WHY I Do Radiosport - PT. 3 - Learning Technology Improvement



Many people (radio amateurs & "civilians") often ask why I spend so much time engaging in radiosport.  This series of posts in the WQ6X Contest BLOG is an attempt to answer that question.
Click [HERE] for Part 1 and [HERE] for Part 2.

The 3rd installment in this series is about taking the understanding of our equipment and antennas
to the next level.  Over the years, the main transceiver in my operation(s) have grown in ability from
a Kenwood TS-50 & loaded TS-450s to an ICOM 7000 & Yaesu FT-900 and then to a Yaesu FT-920, eventually "trading up" to the current Yaesu FT-1000mp (with the IC-7000 as backup radio).

Despite the radio upgrades,  WQ6X operations have kept the same audio filters; either an MFJ-752 + JPS  NIR-12 combo (in past years) to the more recent Autek QF1-A and JPS NIR-12 combinations. 

It might surprise you that I go to the trouble of adding external filtering to radios (like the FT-1000mp & ICOM-7000) that already have their own DSP filtering.  In truth, no DSP or interference filtering is a panacea. 

It has been said that we don't get something for nothing. Example: many noise blanking circuits either add their own distortion (at high[er] signal levels) or make the receiver more susceptible to "AGC-pumping" in the vicinity of STRONG signals.

When the Collins 75-A4 was introduced, the noise blanking circuitry sampled the noise-blanking signal OUTSIDE the amateur bands (usually BELOW the Cw band segments); doing it this way reduces the likelihood of strong signals keying the noise blanker.

In recent months, I have added an Elecraft K3/0 to lineup allowing more effective remote of the facilities @ NX6T.  While K3 radios (in Fallbrook) have built-in IF-based DSP, no DSP is perfect.  Sometimes the K3's NB and/or DNR circuits seem to have no effect.  Other times - WoW - the
effect is DRAMATIC.  Nevertheless, the K3/0 audio is fed into one or more QF-1A filters.

Whether or not I make even a single QSO in a radiosport event, the GiGs offer the opportunity to learn the intricacies of the equipment configurations.  Listening to signals under QRM-ridden or QRM-free conditions allows experimenting with the built-in DSP and external audio-filter combinations.


In particular, the Autek QF-1A filter
can produce subtle (yet powerful) audio peaking; rivaling if not exceeding the APF knobs found on radios like the Kenwood TS-930 / TS-940.

I am always amazed how well the
QF-1A can boost a signal right out of
the noise or above other signals inside
the audio passband.


While the FT-1000mp possesses an audio-based "contour" control and DNF (Digital Notch Filter), those features work ONLY with the Main-RX, not the Sub-RX.  Inserting the QF-1A / NIR-12 pair in the sub-audio line offers up DNR & DNF functionally equivalent to those features present with the Main-RX.  Learning to leverage the entirety of these controls is what radiosport is all about.
And then, it's practice, practice, practice.

When I discovered the world of "Stereo Cw", these filter combinations took on new possibilities.  (CLICK [HERE] & [HERE] to read about that.  With an understanding of stereo-Cw, "playing around" with the various filter combinations & settings has transformed my radiosport operating enjoyment, and as a result, made a considerable improvement in scores WQ6X submits to the contest committees.

Put simply - a MAJOR reason I do radiosport, is because, for me, it's just FUN.

What about YOU?
Why do YOU do radiosport?

WHY I Do Radiosport - PT. 2 - Emergency Preparedness

The previous BLOG entry in this series gave me a chance to genuflect on the last 10+ years of radiosport activities.  In Part 2 of this series I want to share some further details from what was written up in Part 1.

Some radio amateurs spend their operating time engaged in emergency preparedness while deriding the time spent by other amateurs who spend time engaging in radiosport competitions.  Evidently it does not occur to them that radiosport operators are often more effective at getting the message through than anyone else; we "rehearse" doing so, nearly every weekend.

