ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST CW 2017

Another contest affected by the sun activity minimum…

Quite good conditions on low bands, I enjoyed of nice pileups from time to time. High bands were only about 20m and 15m. I thought, that at least big guns will push their signals over the ocean, but now it’s clear, that 10m was completely shut down. The conditions on 20m and 15m varied between bad and good from hour to hour. I went to have a short nap on Saturday evening after closing of 20m. But other comments are evidence, that band was alive longer. On Sunday evening I decided to run on 15m and 20m till the 40m opening. And I spent there few closing and reopening of the bands with fine pileups with rate peaks from 20 to 240 Q/h…

I have to say, that big advantage of this contest are good traffic quality together with well organised operators. It’s relax before contests of EU ZOO…

I hope, that new 4-bander + RX antena will be in the air soon…

Thanks to all participants.

Final score:   686 340
Category:      SO AB HP
Rank:          WW #74   EU #11   OM #1

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

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Dolna Micina
Operating Time (hrs): 31:52
Location : Northern Europe

Summary:

Band    QSOs  Mults
----------------------------------------
 160:     30   12
  80:    226   41
  40:    481   45
  20:    352   49
  15:    220   35
  10:      0    0
----------------------------------------
 Total: 1309  182  Total Score 714,714

Used equipments:
Yaesu FT-1000MP MarkV Field
ACOM 2000A (1,5 kW OUT)
MicroHAM microKeyer, MicroHAM StationMaster
WinTest

Antennas:
160m: Vertical (35m tower + 2 elevated radials)
80m: OptiBeam OB1-80 rotary dipole @34m
40m: InvVee @21m
20, 15, 10m: Cushcraft A4S „2“ el. tribander @31m

73!
Riki, OM7RU