Tag Archives: france. shack

CQ WPX – If it could have gone wrong, it did

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What a disaster.

Everything that could have gone wrong, did for me. I could go into detail, but will list instead.

  • Uncle passed away
    • No operation from France
  • Finish Radio Shack
  • Radio/Antenna
    • Only assembled days before (thanks James M0BOV)
    • To finish, had tools missing (mainly had Metric, and needed 2x ¼” sockets)
      • Also couldn’t find Self-amalgamating tape
    • Weather & Night time prevented this being looked at until gone 5am, 5hrs into contest
    • Tried with Antenna horizontal, but stations couldn’t hear me
  • PC
    • Crashed, more than once
      • Installed 2nd Soundcard to handle the Digital Voice Keying. Computer wouldn’t load
      • Removed and PC wouldn’t start.
        • Finally found that Video card wasn’t seated properly
    • LCD Screen caused interference on 40m
      • No Filter I could add
        • Quickly brought15″ CRT down
          • Still not able to get signal out

Anyway, not sure how I should finish this article, been looking at for few days. Just the main this is I have definately learnt lessons from this.

So, Plans do not always go to plan, & even if you change you plans everything make seem to be going OK, until the crunch time. Planning is underway for testing radio BEFORE next contest, and to make sure where possible have backup solutions.