Because I often ran radiosport events from portable locations such as hotel rooms, these activities gave me a considerable amount experience in quick-setup an easy takedown of radio equipment and makeshift antenna configurations.

One of the more frustrating portable antenna designs was the 2010 WQ6X Classic Hamstick dipole.  Against a flat wall it had limited azimuth coverage but produced an amazingly low-angle signal.

Also in 2010 WQ6X ran a loaded Kenwood TS-450s from a number of hotel locations into the Hamstick dipole and an MFJ "Apartment" antenna.

While the TS-450s tuner can match/load nearly any antenna (it once produced a mobile QSO w/JA on 17-m Cw using a 2-m magmount) without an elaborate counterpoise system there was always nasty RF floating around the room.

Altho wonderful, cascading MFJ-7523C and JPS NIR-12 audio filters make operations more effective.

While the NIR-12 now runs in the RX-B audio line on my current Yaesu FT-1000mp, the MFJ-752's have been relegated to the "research lab", replaced by a pair of more capable Autek QF-1 filters.  Having a built-in audio-based DSP built-in to the transceiver (RX-A) and the external NIR-12 audio DSP (RX-B) gives the radio contest power of DSP-based transceivers costing $3K, and, with greater flexibility.

As equipment and antennas have improved considerably since 2011, each step of the way has taught me new approaches towards improving operating efficiency.  Should a "disaster" strike, having operators like WQ6X in your EOC (Emergency Operations Center) will help get the message
through - every time - because that's what we do.

How do YOU leverage your radiosport operating skills?

WQ6X prepares for Cinco-de-Contest Weekend - Pt. 2

I no sooner published the original BLOG entry about preparing for Cinco-de-Contest when I discovered more pictures from past 5-contest weekends in May.   In 2014, after securing a 1st-place (worldwide) win w/N6GEO in the RTTY RU, I enjoyed a number of multi-OP events w/the crew @ NX6T culminating in a 1st-place win for the NEQP QSO Party.

What I learned from 2014 I applied to a WQ6X SOAB portable operation from W7AYT's QTH to secure a 1st-place for W6-land (California).   While I managed a 1st-place plaque for 2016-7QP,
for 2017 the competition evidently wised-UP, leaving WQ6X with a 3rd-place certification; not too
bad, when I consider the limited antenna configuration in use @W7AYT at that time.

Also in 2017, WQ6X accomplished as a Single-OP something not possible @NX6T - finally taking a 1st-place in the Italian ARI contest.  Understand that the score I amassed in that event was HARDLY a BiG one; however it was greater than anyone in USA who submitted a legitimate LoG.

Additionally in 2017 was a 1st-place win in the INQP contest, with a whopping 8 QSOs for 804 points.  Ironically, in 2018 as a multi-OP with NX6T, we also took a 1st-place - with 8 QSOs resulting in 804 points.

What we learn from this is to ALWAYS submit a contest LoG, no matter how pitiful your score may seem.  If no other logs are submitted in your operating category, you win by default.

You may recall one of my operating mantra's: "When in Doubt: CHEAT! (but within the rules) ".  Because the concept is so easily mis-understood, I wrote a separate BLOG entry about it.  ([CLICK HERE] to read this BLOG Entry.)

As you can see, at NX6T we rely on unique operating aids to make for larger radiosport scores.  NYE Viking Kilowatt+ tuners give us
a more perfect match to the 160 & 80 meter double-bazooka inverted Vee's.

MR. Bill and the [EASY] button are also utilized, if for no other purpose than to give station operators more luck. 

Then again, I remember that Thomas Jefferson once said, "I am a great believer in luck; and I find, the harder I work the more luck I have.

Hard work becoming a success is no accident.

In radiosport, submitting a winning score is also no accident.  To give me a better chance of winning
a given even (or set of events), in advance of the contest weekend I read the rules of each contest, update the contest logging software, check the space weather forecasts and review previous year
log and BLOG submissions.

