Event: PACC 2022
Section: QRP mixed
Logger: N1MM+
Station: Icom IC-7300 at 5% (5W)
Antenna 1: 160m sloper
Antenna 2: 10m LFA @14m
Antenna 3: Multiband vertical @16m
Antenna 4: 2x20m inverted-V doublet
Not the best PACC contest ever. I still have less inspiration and didn't spend hours at the radio. Went to bed at a reasonable time and started again Sunday after breakfast. Took my breaks for lunch, diner tea etc.
Actually I listened more as calling. Heard some interesting DX. Unfortunately my QRP signal was not heard by many. Since I do not use /QRP in the callsign many don't understand that it was a struggle to be heard. Your signal is fading out, much QSB, signal is extremely weak is what most stations told me. Sometimes I was even told that my signal was too weak and those stations just continued calling.....how rude! What also strikes me is that some well known conteststations in the Netherlands have very bad receivers, too much signal but they hardly hear the weaker stations. However, I worked VU2DSI from India on 10m and half an hour later I worked ZD7FT from St. Helena both on SSB. In between I catched K3ZO on 15m SSB. Worked VE9ML on CW 20m and 40m later on. So, yes DX can be worked while QRP. That was all Saturday. HC5DX which is a dutchman from Ecuador was heard on 15m with good signals but I couldn't get my signal through. I heard this station on 20m at Sunday, he was real 59. But how many times I tried, I was unable to get my signal through. Well, I know it is not easy to be QRP, you need to have patience and if the contact is not happening you need to deal with the disappointment.
9 comments:
Good morning Bas, it's unfortunate the joy of radio was not present with you. We all have those times and it's a hobby so having so so times is just fine. I have run my share of QRP contests and I can fully understand the frustrations.
VE9ML just lives around the corner from me here in the Maritimes. I was only on for a short time on the weekend as I had some items around the house that had to be looked after. While I was on the radio I did hear some Dutch stations taking part in the contest.
73,
Mike
VE9KK
Hoi Bas,
Sometimes the spirit is not into it, and sometimes other events tear down the spirit.
I have started my own HF QRP challenge, minimum 365 QSOs this year. Right now I am ahead, but that may change later.
When calling stations I avoid using the QRP, but when the contact is there I do tell that I am running 5W. I am running CW, so I have the advantage over SSB. I am going to do this without counting weak signal modes on HF - that will go into another log "sheet".
I wish you more fun the rest of the year
Tot ziens/horens, Bas,
Vy 73
Jan
OZ9QV
Hello Mike, tnx for the comment. Yes, you told me last year VE9ML is just around the corner. So that was what I thought of immidiatly when I worked him. He must have great antennas and big ears to receive my tiny signal. 73, Bas
Hello Jan, you´re spot on. There have been some events beyond my control that caused this. Hopefully the spirit will come back to me some day. I keep an eye on your blog regarding the QRP challenge. WIsh you a lot of goog luck. Tot ziens/horens, 73, Bas
Toch op 15 en 10 in het log wel zwak signaal hier ik ben om ca 02 gestopt er was niets meer te werken, maar b.v. 40m was nog heel goed open volgens RBN spots na 1x keer cq op 40 om ca 02uur lokaal, vele RBN spots op hert scherm. maar geen "klanten" meer dus pitten , om ca 05 uur hetzelfde op 160m vele N-Amerikaanse spots! maar slechts 3 W en een VE in het log..
BAS got you in my log 10 and 20 CW. I was CW only 100W many RBN spots from VK4CT E28AC PJ2A 3B8CW at 15 10m but only a very few of present for the PACC 160m sunrise real good according to the many USA RBN spots i got but only a very few actually present for a contest QSO S.A. i.e. PY as usual are not interested in contests and will not send a contest exchange 10m was open to PY at least the PACC is only a relative small contest with many friends especially Russian HAMS make this contest great for CW.
10 15 not 20
VE9ML worked 80 40 20 15 here, i thought also at 160 but can't find that in the log
Hallo Jaap, mag ook wel in het nederlands hoor. Ik heb je inderdaad 2x gewerkt. Bij deze contest is het zo dat de meeste big guns op RTTY zitten zoals elk jaar. Heb wel leuke stations gehoord maar niet kunnen werken met 5W. Wat me wel opviel was de slechte ontvangst van veel sterke contest en clubsstations. Of zo hoorden me niet of ze zeiden gewoon "het signaal is te zwak" en gingen gewoon weer door met CQ contest roepen. Tja....wat een lol. Al met al blijft het een leuke contest met inderdaad veel russische stations die meedoen. Als ik alles bij elkaar optel heb ik misschien maar 8 uurtjes meegedaan van de 24 uur, dat is ook wel te zien aan mijn score. Vorig jaar had ik 2x zoveel. 73, Bas
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