Flex 6700 in CQ WW CW Contest

Here is my 3830 report. The 6700 worked really well and I am starting to really believe it is a breakthough contest radio:

** In big 'packet pileups' where the operator was not working split, I would pull the panfall display way out so I could if see the DX station was using his RIT to pick off callers slightly off frequency. The ultra high resolution of the panfall made this easy and effective.

** Adjusting the AGC-T as band conditions changed to keep signal to noise at optimum levels.

** Nice sounding received CW audio kept 'ear fatigue' in check.

Now the issues:

** Badly need an 'abort' button for CWX. I was using CWX via N1MM Logger+, there were many times I wanted to stop a transmission once initiated but couldn't.

** Need the ability to control CWX speed from N1MM Logger+

** CWX would not send the portable designator "/", when I entered a call such as TF3CW/M into the N1MM Logger+ window and hit enter the call TF3CWM would be transmitted. This was a particular hassle when running JAs lots of whom have portable calls.

** On Friday night the 6700 just switched itself off. When I powered it back up it was to the blank window (no panfall). Took several restarts of SSDR to get the radio functioning and then I had to redo all the settings.

** On the positive side, I did not experience the random inability to transmit. Maybe this problem is unique to SSB and digital modes?



Call: W0LFA
Operator(s): AA7XT
Station: W0LFA

Class: SOSB(A)/10 HP  QTH: Glade Park CO  Operating Time (hrs):     Summary:   Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries  ------------------------------    160:                         80:                         40:                         20:                         15:                         10:  935    37      146  ------------------------------  Total:  935    37      146  Total Score = 483,669    Club: Grand Mesa Contesters of Colorado    Comments:    Went into the contest with the goal of working all 40 zones on 10 meters over  the weekend and only called CQ when there were no multipliers to chase. Missed  zones 17, 21 and 22.    I heard several zone 21 stations weakly Saturday morning with big pileups so  figured I'd swing by later and work 'em all. Well, when I came back they were  all gone! Doh! Sunday, I never heard zone 21 at all. Lesson learned - don't  assume they'll be around or louder, later.    I thought maybe there would be some VUs workable in zone 22 on 10m in the  evening if ten stayed open long enough but the band closed both nights around  0230z save for some ZLs which hung in quite a bit longer.    Ten never quite stretched to zone 17 either morning. Worked many Russians but  no "deep Russians."    Zone 23 (Chinese station) and 34 (SU0ERA) came easy. Happy to see club station  SU0ERA and the club station in Haiti active. Also happy with what feels like  growing contest activity from China, Thailand and Indonesia each year.    Sunday was a let down. Had 138 countries when i closed down Saturday night and  only worked 8 more countries on Sunday. Was hoping for a few last minute new  multipliers but they never showed. Heard lots of AU buzz on Sunday but the WWV  numbers never showed anything unusual ionosphere-wise.    Antenna was a prototype Force 12 XR6 "+40" which covers 7 bands on a  15 foot boom with two active elements on 10m. Rig was Flex 6700 which is  proving itself a fine contest radio. N1MM Logger+ worked great. Amp was a  borrowed 87A (thanks, K0UK) while my Prometheus gets a transistor upgrade.    See you in the 10m test!    73  Bill AA7XT