What about YOU?

What do YOU do to prepare for radiosport events?

WQ6X prepares for another Cinco-de-Contest Weekend

If you've been following the WQ6X contest BLOG you are probably aware that I enjoy the many "flavors" of radio sport operations; including (but not limited to) Cw, RTTY, Ssb, low power, high power, DX contests, state/area QSO Parties, Sweepstakes and multi-OP events, including Field Day and various special events such as the SEQP and International Lighthouse GiG.

The first contest weekend of May offers up a variety of 5 radiosport events; 4 state QSO parties and the Italian ARI Dx contest.  In preparation for the 2019 Cinco-de-Contest weekend, I decided to review past involvement in these contest GiGs.  Documented in the WQ6X Contest BLOG are the following CQ de Contests:

1. 2018 - Dual-OP as NX6T and WQ6X
2. 2017 - WQ6X Survives another 5-contest Weekend
3. 2016 - WQ6X runs 5 contests simultaneously
4. 2014 - WQ6X joins Team NX6T for a 4-Contest Weekend

I first found about the May GiGs back in 2010, when as a newcomer to Team NX6T Dennis (N6KI) suggested that we tackle all 5 GiGs, somehow  integrating all the QSO party logs into one operation.

Because the ARI contest is first on the list for the weekend, we turned the yagi to 30-degrees hoping for a good Italian turnout.  Had we correctly read the rules, we would have realized that in the ARI contest, anyone can work anyone, altho Italian stations are worth more points per contact.  After turning away 50+ non-Italian stations we reread the rules realizing our mistake: we futilely attempted to woo lost QSOs into the log.

Over the years, practice makes perfect as demonstrated by NX6T's 2018 1st-place 7QP win. 
I was a part of that mult-OP operation, interlaced with a WQ6X operation from W7AYT.


Over the years, WQ6X made forays to Fallbrook, joining the various OPs who also like to play in State QSO Parties.  Those operations resulted in a number of NEQP Multi-OP 1st-place plaques.

In 2016, running the FT-1000mp from W7AYT's QTH into an early incarnation of the WQ6X Lazy 8JK Sloper, stupendously, WQ6X walked away with the 7QP 1st-Place Single-OP plaque. I was just "screwing around", but evidently was on the right frequencies at the right time, making it all work.

 Rereading the above referenced BLOG entries is giving me a number of operating improvements allowing WQ6X to run another Dual-OP GiG, similar to 2018.

As we often say in my Alameda Tongue Twisters Toastmaster's club, "We're not Perfect - we're always getting better"


The way to better ourselves in Radiosport is to revisit our previous operations and study the soapbox comments of contest competitors.  Remember: "He/She who does not learn from the past is doomed to repeat it".  What about YOU?  Do you review Your previous contest operations?
What do You learn from YOUR past?

WHY I Do Radiosport - PT. 1 - Operating Skill Improvement

This is the 1st in a new WQ6X Contest BLOG series.
Having passed the 225-mark in posts to the WQ6X contest BLOG, in looking back over the
6 1/2 years of BLOG-Entry writing I give pause to consider why I play in radiosport events. 

During some event GiGs when things go wrong, if you were the [proverbial] "fly on the wall", you might watch me nearly tear-my-hair out, when equipment/internet failures set in and/or when other operators do things that are incredibly STUPID.  I became so incensed by these IDIOTs I began a BLOG series entitled: "The Role of Respect in Radiosport".  ([CLICK HERE] to read that)

Those frustrating periods aside, radiosport is one of the best things that has ever "happened" to me; getting a ham license at age 14 of course tops that.  It is through radiosport that I have been exposed to all different kinds of enhanced technology; not only in the radio world itself, but in the world of computer performance, software design, travelling and even writing, BLOGs like this.

As I became more interested in the idea that I might actually win section awards and division plaques in various radiosport events, I was inspired to leverage my love for software design into tools and accessories that can enhance my radiosport operations; be they fixed, portable or internet-remote. 

