CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB
Call: VE4EAR
Operator(s): VE4EAR
Station: VE4EAR
Class: SOAB HP
QTH:
Operating Time (hrs): 44
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 14 4 3
80: 317 12 22
40: 414 22 46
20: 933 28 81
15: 645 31 84
10: 1 1 1
------------------------------
Total: 2324 98 237 Total Score = 1,735,635
Club:
Comments:
I have to say this was a real pleasure to operate. The conditions on 15m were
the best I have ever experienced for a contest. (My experience only goes back
to 2006). The band opened shortly after 20m and closed just before 20m.
Signals were truly 59 from Europe and zone 25. The last few years I have seen
15m open on a N/S basis only and domestic contacts were limited to the extreme
edges of the US (FL, TX, CA, NY etc). In this contest I may have completed WAS,
conditions were that good. there was more than 1 time where I had to check the
band becaus e15m sounded just like 20m usually does.
Used the second radio for perhaps 20 Q's. The second antenna is a Steppir
vertical and it just does not compare to the beams. Only 1 Amp so the second
radio is limited to 100 Watts which is struggle in this contest.
I feel I could have done better but only had 1 real run into Europe. I could
not find a space on 15 or 20 where I would not knowingly interfere with someone
else. The entire bands of 14.100 to 14.35 and 21.100 to 21.450 were packed. The
east coast gange were the first to the picnic and grabbed all the spots.
Some of the techniques that are used by some of the big guns to "establish"
themselves on a frequency are blatantly bullyish.
Then there is the instance where I was enjoying a mild run of domestic stations
on 40m where all of a sudden I was descended on like ants at a picnic. I figured
someone had spotted me on the cluster but soon realized that some DX station was
working split and had selected my run frequency as his listening frequency.
Probably added a couple calls in the log that where I thought the other station
was acknowledging me and sending his report but it wasn't meant for me. Oh the
fun of being a little pistol in the black hole!
Set a goal of 3K QSO's and to beat the old SOAB HP record for VE4. Well I
didn't make that many Q's but the record may fall depending on the log checks.
The final 4 hours had rates of 200/200/200 and 35 to help elevate the score.
A few pleasant surprises in the final hour. Decided to sweep 15 and 20m to look
for mults and maybe work some more DX. I managed to find a Zone 24 and 27
stations calling CQ with no one answering them. A real plus when you are not
strong and propagationally challenged. While clearly many stations were looking
to run the last hour or so, there were several juicy mults that I would have
missed if I had elected to use that strategy.
It was a total blast and welcomed all the friendly "hi's" from all the familiar
friends. Really like the "Livescore" page and found it to be very motivational.
I wish more stations used it. A lot of fun watching VA7ST, VY2LI and myself
jockeying for position.
Looking forward to sweepstakes, both CW and especially SSB. CW will be a part
time S&P but will be on to give out the VE4 mult on all bands. SSB band will be
another full out effort, at least that's the plan.
Ed
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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