CQWW WPX Contest, SSB
Call: 8P5A
Operator(s): W2SC
Station: 8P5A
Class: SOAB HP
QTH:
Operating Time (hrs): 36
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 0
80: 420
40: 1767
20: 1713
15: 964
10: 318
------------
Total: 5182 Prefixes = 1176 Total Score = 20,266,008
Club: Northern California Contest Club
Comments:
This was a shorter trip than usual due to professional responsibilities both
before and after the contest. The station was left in good shape after the ARRL
SSB, so the setup went reasonably quickly upon our arrival late Thursday
afternoon. By contest time, the station was ready and worked great all
weekend.
The plan was to stay on the low bands as long as possible since the high bands
have become very slow to open in the morning. The first night went well and I
took my first break ahead of both last year as well as my personal best.
Things slowed down dramatically in the morning. Although I started later than
usual, it was still too early. Signals on 20 were OK, but I could not break
through. I was hoping that 15 would wake up soon, but it did not. At some
point during a second very slow hour, I took more off time. Around 16Z, noon
local, the rate started to pick up on 15, primarily to the US. The one pleasant
surprise was a 10 meter opening late in the afternoon.
After slow morning hours, I decided to stay on 40/80 for as long as there was
anybody to work, and start on the high bands a late as possible. As the night
went on, the European opening on 40 slowly closed. I never heard anything like
it. Alternatively, 80 became very active and rates to the US on 40 picked up.
Eventually, the US activity dropped off and Europe was only slowly recovering on
40, so it was time for a my final break. Overall, points per QSO were what I
was hoping, but I was very worried about European multipliers. Without much
Europe on 15, and a tough night on 40, it seemed the Europe mults were way down.
Likewise JA mults. I think I worked two JA stations all weekend.
On Sunday, I started on the high bands later than ever, but it was still very
slow. Eventually the rates did pick up and, once again, there was a 10 meter
opening.
Ended up with a score down just slightly from last year. I made about 500 more
low band Q's, but it did not quite offset the loss of high band Q's, especially
three point Q's. Overall, QSO points were up from last year, but mults were
down.
Plenty of difficult propagation this weekend, but some fun openings on 10 and 80
as well.
Thanks for all the Q's and thanks to the WPX committee for a great contest.
73 Tom W2SC
QSL via LoTW or HA1AG
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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