When I learn a new computer language or design technique, I leverage that knowledge into some piece of software that I can use in MY life.  As a semi-PRO Blackjack player, that is how the "Boris
for Blackjack" (BorisBJ21.Com) simulation software came about; since 1992, the software has evolved dramatically.

WQ6X Software" was created as an adjunct to radiosport activity.  For example, when I discovered the value of tracking the NCDXF propagation beacons, an APP was developed to assist that action.  Finding free space on the APP screen made it possible to also track space weather data as well.

Because the JIDX (Japanese International Dx) Contest is in my top-10 list, another software APP came about in the form of  the "WQ6X Prefecture Tracker" for inputting a JIDX LoG file to sort the prefectures worked on each band.  Using this data, I am now able to make an application to the JARL for a number of JA-related awards; a daunting challenge with or without the software.
If YOU possess software development talent, I encourage you to devise custom software for improving your own radiosport abilities.

Success with the JIDX tracker prompted me to write the "WQ6X CQP Tracker" for tracking CA counties worked - leveraging the underlying software platform .DLL's.  Because radiosport relies on the visual experience (similar to playing Blackjack), it became clear that I needed a screen capture application for snapping, documenting and organizing Blackjack/Radiosport activity. 

Taking things one step further, it became clear that a SnapShot application would be beneficial to my Introspection Therapy / Neurofeedback practice. I devised a separate design moniker aptly named "NeuroLogik Solutions" for producing this wide-reaching software APP.  Having a license to my own software designs, I have since embedded the SnapShot camera into most of the Boris & WQ6X software designs (as you can see with the above Beacon Tracker").
([CLICK HERE] to obtain your own copy of SnapShot Version 3.5.)

Several years ago, I wrote a custom Excel spreadsheet for tracking the various "flavors" of radiosport activity I engage in every year.  Producing graphs from those years brought me an astonishing look at WQ6X's operational breakdown.

Because I don't have an official "home QTH" running radiosport from portable locations has been my ticket to being on the air, sometimes under the most adverse of operating conditions.  For me, it has often been Field Day (FD) over a dozen times a year.

In recent years I have put together a semi-permanent operation from W7AYT's QTH in Concord California, in the East Bay (EB) ARRL section.  The Concord location alone has introduced me to a new bunch of operating challenges.  While I yearn for a conflict-free weekend, there is something to be said about encountering operating difficulties and then finding a unique solution to those maladies.

How about YOU?

Why do YOU do radiosport?
I would enjoy hearing YOUR Ideas.

WQ6X does April RTTY & Oranges

W Q 6 X operating from Alameda + Stat Screen Collage



The last weekend in April is relatively quiet, radiosport-wise.  For this last weekend there were
3 radiosport competitions which I deemed worthy of further investigation:

1. [?] - SP-DX RTTY Contest
2. [?] - Helvetia Contest
3. [?] - The FL QSO Party (FQP)

For this weekend, the Helvetia contest was another no-show disappointment @NX6T in Fallbrook.  Last year (2018), evidently I was off doing other things as there is no evidence of any WQ6X radiosport activity in the above events.  In 2017 while WQ6X worked both the Helvetia and
SP-DX contests for the 1st time, they were on different weekends in April.

Also on this weekend Japanese amateurs were holding their own regional contest (similar to
the Russian's  domestic GiG the weekend before).  This populated the bandmap with 100's of unworkable JA stations (many of the signals being S9+  on 40 meters and S3 - S5 on 80).  One way of solving this "problem" is by changing the TELNET settings, taking the unworkable JA calls
out of the band map.  Then again, leaving them IN the bandmap makes it easier to avoid that area
of the Cw spectrum while tuning around.

W Q 6 X  running  N X 6 T's  STN-1  in  Fallbrook  remotely

To guarantee QSOs in the LoG, the decision was made to run high power (990 watts) into the C-31 yagi (for the high bands), a 2-el Shorty-40 and a 13mh inverted Vee for 80.   FQP doesn't run 80-meters, leaving the Vee for the SP-DX Rtty.

