PY0F maybe a bit too rare for contests. The pileups are sometimes too big. Many DXers need PY0F badly for their per-band country totals etc. Some of them forget to respect the “code of conduct” and block your QRG.
DX-peditions usually ask “up” to work their pile-ups. This practice is virtually impossible is contests, because your pileup probably falls on somebody else´s run freq.
On 80, my pile-up grew so big that I lost its control on my own QRG. I had to work split for a couple of hours on the upper part of the 80m CW band. Sorry if I “stepped on someone´s feet”…
6 band QSO:s CN3A D41CV EF8R K3LR PS2T
5 band QSOs: 9A1A ES9C HA8A IR4M K1TTT K3PH K5TR KC1XX NR5M OM7M PJ2T RL3A TM3R TM6M UA4M VE3EJ
Rig: Yaesu FT-1000MP + Alpha 91b with 800W.
Antennas (no rotors):
10-15-20: Cushcraft A4S at 18m fixed to EU KLM KT34XA up 18m fixed to NA
40: 2-el yagi at 20m fixed to EU 2-el yagi at 20m fixed to NA
80: Inverted-V, apex at 16m.
160: 1/4 wave sloper fixed on 18m tower.
I worked about 27 hours and made a total of 2869 QSOs.
The worst problem was a high noise level from an unknown source. It was worst on 160 but audible on all bands at different levels. The day AFTER the contest, we found that the source was an old 12 volt switching power supply LOCATED RIGHT IN THE SHACK… !@#*%$#!
TNX to the PY0F CQ WW SSB team and the rest of the Noronha Contest Group for setting up the station. The CW part was planned to be a Multi-op but due to family problems, the other operators had to stay home, leaving the Old Man to do the job alone.
Thanks to my great host Marenga, PU0FDN and his XYL for a 5-star service!
The station will be upgraded and will be on in upcoming contests.
73, Ville PY2ZEA OH2MM
Left: PU0FDN – Marenga, Right: PY2ZEA/OH2MM – Ville
Noronha Contest Group 