WAE DX Contest, SSB
Call: WX3B
Operator(s): WX3B
Station: WX3B
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Maryland
Operating Time (hrs): 17:28
Summary:
Band QSOs QTCs Mults
-------------------------
80: 69 37 21
40: 235 282 35
20: 241 218 34
15: 492 487 42
10: 132 27 27
-------------------------
Total: 1169 1051 395 Total Score = 863,865
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
This year’s WAE SSB effort was designed from the beginning to be a causal
single-operator effort. It has been a very long time since I operated ANY
contest as a single-op, particularly at my own house….and I have to say I
forgot how much fun it can be. With the help of N3KS and team KD4D, it almost
felt like a multi-op event at times �" I never felt alone. I was very
happy with my station’s performance, particularly on 80 meters….where I
felt (relatively) loud. 10, 15 & 20 were also good once the solar event
cleared, and that brings us to 40 meters, where there is no secret….a 100
foot tower would help!
I RACED home Friday night and starting turning computer systems on at 7:40pm.
At the beginning of the contest, I knew it was going to be a rough night due to
solar conditions….I started on 40....at my house signals weren’t that great,
and the noise level was high. Thought about going to 20 but reliable sources
(N3KS) told me it was a waste of time. Switched to 80 and found a lot of
super-loud Germans calling CQ and settled in for a reasonable run before going
back to 40. Got tired, frustrated and quit early at 1:00am.
Woke up at 7:00am and promptly discovered 15 meters was not really open with
DR1D barely audible above the absolute zero noise floor. Fortunately, 20 was a
little better….and eventually 15 did open….and it just kept getting better
and better as the day went on. Tried 10 for a while, it was fun, signals were
weak but I did reel in a few EUs…..back to 15….and 15 stayed wide open when
I bailed and went to 20 �" and I QSYed simply to try and improve my rate
as most participants were on 20. Noted that team KD4D stayed on 15 and was
operating at a very successful rate when I bailed and went to 20. Took most of
the evening off for socializing….and came home in time to do just over an hour
on 40 before calling it a night.
Got up Sunday morning and sat down at 15 meters at 8:00am. I’m guessing I
was at least 1 hour late to that band opening, it was SCREAMING…big signals
from all over EU including Russia, Finland, etc. Saw Rick K3OO start spotting
EUs on 10 meters somewhere around 9:00am �" 10:00am so I tried a few CQs.
I was handsomely rewarded with dozens of QSOs all over Europe. Last year I
BARELY worked anyone on 10 meters, this year over 100 QSOs. There is hope we
might squeak one more good season out of 10 meters … this year!!
It is always so much fun renewing friendships worldwide during these events.
One particularly noteworthy QSO near the end of my operating time Sunday
morning was with R7AB. All weekend I made QSOs with R7AB and they always had a
BIG signal. On Sunday morning they surprised me with a very strong 10 meter
signal and their operator says “Jim….a friend of yours is here saying
hello, it’s Vasiliy W6AAN (who I have met numerous times at W3LPL and talked
with on the air many times). So here I am exchanging greetings with my
neighbor who just happens to be 4,800 miles away with another team. The
cheerleading and encouragement and “good luck Jim’s!” given during this
event are just incredible….and stopping to rag chew with good friends, while
not good for my contest score was still great fun. I noticed a lot more USA
folks were calling in during the contest, and I decided to just include them in
the fun by giving them a report.
Thanks to all the European operators that make this contest such great fun, and
to Helmut DF7ZS who leads the administration of the contest…and is always one
of the most enthusiastic participants �" this year with his special team
call sign DQ60WAE!
Onto CQWW and the official start of the fall season!
73,
Jim WX3B
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