While FQP began at 16:00z, because the main focus was RTTY, switching over to Cw didn't happen until 22;30z on 20 meters; altho earlier a periodic look at 10 & 15 meters yielded no Florida stations - Bummer Dewd!

Anticipating working Asian station on RTTY (each contact worth 10 points),
I turned to the Russian Letter Beacons (7.039 Mhz) for an idea of how propagation to Asia might turn out.

As it turns out, the resultant predictions turned out to be relatively accurate.  Pointing the antenna to 320-degrees yielded scores of JA & UA0 stations.  A number of surprise calls came from stations like: 9M2, 8N3, YB7, YC4, BA5, BH6 & HL5; the last contact in the log being with DU1/N6NPX.

From this last weekend I have 2 radiosport beefs; one from FQP and one from the RTTY contest.  There were MANY non-4 stations operating from Florida this year.  While that is nice, unless I asked them SPECIFICALLY, I had NO WAY of knowing they are in Florida.  There are 2 solutions to this dilemma; signing /4 is an obvious one.  An even better solution is to add the 3-char county abbv. to your callsign, as the rover stations do, making our job easier and putting MORE QSOs in their logs.  For example: if WQ6X were to run from Miami-Dade, the CQ would look like: CQ FQP WQ6X/DAD WQ6X/DAD.  BTW, most RTTY contests would REQUIRE WQ6X to sign /4 ; i.e. WQ6X/4.

In RTTY contests one of my BEEFS
is stations who jump on my frequency EXACTLY, as if they didn't know I was there.  In a Cw contest, being NEAR
my run frequency is understandable.

EXACTness (down to 1hz) is
NO ACCIDENT. SPECIFIC run frequencies are purposely chosen
(such as 14085.85 or 7047.47) . 
Getting PERFECT copy on the RTTY decoding, I know the offending station HEARD ME FIRST before they decided to attempt grabbing the frequency.

This weekend offered up an opportunity to give another test to the rerouted audio cables to the Autek QF-1A
and MFJ-751 analog audio filters.

Because these filters occur on the remote side of the connection, they are no good for Rtty decoding; luckily
the Elecraft K3's Shift/Width/DSP circuits handle most
of the required filtering.  However, for Cw, this filter combination is outstanding.  Properly adjusted, the resultant "Stereo-Cw" effect is an unbeatable combination.  ([CLICK HERE] to read the recent
BLOG I wrote on this useful filter side-effect.)

When adjacent channel RTTY stations move in, with this filter combination, the RTTY audio of the nearby stations is attenuated considerably, saving my ears (and sanity)
at the very least.

Overall, this was a successful contest weekend.  While I managed to S&P a few multipliers into the RTTY log, the secret to this weekend was to find
quiet frequencies to run.

In contest events like the FQP, being an out-of-state station, running frequencies is not necessary.
Thanks to Stereo-Cw concept coupled with the Elecraft K3/0's R-I-T control, each station to work is easily "moved" into the audio passband for near-perfect copy that even the K3's DSP can't do any better.

Did YOU work the SP-DX RTTY contest and Florida QSO Party?

Is WQ6X in YOUR LoG?

Some Further Thoughts regarding Stereo CW

           It has been quite some time since I originally shared my discovery of Stereo Cw. 
               ([CLICK HERE] to read the original article.

You don't need a dual-watch or dual-receive radio to transform your stereo headphones into an incredible operating experience.  With Stereo Cw you DO need to be ready for signals to be shifting around "inside your head" as you tune THROUGH a signal or use the R-I-T control to "position" the signal "in your head"; or, if you prefer, "between your ears".

Properly centered, tuning the R-I-T +/- 150 cycles can "position" a signal in the upper-left of my hearing or the upper-right.  With the R-I-T = 0, the signal "appears" to be "in front" of me.  At first
this takes some getting used to; then, later, you wonder how you ever ran a radio contest without it.

