CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW
Call: CE1/K7CA
Operator(s): CE1/K7CA
Station: CE1/K7CA
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Huasco
Operating Time (hrs): 21
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 728 State/Prov = 57 Countries = 56 Total Score = 807,611
Club:
Comments:
This year was very different from last year. Friday night signals seemed at
least 10dB stronger than last year from Europe and US. I've always thought
that solar disturbances, while inhibiting east/west conditions, make good
north/south propagation. The X class solar flare a few hours before
the contest started was what I believe made great propagation from Chile. It
probably helped also that US/EU propagation was poor and more stations had
fewer DX they could hear. I wonder if the Caribbean stations were far enough
south to get enhanced propagaion also. As luck would have it,
summertime QRN was also the lowest its been in any contest I can remember.
PJ2T was the first station worked before sunset followed by LS1D, LO2F, C6AKM,
PY2BW, and CX5BW all before sunset. Then 5 minutes after sunset US stations
began hearing me well which was two hours earlier than last year. As good as
was Friday night, Saturday night started off the opposite. Signals were
down by 10 to 20 dB compared to Friday night. And QSB was terrible with long
fades of maybe 1 to 2 minutes and peaks about 10 seconds. Storm QRN was also
back to its normal annoying level. However, around midnight local time (0300z)
conditions slowly got better and the US east coast and Europe signals were
good. However, stations west of the Mississippi seemed to be in a black hole
all night including JA. It was nice to hear HK0NA cqing (he is like a local
here, even louder than PJ2T) and VP6T called in on a cq. Also it was very nice
to work ZL1BYZ and VK4MA, two countries that I usually miss because they are a
polar path. At least 2 or maybe 3 times more EU stations were worked than in
any contest before (120). I usually miss working my own country but this time
it was great that Dale, CE2/VE7SV loaded up something and gave me a call.
Thanks Dale. In fact, maybe due to the southern hemisphere plaque that Bob,
W7RH sponsored, I've never heard so many South American stations QRV on 160m. I
hope this trend continues. The power went out about 45 minutes before sunrise
on Saturday AM but I had already worked more that first night than the whole
contest last year so I didn't mind. On Sunday AM just before sunrise I was
taking a last look around the band and heard KH2L cqing with with a very strong
signal. What a great way to end a great contest. It makes it worth fighting
all the summertime QRN in the usual contest to have super conditions for a
change. Hope to see you all on 10m in the ARRL DX CW contest next month.
73, AL CE1/K7CA
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