ARRL DX Contest, CW - 2021
Call: K9UIY
Operator(s): K9UIY
Station: K9UIY
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: IL
Operating Time (hrs): 36:00
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160: 3 3
80: 52 33
40: 88 35
20: 172 50
15: 56 22
10: 11 8
-------------------
Total: 382 151 Total Score = 173,046
Club: Society of Midwest Contesters
Comments:
Another chapter in the book entitled "ARRL CW DX CONTEST". This
year's entry has subtitled entries: Preparation - Decisions - Frustration -
Surprises! - Contentment.
I seriously considered going QRP (or as my xyl calls it "flea power"),
but that got quickly decided once I viewed the propagation outlook for the
weekend, so I went with Low Power Single Op All Band. I would have gone Single
Band, but so far LP and HP entries are lumped together as one power class for
single band entries. Sometime, I would hope that Low and High Power entries
would be separate for single band. I had prepared my body clock ahead of time
for the possibility of not doing "Q" power and no single band, so that
was not an issue.
Main frustration was stations not identifying in a timely manner ... not
necessarily after every QSO, but going for extended time and Q's with no
callsigns. Then they wonder why they get duped so often! Another factor is
with stations operating remotely with internet glitches caused goofy callsigns.
One time I called what I thought was a ZR1, but really was a ZF1. I sure would
have liked that South African mult! I know and understand the reasoning of
remote operation and I cheer them for their efforts. But it really was hard at
times. Thanks to those that were able to activate stations in far away places
with good success. With the global pandemic, there simply were not many other
options for many of the usual DX locations to be active. But special thanks to
those that were able to travel!!
Another challenge happens with everyone calls Zero Beat! I can only imagine how
the pile up sounds. As one that has learned early in the game as a Low Power
station, a simple "trick" is to go either call either up or down from
the DX station. Does not take a lot using current radios XIT or RIT off-sets.
It works and is quite satisfying being able to beat out many High Power guys in
the pile ups using brute force.
For the most part I was lucky enough to work most that I heard. But conditions
were certainly not all that great and I missed notably BA4TB (20), HZ1TT (40),
FM5BH (10), CX5UA (20), CT3KN (20), 9G1FI (40), and 5Z4VJ (20).
Total of 65 DX entities worked. Biggest surprise was getting into the log of
ZD7BG on one call during a huge pile up on 15M. Also, working several JA's on
80, but none on 40.
Given conditions and lack of many usual countries (namely in South American and
the Caribbean) caused by the pandemic, I was satisfied with the end result.
Hopefully next year will be with better conditions all around.
73, Vic K9UIY
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