In the original article I detailed the Stereo Cw circuit and then suggested that we can simulate
that circuit by way of two outboard filters properly offset from each other.  For my portable setup at W7AYT's QTH I use a pair of Autek QF-1A audio filters; one for each ear. 

To enhance my operations from Alameda, I recently implemented a filter combination; an Autek
QF-1A for the left ear and an MFJ-751 for the right side.  Separate splitter cables separate the
input audio towards each outboard unit and recombine it back into a stereo cable plugged into
a wireless headset transmitter.

In the above picture, notice the QF-1A setting (for the left ear) is for HP (High Pass), while the MFJ-751 setting (for the right ear) is for LP (Low Pass).  Tuning a signal from high-pitch to low
causes the signal to "move" from the left-side of my experience, to more towards the right-side.  Likewise, tuning a signal from low-pitch to high causes it to shift from my right-side, "thru my head" and eventually to the left; continue tuning to a higher pitch and the signal will seem to move to the "upper left" of my experience.  (Reverse the Ears to Reverse the Direction-flow.)

An additional advantage to using Autek QF-1A (or MFJ-752) outboard filters comes from the auxiliary notch filter those units have; the MFJ-751 possesses no such additional filter.  This secondary [notch] filter can notch-reduce a signal in the passband for that ear.  Use of these external filters takes the concept of an APF (Audio Peak Filter) circuit to the next level. 

Combine these filters with a transceiver's existing DSP configuration - either audio-based (as with the Yaesu FT-1000mp) or IF-based (as found with the Elecraft K3 and K3/0) - resulting in a double-whammy against all manner of complex
noise and QRM.


Combining analog and digital technologies allows co-leveraging BOTH methods to alleviate
a single/combined source of QRM & QRN.  Realize that every attempt at filtering audio may itself introduce its own "artifact" (QRM).  For example, "pushing" the QF-1A filter to its limit may introduce "ringing", requiring that the filter intensity be "backed off" a little.

With external audio filters adjusted similar to the above-mentioned setup, running pileups becomes considerably more DO-able; different signals with different offsets are experienced either in the left-side, right-side or "middle" of the listener's "Experience".

Stereo CW is an incredible augmentation to radiosport signal copying. 
While it does nothing to boost the transmitted signal, it makes once-difficult copy copyable. 
Regardless the quality of the transmitted signal, if "I can't hear 'em, I can't work 'em".

What about You?  What do YOU do to make signals more readable?

WQ6X runs CQ-MM & 4 other Radiosport GiGs

Remote Operation from Alameda

A major goal for WQ6X's 2019 radiosport operations is to participate in a large variety of different radiosport events throughout the year, exceeding the 82 events run in 2017 and even the 74 events during last year's operations.

There exists a number of ways to accomplish this.  Last year I transformed what began as a "flirtation" with Dual-OP'ing contests (operating NX6T remotely, utilizing the "off time" to run as WQ6X from W7AYT in the same contest) into a legitimate, premeditated, operating strategy.

Depending upon the collection of radiosport events on a given weekend, in past contest years I have occasionally run a "separate-but-dual" operation from Fallbrook; joining the NX6T crew's Multi-Single DX contest operations (on STN-2), while running a state QSO Party, or a "little" RTTY contest from STN-1. 

A secret to making this work is to REMEMBER that our amateur bands are more-or-less harmonically-related.  I take the attitude that the NX6T operation takes priority over WQ6X's
runs on STN-1.  Altho I've never dual-OP'ed from NX6T in the same contest, theoretically, doing-so
is legitimately "cheating, but within the rules".  The recent WPX-Ssb & JIDX events are examples of [off-site] dual-operating a single contest event. 

