WQ6X RACs one up w/NX6T and the SP-160 Contest.

With the transition between the 2019 & 2020 contest seasons being a little complicated, the scribbled notes for this BLOG entry almost ended up in the circular file.  In recent years I have run various single-OP events for the Canadian RAC contest, either from W7AYT's QTH or remotely from
NX6T in Fallbrook.

As I was planning the 2019 final contest weekend operating schedule, a message came in from
N6KI inviting me to join him and KI6RRN for a last-minute rogue NX6T operation of the mixed-mode Canadian RAC contest, followed by the CW-only Stew Perry (SP-160) contest.  Running remotely from Alameda on Friday evening, I could only run CW as the exchange includes a Serial-# which
can't be sent with a Digital Voice Keyer.  On CW, the memory keyer can effortlessly run a frequency, as well as Search & Pounce (S&P). 

The strange thing about this weekend's NX6T operation was a coax switch-failure, relegating STN-1 to using ONLY the 3-el. Stepp-IR and not the C-31 yagi.  Lately I have been purposely running the Stepp-IR in BI-Directional mode allowing simultaneous working of SA & JA / NA when the band condx. warrant it, so for me, being "stuck" with the Steep-IR was hardly a sacrifice.  Fallbrook
being 900' above sea-level gives the Stepp-IR a considerable BI-Directional advantage.

Much of my operating activities @W7AYT is about testing new equipment, new operating concepts and in general new ideas.  Now that the ICOM 7000 has itself a new home, I am able to reintroduce
it into the station setup as a secondary receiver, switchable to any antenna as is the FT-1000mp. 
It quite interesting to run NX6T's STN-1 with the K3/0 while listening to the signal in the SF East
bay area (propagation permitting of course).

The RAC event being a 24 hour contest was over at 4pm (PST), just in time for 160 meters to open in San Diego.  While the Stew Perry Contest began @15:00z we stations on the "Waste Coast", don't get to play until sometime between 22:30z and 01:00z.  While the RAC contest is a Canadian GiG, we are allowed to work anyone (for 1-point); Canadians are worth 10 points and Canadian RAC stations are worth 20 points.

In order add another operating to 109 2019 GiG total, I managed to put 9 QSOs in the 40-meter WQ6X log at W7AYT, giving the 8JK Inverted Vee a GooD test.  As horrible as the Concord QTH seems much of the time, there DOES seem to be a "pipeline" to Colorado, VE6, VE3 and the 9th
call area - GO Figure.

For the Stew Perry 160 contest, KI6RRN joined N6KI and myself to play around and try out new ideas for making 160 meters happen.  It won't be long before the CQ 160 Cw/Ssb contests are upon us.

Did YOU work the Canadian Winter RAC contest or the Stew Perry 160 GiG? 
Is NX6T in YOUR LoG?