PACC 2015 QRP

Event: PACC 2015
Logger: N1MM+ most updated version
Station: Icom IC-706MKIIG (power in L pos.4W)
Antenna: HB9CV at 6m AGL, 84m horizontal loop at 7m AGL, Vertical HF multiband antenna at 9m AGL.

Well, it was a difficult weekend radiowise. On the other hand it was a very pleasant family weekend with 2 birthdays. After all it left me less time as expected to participate in the PACC this year. Only a few hours at night and a few in the morning. I decided to do it QRP this year and considering the amount of time I had it just went fine. I did some CW with the computer but the majority of contacts were made in SSB. No special DX and not so many multipliers. I was unable to make more then 1 QSO (with PI4H) on 160m, the antenna is not efficient for QRP there. I used my IC-706 as it has better filtering for CW/SSB in a contest. Besides that I used a JPS NIR10 audiofilter to test (more about that later on this blog). Power was on L(ow) of course which is about 4W QRP. I did however made 3 QRO 100W QSO's at night with DX which I removed from the contestlog. JW9JKA from Bear Isl. on 40m & 80m and OX3KQ on 80m. I couldn't let them go, it was a easy chance to work some new band DX. I did hear K1N Sunday morning on 80m so I thought to have a chance to work them. Well, the pile up was 20 Khz full of 9+60dB signals here. Only a few europeans came through, no chance at all. I will work Navassa Isl. in about 20 years, hopefully have some better equipment then ;-).

QRP wise I didn't work any special DX this time. I did do some CQ running and it worked out first half hour when I was spotted at the DX cluster. I tried several times after, but running didn't work out at all. So, most QSOs were made S&P. As always I met some friends on the bands. There was Bernard PB7Z which I met on several bands/modes, SM6VXI Engelhart who did hear me calling, PE2KM Kees which I didn't work for a long time and fellow QRP contester PF5T Frank. I know Bernard did a good job and beat his score from last year. I hope the others did well too. It was a limited participation this year but it was a nice test with QRP. I can say/write I earned every single QSO with hard work, not the easy way. Working QRP with 5W or less is totally different from a 100W station. I wish to thank everyone that was able to hear my tiny signal, I know it was not easy sometimes, some did have the patience some did not. Most Dutch operators have very good ears. Outside the Netherlands it was a completely different story...I learned that CW is not really working well the way I set it up. Better take some advice from Bernard PB7Z who does a really good contesting job with CW on a computer. I don't know what will happen next year but I will participate for shure, after all the PACC is always a lot of fun.