Today (yesterday, actually) was the big day, and at 8 PM local time, the first RI stations were on the air operating as Centennial station W1AW/1 in Rhode Island. From 8 PM until my time slot at 10 PM, I concentrated on working 3 RI stations and 3 Indiana stations (the other state on the air this week). Before I knew it, it was a couple of minutes before 10 PM, and my timeslot for 80 Meter CW was coming up. I listened to the 8-10 PM op sign off the air, and with butterflies in my stomach I picked up right where he left off (same frequency).
I’d like to be able to brag and say that I did some sort of fantastic job. I really didn’t. After two hours of straining to hear a call in the pile-up, I had worked 152 stations in 8 countries. Probably about half of what I should have been able to do and maybe a quarter of what an expert op would do. For example, I know the 40 meter CW operator reported about 250 Qs from 8 PM until 10 PM.
To be sure, I was having issues with the N1MM kicking out of run-mode every time I changed my RX frequency more than a few hundred hertz to restart the gradual pile scan. Of course I didn’t want to stop in the middle of doing things to figure out why. But the macros for S&P are VERY different from those used in Run-Mode, so that would trip me up. Eventually I figured out that operating in a pile-up like that requires you to configure N1MM in S&P mode (or at least that’s all I could figure out). Good news is I am all set for the next time.
Anyway, the truth of the matter is I can’t blame anything other than what’s between the headphones — me. I’m just not that good at picking calls out of a huge pileup. I have new found respect for the operators that can do that and do it so effortlessly.
W1AW/1 Pileups Hurt My Tiny Wombat Ears!!!
Appreciate the effort that you and your colleagues have gone to.
Hi Larry! So nice of you to say hello. My effort is pretty minor compared to others, but it is fun. I hope to bump into you on the air!