WPX SSB Contest Report

Joe N3HEE

I operated in the CQ WPX SSB contest this past weekend using my Flex 6600M at 100 watts into simple wire antennas.  This was my first serious attempt at WPX.  As many know this is a tough contest with only 100 watts and wire antennas !  Plenty of time and patience are required to put up a decent score.  I have to say that the SSB filters in the Flex are very good.  I was able to pick out and work DX stations that were wedged between strong US stations.  I also have to say the transmitter in the Flex is VERY robust.  I hammered that poor boy on 80 meters with my horizontal loop antenna that didnt want to behave about 3700 Khz.  Very high SWR and the power just folded back and kept on transmitting.  I put in 30 hours and worked 667 contacts for 552,335 points.  Not to shabby for a little pistol ! 

Steven WA8Y

Congratulations!

Joe N3HEE

I will expand a bit on how I am using SSDR on my PC and N1MM together.  I have N1MM set for SO2R however I am not running the radio in FDX due to interstation interference problems at my station.  So this is pseduo SO2R mode. I have two pans open in SSDR.  For example 80 and 40 meters.  I then use the N1MM available mults and Q's window to quickly pounce on needed mults and Q's by clicking on them.  This is all done while I am calling CQ say on 80 meters.  Once I click on a needed mult or Q the radio will tune to that station and I can then see on the pan if it is there or not.  I then stop calling CQ and change N1MM entry window focus to the needed station and quickly work them. I find I can generate some decent rates in pseduo SO2R mode without hearing my transmitter interference.  Of course dueling CQ's is not available without using FDX.  But I rarely use that mode.  Pseduo SO2R would also be great for someone that is not quite ready for full blown SO2R but wants to increase their rate some.  This would be a step up from SO2V (Single OP 2 VFO's) as it gives more user flexibilty.  You need antennas and switching that supports SO2R to do this.  I have multiple wire antennas and a SIX PAK antenna switch.  I use a USB relay connected directly to my 6600M to automatically switch antennas when I change bands.  I also have global profiles set up for band pairs and modes (160/80SSB, 80/40CW, 40/20RTTY, 20/15SSB, etc) so I can quickly change bands or modes.  Now that I have the 6600M it's hard to image contesting the way I did with my K3 and TS-590 pair.

Joe N3HEE

Thanks Steven !