YO-DX 2025 with Ten-Tec 1320

I decided to use the Ten-Tec 1320 in the YO-DX contest. 

I got a Ten-Tec 1320 for 20 meters from a fellow HAM, that ended the hobby.  Tnx Henk.

(Look at the Table below, at the end of the post, to see all QSO's.)
(At the moment, I have made a total of 99 QSO's with the Ten-Tec. I will post later.)

Set up of my station

MorseMachine  -  Ten-Tec 1320  -  Attenuator 0, 10 or 20 dB  -  PWR-SWR meter  -  Bencher

Power 

As a low power enthusiast I always (very often), use the lowest possible power in contest QSO's.

With a supply voltage of 12 V the Ten-Tec has an output power of 2.4 W.

I this contest I used a the Ten-Tec folowed by the PA1B attenuator of 10 dB or 20 dB.
When signals are strong, I reduce my power.

With an attenuaton of 10 dB, I reduce the power of 2.4 W to 240 mW.

With 20 dB the power is reduced to 24 mW. hi.

Saturday Busy on the band

On Saturday when I started at 14 UTC, it was very busy on the band.
Then it's not possible, to make QSO's with low power.

Unwanted sideband

But. . . In the second QSO on Saturday, I went over the band from low to higher frequency.
I heard a strong station, but couldn't make a QSO, even with 2.4 Watt.  - Strange -  ??

When I turned up further, I heard the same station, but incredibly loud.
I immediately swithed the 10 dB attenuator on. And made a QSO with 240 mW. Hi. 

Later I realized that the signal on the lower frequency, was the unwanted sideband, which isn't completely suppressed by the crystal filter.

I have adjusted my working method, by tuning from high to low frequency.

QSB

There was slow QSB. The signals could drop 10 dB or more.
I look for a strong signal, but when the signal drops, it takes a few minutes to peaks again.

I can make a QSO's, when I start caling, before the signal peaks.

So when I hear a strong signal I must immediately get the call right and answer the CQ.

When an other station goes first, my change is gone. By the time I can call again is my signal too weak, because of the QSB. 

A few minutes waiting for the signal, to peak again, is too long.

So I go on to the next strong station and hope to make a QSO before his signal drops again.

On Saturday I made 5 QSO's with 2.4 watt and one QSO with 240 mW, see above.

Sunday

On Sunday conditions were better. I worked alternately with full power 2.4 W and 240 mW, using the PA1B 10 dB attenuator.

I could even make a QSO with 9A3YT with just 24 milliwatts.

For 24 mW I switch to 20 dB. With an attenuation of 20 dB the power  is divided by 100.

Table

I had great fun with low power. 

Every time I use the Ten-Tec I find out new things.
Look at this nice table of worked DXCC-counties in the YO-DX contest.