AUTEK QF-1A  &  MFJ-751

This weekend offered up the opportunity to test-run an Autek QF-1A and MFJ-751 filter combination while running several different contest events remotely from Alameda in order to "UP" the 2019-year total.  Scrolling through the WA7BNM Contest Calendar identified 7 contest events over a 50+ hour timeframe, beginning 21:00z on Friday, ending 23:59z on Sunday.

1.  ([View]) Holy Land DX Contest
2.  ([View]) ES-Open (Estonia) 80m/40m
3. ([View]) WA-PoC (China)
4. ([View]) YU-Dx Contest
5. ([View]) CQ MM Contest
6. ([View]) MIQP - Michigan QSO Party
7. ([View]) ONQP - Ontario QSO Party

 

While I listened for Holy land stations and noticed over a dozen bandmap spots for those stations, similar to previous years, no QSOs were logged with those stations.  From Southern California, the secret to working into the middle east is to point antennas in that direction during the morning and afternoon "greyline" time periods.  Doing that in the past has allowed me to "happen onto" a 5 - 15 minute "opening" allowing 4X6 or 4X4 stations to drift and float in/out of the receive passband.

Likewise, while spots were seen for "ES" stations, none were actually heard above S-2 in Fallbrook, leaving 5 out of the original 7 radiosport events to fill out WQ6X's contest weekend.  Overall, this weekend was QUITE a disappointment; other than the CQMM contest, the WAPoC, YUDX and both QSO parties lacked the kind of participation I would expect in such radiosport events. 

Because of other non-Radiosport commitments, it was not possible to begin the CQMM event until 01:25z (Saturday afternoon PDT).  However, once I got started, the QSO total took off immediately.

Usually the remote operations from NX6T bring out the intentional QRM'ers in the evening/nighttime on 40 meters.  This CQMM contest was similar but different; at 02:00z while running a frequency (14026.26) an annoying
"data cranker" made the scene.
Shifting up frequency worked for a
few minutes until he followed me
again and again.  By 03:00z 40-meters was way overdue, offering a legitimate reason to make the switch to 40-meters, without the data cranker.


At 05:00z an I encountered a CQMM station on 7.000.22 with a station purposely tuning up atop the CQ'ing station, making QSOs with the band-edge station, all but impossible.  Tuning below the band edge (6997.5) the "CQ MM" call was plainly copyable, technically out-of-band.  While an intentional-carrier is an intentional-QRM violation, if the CQ caller had been running on 7002 (or above) I doubt the interfering carrier would have started-up in the first place.

On 40-meters in the evening, RTTY QRM usually occurs during Ssb GiGs (like the recent ARRL Dx Contest).  For this weekend the RTTY QRM occurred at 05:00z while calling CQ MM on 7015.15. 
Are people THAT bored they have nothing else better to do than play RTTY in the Cw portion of
the band?

W Q 6 X  after  DARK

Running frequencies is always full of surprises.  One such surprise occurred this weekend during the CQ-MM contest when out of nowhere 9L1YXJ called "out of the blue", sent "5NN AF" and promptly disappeared back into the NR-Dsp threshold; at first, Initially, I thought it was a KL1 station (Alaska) as the antenna was pointed to 330-degrees, not 90-degrees.)

C - 3 1 (Tower #1) & Stepp - IR + Shorty - 40 (Tower #2)

Another surprise was finding Sunday openings to South America on 10 & 15 meters. Then it occurred to me that switching from the C-31 Yagi to the Stepp-IR on Tower 2 allows the possibility of running BI-Directional to work Asia (AS) and South America (SA) simultaneously.  Because QSOs outside
of NA are worth 3 to 10 points, running BI-Directional is a good strategy.

C Q M M  - E n d I n g  S t a t s

Submitting all 5 logs and posting the scores on the 3830 Scores website, it would seem that technically, even with minimal score submissions, WQ6X may have inadvertently taken a 1st place in several of those GiGs.  For the CQMM contest, WQ6X may well have made a 1st-place for the Left Coast.

Did YOU work the CQMM contest (or one of the other GiGs)?
Is WQ6X in YOUR Log?

