RAC 1998
Canada Winter Contest QRP Canada Plaque
Ted King VE3FUL
It was quite a surprise when the mail-lady knocked on the door last week and asked me to sign for this strange looking, unexpected package, source not shown. It was an even bigger, and more pleasant surprise, when opened.
I had looked at results for the Winter 97 contest with a top score about
120,000 and figured that there wasn't a chance of winning the 98 contest
with my score.
We had had an ice storm the day before the contest. I have a 2 element quad on a 50 foot crank up tower, that is kept lowered when not in use (about 35 foot level). My other antennae are a 40m double extended Zepp mounted to this tower below the quad with the far ends about 20 feet above ground. An ADI sloper runs at right angles to the Zepp (end fed trap, 160m-30m), but wasn't used. Unfortunately, due to the ice storm, all the halyards that raise/lower and otherwise adjust these antennae were solidly frozen. Thus, the whole contest was done mainly using my Zepp antenna at a center height about 28 feet above ground! This antenna was slightly modified in length (CQ magazine, I think it was October/November 97) so that it could be used down to 160 meters. The 160 meter band netted nothing in contacts (too noisy for voice, and the Perry Contest had CW operators preoccupied).
Contacts above 20 meters were slim (four western provinces only, mainly voice). So most of the work was done on 80, 40 and 20. In 1997, I used a 180 foot inverted L antenna. This antenna was made from open, copper wire (the usual stuff for antennaes). Unfortunately, it was also very prone to static, especially if there were high winds and/or any precipitation. When I built the Zepp antenna, insulated wire was used. This made a very big difference in reducing static levels. Probably the biggest help for contesting was my acquisition of the LDG automatic QRP antenna tuner, allowing rapid frequency changes on the wire antenna. I also had a 30 minute lucky streak on 40 meter phone calling CQ contest and getting replies without being pushed out by the high power boys. Yes, I even had contacts on 40m phone into California--great for only 5 watts!
So for all the other hams out there, QRP works, and you don't need a big antenna complex to get results. Give it a try and next year you too might get a pleasant surprise in the mail.
73/72, Ted