WQ6X Reviews NAQP-Ssb w/NX6T (after-the-fact)

While I attempt to post a contest BLOG entry after every radiosport weekend, sometimes life gets in the way, creating a posting-delay.  The Ssb NAQP event was one of those times; however, the delay allowed me to include posting some new PICs related to NX6T and its operators.

Unable to make an appearance @W7AYT to run the K3/0 from Concord, I did have a Heil PRO-Set available in Alameda allowing NX6T remote Ssb operation by way of the RCForb remote radio access software.  While RCForb is nothing like the real thing, it does a reasonable job on Ssb to accomplish Remote B-i-C (Butt in chair) action.

For contests such as this one, N6KI often opens up NX6T for younger/newer operators.  For this GiG KK6ZEM and KN6DLG achieved B-i-C status, while KK6VLO remoted in to NX6T.

Other OPs included: W2PWS, W6ZAR, NN6X, N6EEG, WQ6X and of course, N6KI himself. 

GiGs like the Ssb North American QSO Party (NAQP) give newer operators the opportunity to experience radiosport (often for the first time) from a nicely equipped station like NX6T.  Additional B-i-C action gives us aging dinosaur operators a break for a change while keeping NX6T on the air.


Because the NAQP events are only 12 hours, scheduling operator shifts can be a tricky affair.  Business commitments kept me out of the office until late afternoon, which is normally notta problem as there are usually plenty of dayshift operators for Ssb contests.  For NX6T I normally run the dinner shift (8pm - 10:30) and then the 2am shift.

Being there was no 2am shift and a shortage of evening OPs, I connected remotely @04:00z to S&P on 75-m and then settled in on a quiet 3767.67 until a switch to 160-m @04:40z, eventually settling in on 1829.29.  The last 2 hours of NAQP are always slow, making patience crucial.  By 05:25z it was back to 75-m (3770.70) all but pleading for QSOs until the 06:00z contest end.

Looking at the M/2 scores submitted to the 3830 scores website, it would seem that NX6T took 14th place overall, 2nd place for CA (after N6RO) and 1st for SDG and the S/W Division; even surpassing NP2X and W7RN.

Because I was running from Alameda, there was no opportunity to put WQ6X on the air during this incarnation of the North American QSO party.  The RTTY version of NAQP comes up in February.  LooK for WQ6X to dual-OP that event, as well as the WPX RTTY GiG in early February.

S T N - 1  @ N X 6 T  (06:07z) - After-the-Fact

Did YOU work the North American QSO party Ssb GiG?

Is NX6T in YOUR Log?