CQWW WPX Contest, CW
Call: NV1N
Operator(s): N1UR
Station: N1UR
Class: SOAB LP
QTH: VT
Operating Time (hrs): 36
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 2
80: 31
40: 502
20: 1074
15: 345
10: 14
------------
Total: 1968 Prefixes = 725 Total Score = 4,109,300
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
I was ready for this one. Rested, Antennas and Rotor working, all relays
functional. My goal was to beat last years winning raw score of 4.0 Million by
K7SV. From Northern New England, the beginning of summer conditions donâ??t
make contesting as easy as wintertime conditions.
As the contest started, conditions sounded pretty decent on 40 and great on 20.
I started out by CQing on 40M but quickly realized that 20M would be a better
choice. I ended the first hour with 82 Qs on 20M. A personal best opening
hour for me in any contest. Then 40M in the second hour with a 74 rate
followed by 86 and 72 hours. A really nice first 4 hours. 20M was wide open
again at EU sunrise and rates of 50+ for a little over an hour before a 90 min
nap. Up again at 09Z and 20 is wide open to EU. CQing wasnâ??t as productive
(rarely is at the first of the opening as a Low Power op). So an hour of S & P
generated 65 Qs on 20M. Then CQing on 20M at 10 and 11Z but lost some rate by
unsuccessfully generating a JA run. They were loud but just couldnâ??t get any
rate going.
15M was open early and by 12Z I was CQing successfully there generating a 60
hour. The low power really hurts right now on 15M trying to CQ to EU. Signals
are there but at lower levels than a few years ago. I notice a much bigger
difference now than a few years ago on high vs. low power on 15M. I ended up S
& Ping 15M as much as CQing. But is wasnâ??t for lack of trying to CQ many
times.
It was back to 20M CQing for 6 hours until 00Z. Pretty darned good rates for
low power. 60 â?? 80 per hour. I was 100 Qs ahead of my last years score and
I felt on track to hit 4 Million at the half way mark. The second day is
always slower the first and this year was no exception. Still, 40M was good
for a 56 hour at 01Z. 20M was again nice for grabbing additional Qs on the
second radio and finally went to it at 03Z. A short stint on 80M at 04Z
produced to EU but a lot of new mults from US/VE. I was off for a 5 hour sleep
from 05 â?? 10Z. That is my usual strategy for WPX. Sleep 90 mins night one
and 5 hours night two.
The second day 20M run was good on day 2, almost 70 an hour for 2 hours.
Shifted to 15M at 13Z (again no JA run on 20M even though a few called in and
the beam was north). 15M was okay but not great. I think the northern lat
(44.7 degs here) and low power made the high rates of some, elusive. I was
trading remaining time off breaks every other hour for a few hours. Back to
20M at 18Z and actually had a great rate of 58 during the 21 hour. Never heard
the JAs in the afternoon mentioned by some. Also never heard anything of a 10M
opening here other than a few LUs and very light W4s.
Finished up on 40M with a nice run at the end.
I broke 4.0 Million at 2230Z. I think that it is beatable by an area with
better 15M conditions than here.
Adding a second tower here at N1UR. Will be QRT for IARU and be back for the
fall season, possibly WAE CW.
73
N1UR/NV1N
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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