HOW DID YOU IMPROVE YOUR STATION BEFORE CQ WW 2007?

By Jamie Dupree NS3T, radio-sport.net 

One thing that seems true about many things in life is that many of the same people who excel at something also spend a lot of time looking for ways to improve - even when they are at the top of their game.

"After every major DX contest I go through a detailed SWOT (Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats) analysis for every band on each mode," says Tim Duffy K3LR.

"It is in-depth and is what drives the improvements we make before the next contest or during the summer building season," says Duffy, whose K3LR team won the US multi-multi SSB title in 2006.

"Even though we have been doing well on 20 meters," Duffy said, "my investigation revealed additional growth opportunities for more QSO's and multipliers on 20."

The result - nine antennas with seven rotors - all on one tower:

• 80 meter rotating dipole on top at 240'

• 6/6/6/6 OWAs (Optimized Wideband Antenna)

• 24 elements for 20 meters at 230'/170'/110'/50'

• 2/2 on 40 meters (W6NL design Moxons) at 185'/120'

• 6/6 M2 on 15 meters for 2nd station at 80'/40' fixed SE

For Jeff Briggs K1ZM, the goal was improved performance on 40 meters at his VY2ZM station in Canada, so he spent his summer improving his setup on 40 meters, by erecting a new tower to support two 3-element 40 meter yagis.

"Working with Andy N2NT, we figured out that if I spaced the new tower in a NW bearing from the initial 40 meter tower...I could later combine the two 40 meter systems into a side-by-side broadside array," said Briggs.

What did that translate into? "10 elements, when fed in phase would produce about 16.93dbi of forward gain into Europe," said Briggs.

It took Briggs about a month to do all the tower work. "Was it all worth the work? We'll see," said Briggs, "but my initial reaction is "Hell Yeah!!!"

Across Europe in the Baltics, Tonno Vahk ES5TV was also busy this summer on his antenna farm. Vahk told radio-sport.net "I have made some improvements," as he put up a new 45m high tower.

"It carries Optibeam antennas - 3 element yagi for 80 meters, 2x3 elements on 40 meters, 2x5 elements on 20 meters, 2x5 elements on 15 meters and 2x6 on 10 meters, said Vahk.

If you hear Vahk in coming weeks, you will know that his summer project was worth it. "I hope that adds a lot to my signal on 80m and a lot of flexibility on other bands."

Back to the West in Luxembourg, Philippe Lutty LX2A was also busy as the calendar moved into September.

"A lot of things changed here from last year," Lutty told radio-sport.net. "I put up 2 more towers, one of 15m and one of 38m supporting the 80 meter 4-square array."

Lutty also looked inside the shack. "I upgraded my SO2R station wtih better equipment from Microham and the shack has been completely renewed."

"I spent a lot of time and money to improve the station."

Back across the Atlantic and into the heartland of the US, Jerry Rosalius WB9Z has been hard at work as well, focusing mainly on 20 and 40 meters.

"Yes, I have been busy with antenna work this summer," said Rosalius. "My old 3 element W2PV design, full sized 40 has been retired for a 4-element full sized OWA at 140 feet!"

"It really plays!"

In the photo on the right, you can see WB9Z's new 40 meter Optimized Wideband Antenna in the foreground. Behind is a 3 element 80 meter beam on a 140 foot self supporting tower.

Rosalius has also focused on his low band listening infrastructure, to get himself ready for those long winter nights.

"Also installed was 10,000 feet - or 10 runs each of 1,000 foot half-inch CATV "hardline" and some RG-11 in a trench out of my new beverage hub," said the Illinois contester.

"I hope to get all the beverages out as soon as the crops are out of the field and the tillage is done," said Rosalius.

To end this review, we will head back up to VY2 in Canada, where Ken Widelitz K6LA/VY2TT has also been fine tuning his antennas, before doing a multi-op for CQ WW SSB.

"The 'other' op for phone is my tower/antenna guy from Los Angeles," said Widelitz. "We'll be putting up my last tower on the antenna farm, a 140 foot tower for a 3 stack on 15 meters."

"We'll also be putting up new elements for the 80 meter four-square," said Widelitz. "I'm going commercial this time as I've proven myself unable to engineer anything that will stand up to the winds.

"Four prior versions have blown down after I raised the four-square to the top of 18 foot telephone poles, despite being guyed in five places."

"Oh, and we have to fix half of the driven element of the South America triband and one of the 160 meter verticals," said Widelitz.

"Got our work cut out for us."

So what did you do this year to get ready for CQ WW SSB?