Monday, November 28, 2016

#cqww cw 2016 contest

Event: CQWW CW contest 2016
Section: Single Operator Assisted Low 160M
Logger: N1MM+ 
Station: Icom IC-706MK2G at 100W
Antenna: multiband vertical @9m agl





After a few hours of contesting Saturday evening, Sunday morning and Sunday evening when it was dark I ended with 121 QSOs in the log. Much more as expected, wow. I even heard some DX Sundaymorning as PJ2T was decoded but unfortunately I was unable to make a contact. Best DX was probabely RM9A from Asiatic Russia. However, I was surprised by the number of contacts and actually almost every station I could hear responded to my call. I even dared to run CQ for a while although it was not really a success I was spotted several times on the RBN. Unlike last year I participated low power and not QRP. This has to do with a another possible Dutch record which I will hold hopefully like my effort in 2014 on 80m QRP. The nice thing of my Icom-706 is the 350Hz CW filter and additionally I use the JPS NIR-10 audio DSP filter. Very important on the ic-706 is to switch off the NB (Noise Blanker), this will reduce any splatter to almost zero. As I decode CW with a computer (FLdigi) it needs a crystal clear signal to decode well and I managed to get that with the narrow filtering.

Look at the difference between only the 350Hz filter above and below included the bandpass filtering from the JPS NIR-10. The red signal you see is from EI0R which had a surprise for me. Fellow blogger EI2KC Anthony was on the keys and recognized my call to say hello. Thanks for the contact Anthony FB SIG. I didn't know what to answer him as I never been in this situation and all I do is sending a macro with a click on a key.

Later I discovered I can type as well in the FLdigi TX field and send it manually. Next time I give him a proper answer ;-). Oh, yes for the CW purists participating in a CW contest like this is not done of course. But so far at least I can participate and learn a small bit of morse code as well. I already recognize my own call and the words TEST, CQ, TU, ?, K, 5NN. Enough to make QSOs in a contest like this as it is not neccessary to read the CQ zones since this is filled in automatically in the log.
I had great fun on 160m even with a few hours of participation. Hopefully it will bring me a new Dutch record.

I was prepared to sell my JPS NIR-10 filter as I don't use it too much. But it does very well in CW contests so I'm not shure till I have better equipment. Still looking at a shiny new IC-7300 which will do much better as my antique IC-706 I guess. I noticed the price of the IC-7300 fluctuates and is currently around 1300 euro. I guess it will get lower when the new IC-7610 will be out whenever that is. In the mean time I'll save some money.


6 comments:

HamRadioIreland said...

It was great to hear your call on CW Bas. Delighted to put you in the log!!

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Nice to meet you too Anthony and surprised me with your hello. Till next time on CW. 73, Bas

Peter pa4o said...

Ik heb zondagavond hier thuis nog een kleine 2uur meegedaan op de 80m. Heb een dikke 250stations in log.

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hoi Peter, dat is niet gek voor 2 uurtjes. Beste rate dus, dat haal ik niet. Kan alleen als je CQ geeft. En dat werkt gewoon niet lekker met computer. Toch mooi hi. Heb PI4CC ook nog gewerkt op 160, weet niet of jij achter de set zat? 73, Bas

pa4m said...

Hallo Bas, Ik heb voor het eerst sinds jaren ook weer een paar uurtjes actief meegedaan op zondagmorgen bij het contest team onder de call PA3GVI. Hele mooie DX gewerkt via het lange pad. Station bestond uit een FB33 op 20M hoog, dipolen voor 40/80 en 400W.
Ik kijk al uit naar de ARRL 10 contest.
En cw decoderen met de PC is prima. Als je het leuk vind om een keer een rag chew cw qso te maken op 80meter laat het me weten. Dat moet ook wel lukken met FLdigi. Mark / PA4M

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Bedankt voor je reactie Mark, leuk te lezen dat je ook veel plezier hebt gehad met de contest. Ik wil ook aktief zijn in de ARRL 10. Of we veel gaan werken is nog maar de vraag. Maar dat neemt niet weg dat het interessant kan zijn. 73, Bas