WQ6X joins NX6T remotely for another ARRL Dx Ssb Contest

Only 2 weekends prior, we were running the the ARRL Dx Cw contest remotely, which I ran
from the Concord QTH.  For this event my remote operation was completely from Alameda. 
As my office hours increase, finding time for weekend radiosport events requires careful/clever
time-planning to make it all work.  "Luckily", running the 1am to 5am shifts makes daytime hours more client-compatible.

Running equipment tests in Alameda found everything to be in order, except I could find no P-T-T switch; a most important requirement when running an Ssb contest.  Rummaging through the junk cabinet, a never-used momentary contact switch was found.  Using a HoT soldering iron, a pair of holes was made into an almost-discarded vitamin bottle creating a grip device while an old chopped-off cable resulted in the manufacture of a plunger-style push-to-talk switch.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Radio amateurs are known for being ingenious. 
This is just another unique example of amateur ingenuity.

At the last minute we decided to run this GiG as a Multi-2 transmitter operation.
Each contest event has a unique set of hassles and problems.  For this event, while the equipment on the Alameda end of the connection was "flawless" it seemed like everything else was out of my reach.

Sideband Dx contests are my least favorite due to the "language barrier".  While use of English is the default, many Dx stations are [barely] fluent enough to [kinda-sorta] say their own callsign and "5-9" (FIVE NINE) "one Hundred - 1 Zero-Zero".  Communicating our state/province requires the careful use of phonetics (i.e. "Charlie Alpha", "November Yankee", etc.) or else they don't get it.

Compounding this problem are the LOUD callers who are notoriously off frequency (and can barely speak comprehendable English), who in the end turn out to be DUPS.  We have 3 problems here:

1. Stations off frequency (learn to tune in Ssb stations before a contest).
2. Callsigns uncomprehendable (practice saying your callsign FLUENTLY before the Contest)
3. Making DUP contacts (learn to use computer software or use DUP check sheets)

Next up we have "Billy-Bob" and his brother "Bobby-Bill" (from the Southeast) who wake up in the morning bored, don't bother to read the contest rules ("This is a contest?  REALLY?") and waste our time by calling in.  How can they NoT know this is a contest when they just replied to my "CQ DX Contest..." call?  Even though they are off the back of the 2-el Shorty-40 pointed to Asia, with their KW amplifiers they drown out the 5-watt Asian callers.

For both evenings on 40-meters, the usual intentional QRM was of course a MAJOR problem.  Everything from strange mic noises, the intermittent 2-minute long carriers (tune for 2 minutes,
take a 30-second break and then tune for another 2-minutes, ad-nauseum), LOUD CQ calls less
than a KC below the run frequency (no checking if the frequency is in use first), fast Cw streams followed by bursts of RTTY; and of course, your favorite and mine - the underwater data-cranker.

Next up are the east coast dingle-dorks, who waking up start a ragchew right on top of my run frequency ("we've been meeting here every day at this time for the last 10 years and you should already know that").  I totally detest the OPs who say I am on their "NET" frequency, altho no one can be heard.  I move up frequency and 5 minutes later, coming back STILL hear nobody, so I settle back in and continue running the frequency.

At EXACTLY 11:00z Saturday morning, the internet connection flaked and then quickly died.  Eventually the internet icon on the system tray failed to respond, requiring a reboot.  Coming
back up, Windoze Defender indicated that there was a "medium-threat virus attack", which it
then quickly eliminated.  A 2nd reboot found everything back in order; the net result being 40
minutes of wasted off-the-air time.

While most operations we run remotely for this contest, both afternoons found our youngest operator (W6CAS) giving us B-i-C (Butt-in-Chair) action.  Confident that the day shift is covered allows me to "catch up" on my sleep.

Altho we win no significant awards from an operation like this, these events DO make great training exercises.  Newer operators learn contest running, while we veterans find new ways for taking our skills to the next level.

DiD YOU participate in the ARRL DX Ssb contest?

Is NX6T in YOUR LoG?

P.S.: Contest results were published in the September issue of QST magazine.
For the newly added Multi-2 (Multi-OP 2-Transmitter), it would seem that NX6T
took 7th place for USA and Canada; not bad when you consider what we had
to work with.