If 1995 was the year that got me seriously hooked on contesting, 1996 was the beginning of the real transformation of the station and of me as a contester. I finished a new tower with real antennas in early 1996 that allowed me to put out a much more effective signal. I was unable to truly compete with the big guns with high power, but I was very pleased with the performance of the new antennas. This just goes to prove the old advice whereby if you had money to invest in your station, invest it in antennas first! I had my first big victory this year when I broke the old Carbon County record in the PA QSO Party. In the following several years, I broke a number of records in this contest either as a single operator or as part of the K3II and W3HA muti-multi efforts.
This was also the year of the vanity call program's first mad rush. A lot of call signs changed this year, including mine. K3PP appeared on the scene and continued to expand in contesting and DXing circles. The phone version of ARRL Sweepstakes was full of new and unusual call signs, as this was the first contest weekend after the initial release of new calls!
Month | Contest | Submitted Score | Final Score | QSOs | Class |
Mode
|
Call | More Information |
Jan
|
North American QSO Party | 5,917 | 97 | SO |
SSB
|
N3BDA | ||
Feb
|
ARRL International DX Contest | 35,607 | 143 | SOLP |
CW
|
N3BDA | ||
Feb
|
CQ 160m Contest | 8,959 | 134 | SOLP |
SSB
|
N3BDA | ||
Mar
|
ARRL International DX Contest | 1,074,450 | 1,103 | M/2 |
SSB
|
K3II | Ops: K3II, WB3ESS, N3BDA | |
Mar
|
CQ Worldwide WPX Contest | 94,864 | 211 | SOLP |
SSB
|
N3BDA | ||
Jun
|
Field Day | 4,120 | 1,285 | 2A |
Mixed
|
K3II | Carbon ARC | |
Jul
|
IARU HF World Championships | 82,810 | 318 | SOLP |
Mixed
|
N3BDA | ||
Jul
|
Islands on the Air | 16,375 | ? | SOLP 20m |
SSB
|
N3BDA | ||
Aug
|
North American QSO Party | 49,440 | 412 | SO |
SSB
|
N3BDA | ||
Sep
|
CQWW DX Contest | 37,990 | 132 | SOLP |
RTTY
|
N3BDA | ||
Oct
|
Pennsylvania QSO Party | 80,588 | 642 | SOMP |
Mixed
|
N3BDA | County record! | |
Oct
|
CQ Worldwide DX Contest | 2,119,649 | ? | M/M |
SSB
|
K3II | Ops: K3II, WB3ESS, N3BDA | |
Nov
|
CQ WE Contest | 67 | SO |
Mixed
|
N3BDA | |||
Nov
|
ARRL Sweepstakes | 60,528 | 388 | SOLP |
SSB
|
K3PP | ||
Nov
|
CQ Worldwide DX Contest | 156,704 | 251 | SOLP |
CW
|
K3PP | ||
Dec
|
ARRL 160m Contest | 5,070 | 83 | SOLP |
CW
|
K3PP | ||
Dec
|
ARRL 10m Contest | 36,108 | 215 | SOLP |
Mixed
|
K3PP |
Highlights:
Score | Contest | Results |
1,074,450 | ARRL International DX Phone Contest | Operating with the excellent K3II team |
4,120 | Field Day | With the Carbon ARC atop Blue Mt. Ski Area |
80,588 | Pennsylvania QSO Party | New Carbon County Single-Op Record (Set in 1991 by KO3M) WINNER! - Carbon Amateur Radio Club |
2,119,649 | CQ Worldwide DX Phone Contest | Operating with the excellent K3II team |