World Wide Digi DX Contest - 2019
Call: AB1J
Operator(s): AB1J
Station: AB1J
Class: SOSB20 LP
QTH: Waltham MA
Operating Time (hrs): 3:10
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160:
80:
40:
20: 45 15
15:
10:
-------------------
Total: 45 15 Total Score = 960
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
I operated in four of the eight WW-Digi practice sessions and had difficulty
gaining traction, so I decided to start an hour late hoping things would calm
down, giving my station a chance. That worked to some extent, but my initial
thoughts that FTx would make for a good contesting mode haven't materialized. In
this contest, particularly, there were too many moving parts. It was certainly
unique in my experience of all the ways QSOs could occur, some of which couldn't
even be recognized as contest QSOs, like SNR exchanges on regular FT8
frequencies. I found this weird, especially since it wouldn't attract new
contesters who would be clueless.
Power seems to make a bigger difference in FTx contests than on other modes or
during non-contest FT8 activity. Working split (actual split, not the WSJT-X
"Split" which should be called "Audio Optimization") which
usually is effective, isn't as useful when loud stations call on runners'
frequencies and usually win out because that's where the green cursor is. Small
stations take the hindmost.
Since there's no consensus on what constitutes a complete QSO (there are
opinions, but no agreement) I decided to log 'em all and let God sort 'em out.
I'll likely take a huge hit on my very small effort during log checking.
Folks did move up the band on 20m from 14080 to separate the contesters from the
civilians. I think there should be separate contest segments 10 kHz wide, with
FT4 at the bottom and FT8 at the top, like 14085-14095 (to avoid the 14100
beacons). Other bands in a similar manner, with all the contest activity
localized and concentrated. It would probably be best not to encourage mixing
contest protocol QSOs with non-contest ones, but that's not my call.
I'm not a fan of FT4, but FT8 has worked well for me in everyday operating and
working DX, especially on 80m, so aside from contests I'm happy.
73,
Ken, AB1J
Flex 6500
WSJT-X N1MM Logger+
20m attic dipole
20m outdoor 66' stealth wire, Dentron manual tuner and indoor counterpoise
LoTW eQSL ClubLog
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