WQ6X Wangles another NAQP-Ssb QRP Dual-OP

NAQP Ssb and Cw GiGs are in worlds that are quite different from each other.
This weekend is a perfect demonstration of that fact.  For NAQP-Cw, NX6T had
a nearly different bunch of operators, whereas for the Ssb GiG, it was a similar
but different, yet just as dedicated team.  The difference is I was assigned to 8-hours
of OP-time with only 4-hours available to run as WQ6X - the exact opposite of the
previous weekend.

I was assigned to run STN-2 at WA6TQT's Anza QTH for the first 6-hours.  I opened on
10-meters and after 140 QSOs in the first hour, I handed it over to N7NR to add a nearly
400 QSOs to that log while I mopped-em-up on 15 meters and eventually 20 when 15-meters
was "worked out"

Because this was an SSB-only contest, I made use of an array of different audio filters to produce more intelligible voice reproductive audio.  As you can see from this earlier picture of the audio filter array at the W7AYT QTH, there were many filter combinations separately available at any given time by way of a classic RockVille 4-device stereo mixing panel.  The array included:

• A classic Radio Shaft 16-channel stereo equalizer (with Low Cut filters).
• A pair of Autek QF-1A analog audio filters for creating the initial Stereo Cw/Ssb audio.
• A pair of previous generation MFJ 752 analog audio "Signal Enhancer II" units.
• An MFJ-784 DSP unit (for Left channel) and a pair of JPS NIR-10 & NIR-12 DSP
  units (Right channel).
• The 4-channel RockVille stereo mixer to blend the above-4 combinations into a mechanical 4-position output switch for sending the audio to a Yaesu SP-6 speaker, Sharper Image video display speakers, a pair of LEKATO dual-stereo speakers, or two pairs of OWNZONE wireless headphones.
• A 4-channel USB mixer is employed to combine audio from an ICOM-7000, a Yaesu
  FT-2000 and the audio line from the K3/0-Mini control head, as well as audio from a
  Windoze computer.

The PEAK filters built into the QF-1A make for superior Stereo-Cw, whereas the wider MFJ-752's seem more suited for the wider Ssb audio, such as that encountered in the weekend's NAQP Ssb GiG.  Being cascaded, the NIR units offer a more tailored shape of the audio passband.  

Because many of my run frequencies were ALSO the National Tune-up Frequency (NTF), the Auto Notch Filter (ANF) built-in to the K3 transceiver does a reasonable carrier reduction, altho leaving
it in causes an artifact disruption to voice signals.  Unfortunately, being an audio-based Dsp, the carrier remains in the IF-passband, causing the AGC to reduce signal levels of already weak signals
(NoT a GooD thing).

Also, on for the weekend was the Hungarian DX contest, a mixed-mode Cw/Ssb affair.
After the 06:00z NAQP contest ending, a log was hastily convened for this GiG, with the
decision to run CW only.  Thanks to weird propagation conditions, 20-meters to Europe was 
not happening on the West coast.  Moving down to 40-meters and pointing the Shorty-40 towards
Europe, only 2 stations were heard, only one of them being an HA8 (Hungarian) station.  After working DL202SS (Germany), it was clear that this GiG was not going to happen any further. 
That did not stop the posting of a single QSO score and submitting a Log file for the contest.

After the contest, reviewing the 3830 contest scores, I came across the QRP submission
submitted by Dave K7SS  ([CLICK HERE] to read it).  His take on what it takes to run QRP
contests near-exactly mirror my own experience.  I sent him an e-mail thanking him for sharing
those comments.

When it was all over, it would seem that both WQ6X and NX6T took 3rd-place in
their respective operating categories, as well as 1st-place for the Southwest area
of the North American continent.

DiD YOU work the NAQP Ssb contest event?

Is WQ6X or NX6T in YOUR LoG?