CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB
Call: VK2DX
Operator(s): VK1AA
Station: VK2DX
Class: SOSB/40 QRP
QTH: Sydney
Operating Time (hrs): 18
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160:
80:
40: 94 21 25
20:
15:
10:
------------------------------
Total: 94 21 25 Total Score = 11,454
Club:
Comments:
Hi all
just a quick report from the contest -
what an amazing weekend!
I've entered the competition with reasonably low expectations
and main goal of testing the new G59 on air in a real contest environment.
Based on previous experience, I knew I could work a dozen or so
big gun stations even on 40m with a modest antenna (L/4 vertical mounted on
ground in backyard).
But I had no idea how many DXCCs and zones could be worked
or how easy/difficult it would be.
The current Oceania QRP 40m record was set by
KH6/W8QZA back in 1997.
He managed 67 contacts with 18 different DXCC countries from 18 zones
and total of 5,301 points.
Based on the above, I thought that realistically I could come very close to
this score.
The plan was to work the 15 US, 5 EU, 5 JA and 10 NZ on each day
plus one or two exotic places.
(unfortunately my own country which is 3,300 km across does not count).
For me the contest started after sunset and the band was already covered
wall to wall with extremely loud signals, as expected.
Hearing them was easy! What was difficult was to get into their logs :-)
Anyway the first hour was just too easy: to my surprise, I had absolutely no
difficulties
working the big US stations, most of the time on a first call!
My 5W signal was an easy copy from coast to coast.
There was only one problem: not many US dare to call CQ!
FO8RZ was quickly snatched too, an exotic multiplier.
As the grayline faded, 40m started to be more challenging
and my rate dropped from 20 per hour to 4, then to 3 and finally to zero.
The big guns from Asia were not as loud and had their beam to US.
The 'static belt' (South East Asians) is tricky on 40m
even with high power: their noise level is always high.
Not much joy there.
So I was really waiting for the EU to open: I only needed 5 multipliers
per night and surely there would be 10 Eu's who could copy my QRP signal.
Finally I got my first European: RT5Z at 13Z followed by UA3MIF.
Well, that was a great confirmation for me that all I needed to do was to keep
calling them ;-)
To cut the long story short, I've spent 5 hours without a single contact!
They were loud S9+20 dB or more, CQin in my face, but
thanks to the local EU QRM, their noise level was simply too high.
Miracoulesly, at my sunrise I managed to work LZ5A and RL3A.
Surviving 8 hours of contesting with only 2 contacts was
a real test for my spirit.
On the other hand, thanks to a good pile of US, I was well above my target!
The second day started with an unexpectedly easy contact with CR3A from Africa
(Madeira).
Again, plenty of loud Eus were coming on long path but only one more was
logged:
monster signal DJ7WW who made at least 20 attempts to get my call right.
Another blow to my strategy: to work more EUs...and another sprit crasher!
But when the sun came down, the band once again was filled with US.
And again, I was able to work those who CQed on the first or second call!
It just felt like I was competing on two different bands!
Around 08Z on the second day I "broke" the old Oceania record.
And then a miracle happened: the band opened to central and South America:
for the next hour I worked some of the stuff I never thought I would be able
to
work with QRP on 40m SSB: CE, HK, LU, PY, TI, YV, PJ4 !
none of them were loud (55 at the best) but
they all got me without any problem!!
I enjoyed watching my score pass the 10K mark.
The icing on the cake was OX2A.
Zone 40 is the most difficult one from Australia.
I don't even remember hearing any zone 40 station on 40m in a contest ever!
The JA pileup on OX2A was unbelievable and all I could hear was his
watery and fluttery auroral signal between Japanese who buzzed like thousands
of bees.
This is a kind of pileup that even the big guns would have to struggle to
break!
( I did not even dare talk into the microphone!)
Anyway, after 5 minutes enjoying the experience, I moved up the band,
but returned some time later on his frequency once again, just in time
to hear him say "stand by Japan - now VK only - VK only"
WOW! Well, a couple of high power VKs didn't waste their time
and quickly grabbed the golden opportunity with both hands.
OX2A was now solid S8! "Any more VK? Any more VK?"
Without thinking I just said "VK2DX".
"VK2? Is it VK2DX? 59-40"
"59-30" was my reply.
"Thanks VK2DX. QRZ Japan this is OX2A"
He worked a few more Japanese and disappeared into the noise...
So there you go. Talk about being at the right place, at the right time!
Never underestimate the power of your QRP radio!
Waves are a magical thing!
After that I had basically had enough of CQWW.
I worked two more stations, then pulled the plug.
What more could I ask for?
I'd "broke" the record, had a great opening to South America and
worked them all with 5W, then got into the log of the ultimate DX
- and all of that with a radio built from scratch, from bunch of components
which come
in a plastic bag - which performed flawlessly for the entire weekend!
73, Nick VK2DX/QRP
Addendum:
*Worked total of 4 ZL's. So much for pre-contest panning!
* AA4V/VP9 has magic ears! Although only 55 at the best, got me on a first
call.
Unbelievable skill!
*Congratulation to enthusiastic W7WA, loud K3LR,
pedantic DJ7WW for swinging his beam down on me, to KC1XX
for making me feel special: ("VK2DX stand by - who is the VK5 ???")
and K1RX for bending my S meter.
*Special thanks to lovely YL @ DU1IVT for trying so hard
* Good op, good RX: UA3MIF and LZ5R
* "If it aint' S9 signal, I'm not interested" award goes to RZ3AXX.
He also wins "2milliseconds between 3 calls" endorsement.
See you in CQWW CW!
Rig: GenesisRadio G59 SDR transceiver (kit) 5W
Atenna: l/4 GP with 6 elevated radials @ suburban hilltop, 110mASL with views
over Pacific.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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