Analysis of K4VPI FD 2001 results
Below is the breakdown with rates of our HF contacts for FD. The rate champs are Obie, WA4DOX, and Josh, KF4YLM, who combined together for a fantastic 54 QSOs during the 0400Z hour. Our average rate for FD was 34 QSOs/hr for the 24 hour period. Our rate was pretty consistant thorughout the contest, a result, I think, of keeping ops in front of both radios almost all the time. The 1400-1500Z hours on Sunday morning was the only period when there was only one operator active - and the drop in rate shows.
As a sidenote, the last hour on 20m cw was the second highest single band rate of the weekend. During that period we were actively running stations on that band. Although the bands were not as crowded by that late hour, I think it illustrates the advantages of running when you can.
40m and 20m accounted for 62% of our contacts, a not surprising fact. These are the traditional "money bands" that can be counted on for the volume of QSOs. 10m was a disappointment, but the propagation gods were just not smiling that weekend. We worked every cw station we could hear, but the activity here as just very low. The surprise was the excellent performance of 80m, due exclusively to Josh, KF4YLM. 80m was in excellent shape for a summer night and he took full advantage of it. We can only hope for such conditions in the future.
Propagation-wise, we seem to have done a good job with
the hand that was dealt us. We were fortunate with 80m, unfortunate
with 10m. 15m performed about as expected. The only question
I can see is "What can be do to improve our signals on 20m and 40m?"
We obviously did well, but what can help us do better?
QSO AND RATE BREAKDOWNS
station: K4VPI
contest: ARRL Field Day
80 40
20 15 10 10
UTC CW CW CW
CW CW PH rate total
----------------------------------------------
18Z 0 1 30
5 0 0 36 36
19Z 0 0
6 2 0 0
8 44
20Z 0 0 11
28 0 0 39 83
21Z 0 2 12
16 0 0 30 113
22Z 0 0 12
14 0 0 26 139
23Z 0 0 14
13 0 0 27 166
00Z 0 0 22
14 0 0 36 202
01Z 0 18 31
0 0 0 49 251
02Z 0 24 20
0 0 0 44 295
03Z 29 19 0
0 0 0 48 343
04Z 29 25 0
0 0 0 54 397
05Z 16 26 0
0 0 0 42 439
06Z 26 14 0
0 0 0 40 479
07Z 9 16
0 0 0 0 25
504
08Z 17 18 0
0 0 0 35 539
09Z 18 18 0
0 0 0 36 575
10Z 0 23
5 0 0 0 28
603
11Z 0 31
9 0 0 0 40
643
12Z 0 13
9 0 0 0 22
665
13Z 0 8 15
13 0 0 36 701
14Z 0 0 11
4 0 0 15 716
15Z 0 0
0 12 5 1 18
734
16Z 0 1 12
10 0 0 23 757
17Z 0 0 27
15 2 0 44 801
18Z 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 801
19Z 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 801
20Z 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 801
---------------------------------------------
tot 144 257 46 46
7 1 -- 801
18% 32% 30% 18%
(2%)
We have concentrated our efforts exclusively on cw because
of the high point value of the contacts. I still think this is a
good strategy (as the analysis of the FD 2000 results below shows) but
since digital QSOs also count 2 points, perhaps we should consider including
digital capabilities next year. This would broaden the pool of potential
ops and, perhaps, also increase our pool of potential QSOs. I don't
think the rates for digital can match cw, but for short periods digital
contacts may give a worked-out band time to recuperate, particularly when
search and pounce is the dominant operating technique. The excellent
weak signal performance of PSK31 would fit well with our QRP operation.
To be successful, it will be necessary for the digital ops to be experienced
with the software and digital operating techniques BEFORE Field Day.
Below are the top six scores in the 2A-Battery category
for the 2000 Field Day. Based on these results, our K4VPI effort
looks like a contender for a top five spot. Below the number of QSOs
for each entry I've estimated the split for QSOs between cw (or digital)
and phone. I've ignored any bonus points, since it is not possible
to determine how many each group claimed, so the splits are estimates.
It is obvious that all the groups relied upon a combination of phone and
cw for their scores (even, paradoxically, the so-called WV-CW-NUTS. Perhaps
they are not as nuts about cw as they claim ;-). All of the groups
claimed the x5 multiplier for QRP except for the Fauquier ARA, W4VA.
The impact of the x5 multiplier versus the x2 multiplier (between 5W and
150W) is quite obvious when looking at the scores. The Fauquier ARA
logged over 2000 QSOs, far more than any other 2A-Battery group but finished
with a score little more than one-third that of the top scoring Colorado
QRP Club. Notice that the Colorado QRP Club and the Fauquier ARA
both included Novice/Tech stations. Although it is impossible to
deduce the contributions of the Novice/Tech station to the club effort,
this year (2001) is supposed to be the last year for that "freebie" station.
We'll have to wait and see what, if anything, replaces it.
FD 2000 Results (from QST)
2A-Battery
Club
#QSOs Score
Sec
Colorado QRP Club
W0CQC (+KA5WET)
1668
15,025 CO
(1337/331)
WV-CW-Nuts
W8DL
1300
10,665 WV
(833/467)
West Park Radio Ops ARC
W8VM
1018
8,980 OH
(778/240)
MN Wireless Assoc.
W0AA
710
6,765 MN
(553/234)
Paulding Co. ARC
W4TIY
787
6,700 GA
(553/234)
Fauquier ARA
W4VA (+N3TKU)
2006
6,650 VA
(1319/687)
N4GU 6/27/01