet in RTTY and CW.
*sigh* So that left me frustrated, yet again. Another contest weekend and another failed attempt to log new entities. Some times we must face the reality that we might not be able to work stations in some modes, like SSB because of our station. I believe I fall into that category. Sure, I had some success in the NAQP SSB a few months prior, as well as the Winter RAC, both of which are really North American contests, where international participation is not as strong as the ARRL DX contest.
Knowing your limitations is an important aspect that some hams just don’t need to worry about. Given we are at the bottom (still) of the solar cycle does not help the situation at all, but if there were sunspots these limitations would still exist, but possibly not as extreme as they are now. I am beginning to understand my limitations, which has shows that SSB is not my strongest mode, given my antenna, rig and conditions. Sure I can make SSB contacts, but this contest is one that was worth trying, but understanding that you might not be very successful.
Thankfully I will be participating as part of N6RO this evening on 80M and 160M in order to add points to the overall score. Here there are very few limitations, unlike the ones I face operating from my home QTH. Regardless, the fact remains to have fun and enjoy what you partake in when you are engaged in your hobby.