WQ6X runs JIDX-Cw and a few other things

K 3 / 0 +  FT - 1 0 0 0mp

In the previous Blog entry I wrote up an overview of JIDX Cw GiGs WQ6X has been a part of in the last 6+ years.  ([CLICK HERE] to read that Blast from the Past.)  JIDX coincides with the NCDXF Foundations' DX convention in Visalia (Southeast from here), leaving a dearth of Cw operators available to reprise another NX6T plaque from the Japanese International DX (JIDX) contest.

By Friday we cobbled together a trio of operators: KI6RRN, WM6Y & WQ6X.  While this was largely
a remote operation, at one point 01:00z-6pm) Phil (WM6Y) actually achieved B-I-C (Butt-in-Chair) status atop the hill in Fallbrook.  It's always nice to have real live operators onsite and in the chair. 

Who nose, one day we may have an android-assisted category: Single-OP Android, Single-OP remote-Android, Mult-OP 2-Androids.

Because this weekend coincides with a number of state QSO parties and "mini" Dx contests, I decided
to bring the Elecraft K3/0 bag to W7AYT giving direct Ethernet access for remoting into NX6T to work JIDX while running the other contest GiGs on the side using the Yaesu FT-1000mp.  Thanks to a considerably higher Solar Flux Index (SFI) of 77 I was hoping for improved band conditions (over previous weeks).

Being a San Francisco Giants (baseball) fan, while waiting for JIDX I decided to watch them beat Denver 3-to-2; but in 18 innings (over at 1am Pdt).  JIDX was well under way @ NX6T w/KI6RRN running things from the STN-1 remote "chair".

Typical of my visits to W7AYT, getting a stable internet connection is an unnecessarily-challenging hassle; this weekend being no exception.  Usually I can get an IP-connection for the K3/0 and difficulty w/VNC Viewer; this weekend was just the reverse. 

W I N T E S T  &  R C F o r b

In order to take the "helm" at 09:00z (2am) I reverted to a backup to the backup plan: VNC Viewer for running WINTEST and the antiquated RCForb (control software) to run the radio.  Other than having RCForb's "buckshot" riddled audio requiring callsign repeats, I managed over 125+ QSOs
on 40 (mainly) and 80 meters.

After 5+ hours sleep I was back at it, but on the WQ6X side of things.  The QSO parties were kinda full of activity, at least for GA & New Mexico.  No "0" stations were heard from North Dakota (ND); wassup with THAT? 

New Mexico stations were plentiful; finding stations in GA required a "field telescope" in order to locate their peachy signals.  Unfortunately, NMQP is only a 12 hour contest - wassup with THAT?   If you want us to work you, then give us multi-band access during the evening hours.  Otherwise, whut's the point?

The K3/0 internet access never materialized; having RCForb ready as a backup to the backup plan (blue Ethernet cabling) is always a good idea - altho having to endure "buckshot audio" (requiring LoTsa repeats) was no fun, at LEAST there was audio.

When running NX6T remotely, I would often dial-up the run frequency on the local FT-1000mp using RX-A as an extended Cw sidetone monitor.  This allowed using RX-B to locate stations for WQ6X's bandmap (N1MM+ ran in the background tracking the 1000mp's receivers).

3 8 3 0  Scores  Results

Considering that we ran JIDX with only 3 operators (2 of them remote) we ran an amazing operation.  As in recent years, we bested our nemesis HG7T.  Unfortunately, the team of K3EST & N6RO (Et. al.) showed up out of nowhere.  Unless their log is riddled with errors, they will take the Top-Mop plaque.  Of course, having an operator who speaks fluent Japanese is a plus for a Japanese Dx contest.  Possibly it is time for me to retread Japanese lessons once attempted many, many years ago.




N X 6 T @ 13:00z  (Sunrise) - after J I D X

Did YOU work the JIDX Cw contest?
How many prefectures did You work?