CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW - 2023
Call: P3D
Operator(s): VE3DZ
Station: 5B4AOF
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Cyprus
Operating Time (hrs): ~47
OpMode: 2BSIQ
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 103 10 36
80: 608 14 54
40: 1143 24 72
20: 1105 28 88
15: 1104 29 83
10: 1553 31 76
------------------------------
Total: 5616 136 409 Total Score = 8,830,635
Club: Contest Club Ontario
Comments:
The trip was more of a reunion with an old Canadian friend Valdas, VE3VO/N2ZO
(now 5B4AOF) who moved to Cyprus few years ago and now getting back to HAM Radio
contesting after pretty long absence. We decided that I would come to operate
CQW WW DX CW Contest to evaluate his station and give him my opinion and advise
(if necessary) in order to better plan future upgrades and improve existing
setup.
The station is very modest: Yaesu FT3000 radio, small amplifier with output
power of about 500 watts, 2 elements Quad antenna at about 15 meters, vertical
for 40 m and some wires for 80 and 160 (which never really worked). Since I like
to operate SO2R, I offered Val an SO2R interface, and intended to bring my
Elecraft K3, however he decided to purchase another radio for himself, and ended
up buying a brand new Kenwood TS590SG. A set of filters were ordered from Pavel,
VA6AM, and Yarik, UW7LL designed and built switching and control system.
In addition to Quad antenna, a Spiderbeam wire Yagi was erected on temporary 12
m mast in the opposite side of the yard. No beam antenna for 40, but full size
vertical seems to be doing its job.
So, basically all "heavy lifting" was done even before I arrived. Val
even borrowed another amplifier from one of locals here on the island, so
basically what was left is to do something workable for 80 and 160 m bands. Val
had End Fed Half Wave antennas for both bands, but while antenna for 80 was
working somehow, the 160 m one couldn't produce decent signal despite perfect
SWR. Finally we decided to make an Inverted L from it though the space for
radials on the property is almost non-existent. We ended up with Inverted L with
only 3 radials we used as tuning elements (the ground is very poor on the
island). For 80 m antenna we raised the EFHW a bit higher than it was before and
that was it. A couple of days that were left before the Contest were spent
checking propagation and getting used to UW7LL's sophisticated switching system.
:))
I never operated from this part of the world before and I really didn't know
what to expect. All I knew about Cyprus was that 5B4 is a winning location for
CQ WW. :)) However, and I it learned it later, close proximity to EU is not
enough, having good conditions towards U.S. is mandatory in order to achieve a
good score. It is well known that there are 3 main sources of QSOs in major
Contests: EU, USA/Canada and JA/BY (you may add here growing number of YB
stations lately). While having no problems with EU, I discovered that the
opening to U.S. on 10 and 15 lasts only 3-4 hours and that is definitely not
enough to work all potential callers. The reason could be also the mountains
blocking the northern direction. JA's are pretty loud on all bands, but they are
all 1-pointers here despite being pretty far.
I found 2 huge advantages in operating CQ WW from Cyprus:
1. The Contest starts at 2 A.M. local time, so if you go to bed early, you may
still have pretty decent sleep right before the start and it improves your
ability to stay awake all 48 hours.
2. The direction towards most of the EU and US/Canada is almost the same, so one
doesn't need to turn the antenna much. :))
I started the Contest on 40 m, with 2nd radio shifting between 80 and 160. Was
unpleasantly surprised with high level of noise of those bands. RX antennas are
definitely on the list for the future. The rate was pretty decent, considering
my more than a humble setup, but 80 and 160 didn't produce much so I had to make
few trips to half dead 20, where I managed to work occasional VK's and stuff
like 4W8X. The band opened fully just before sunrise. I didn't stay there for
long hoping for better run on 10 and 15. 10 m was pretty productive in the
morning, except I should've turned the antenna towards EU, instead keeping it
towards East hoping to be called by some rare OC mults. As a result, I worked a
lot of JA's and UA9's, all 1-pointers from here. One of my many tactical
mistakes.
With high bands dying early, 40 m was definitely a money band. I operated more
on 80 on second night, and 40 was in a bit better shape than on the start. Early
in the morning I turned the Quad towards EU and worked almost exclusively the 3
pointers.
I was on two CQ's (2BSIQ) 3/4 of the duration of the contest, but
towards the end of the contest I started to use my 2nd radio more for searching
and pouncing in order to improve my suffering multipliers total. My efforts of
trying to move mults to other bands didn't work well. I think mostly because at
least two other stations were very active in the contest and nobody needed
another 5B4. :)) Another problem with S&P'ing was my short call. Most people
would get reply to "G3D", so I added "de P3D" to the macros,
but still had to send my call at least twice. I spent good 5 minutes on some
very loud South American station who called CQ TEST at about 40 wpm, and he
tried all possible combinations like G3D, PA3D, P33D etc. and then finally after
about some short pause he simply sent TU, And then again TEST de... at his usual
40 WPM. Would be interesting to see what he actually logged.
Despite poor 80 and 160 antennas I worked few new multipliers an 80 and
especially 160 in the last couple of hours. That included CN, CT3 and D4 on 160,
but unfortunately TM1A, OH0X, EA8RM and some others couldn't copy my weak
signal.
Overall I had a lot fun despite my mixed feelings. I realize that I probably got
the best out of a modest setup, but somewhere in the bottom of my mind I had a
feeling that I would only need to show up on the island and the QSOs would be
rolling into the LOG! :)) Unfortunately like everywhere in the real World the
magic doesn't work. One needs to improve the setup and especially the antennas
in order to achieve better results. And the upgrades will be made here in due
time.
I operated full time, less few short breaks for showers, health needs and a
couple of minor technical issues.
Like I said, it was my first visit to 5B, and besides seeing Val again after so
many years, my other highlands were meeting with Lefteris, 5B4AGL, another good
friend and supporter, before the Contest, and - to my surprise - meeting with my
WRTC-2022 partner Yarik, UW7LL who unexpectedly came to Cyprus on Sunday. And we
are having good time now. I'm leaving for Canada tomorrow (on Tuesday).
Thanks to all for QSO's.
Special thanks to Val 5B4AOF and his lovely XYL for hosting me at their home for
over a week.
Congratulations to N6MJ, CT1ILT, KL9A, W2SC, EA8RM and other SOAB op's on their
huge scores.
Radios: FTDX3000, TS590SG.
2 x 500 W amp's.
Antennas: 2 el Quad @50 feet, Spiderbeam @ 35 feet.
40 m Vertical, 80 m EFHW (apex. at approx. 30 feet), 160 m Inv. L with 3 radials
and vertical part of around 40 feet.
N1MM Logger, Double L band switches, band decoder and SO2(3)R interface, VA6AM
BPF's.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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