CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB
Call: VE6SV
Operator(s): VE6SV VE6RST VE6TL VE6LDX VE6CSX VA6AM VE4GV
Station: VE6SV
Class: M/S HP
QTH: AB
Operating Time (hrs): 48
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 11 3 3
80: 232 15 26
40: 520 15 38
20: 1010 26 67
15: 1047 20 54
10: 1 1 1
------------------------------
Total: 2821 80 189 Total Score = 1,559,124
Club:
Comments:
CQWWDX SSB 2016 �" Breaking Like the Solar Wind
How can we describe CQ WW SSB 2016? How about : What the %$^(& happened to
propagation ???!!!??
Strange things happen when Old Man Sol decides to binge on Chili Burritos and
the resultant atmospheric solar flatulence wreaked havoc during this year’s
CQ WW DX SSB at VE6SV. And there was no amount of amateur radio contester
Febreze that could make that stinker smell any better…at least from VE6
land.
Gord VE6SV’s QTH (just east of Edmonton Alberta) is the perfect mixture of
remote/quiet/accessible and hospitable. The 2 HF position (with option for a
3rd) basement station is fully equipped with 4 towers/stacked antennas and
excellent low band antennas as well as comfortable amenities that not only
makes it a force to be reckoned with, it also is mighty comfortable even in the
cold Canadian fall. I’ve been there many times before and its always exciting
to have the chance to work with a first class station, great ops and friendly
fellow Canadian contesters, even when condx suck. Team VE6SV consisted of Gord
VE6SV, Max VE6RST, Jerry VE6TL, Heinz, VE6LDX, Bud VE6CSX, Pavel VA6AM and Rob
VE4GV. Every time I visit I am amazed at how well they “hear” and how
quiet it is compared to my urban noise infested home QTH.
My flight from VE4land generally gets me to Edmonton close to the start of the
contest and I have a short 40 minute drive (with a stop on the way for a
grocery run) that I use to get my “game face” on. Because of flight
scheduling I usually arrive slightly after the start, loaded with food, with
things in full swing. As I enter the basement station, something doesn’t
smell right and the ops have a sour look on their face like someone “cut the
cheese”. (And I hadn’t even dug into my traditional contest Sushi yet!)
Jerry, VE6TL starts the contest and he’s not impressed with rates or how the
band sounds. Our resident propagation guru points to the solar wind speed
which now has begun to approach 750 km/s. Both and A and K indices were
elevated (Way to high for good propagation from VE6) . Gord’s Aurora
monitoring program is pointing in the wrong direction �" up. It’s not
looking very good this far north in Alberta Canada.
The K index was between 4 and 5 for the entire test and the A index never went
below 30. For many of you in the more southern areas, or on the coasts, this
may seem somewhat ominous but for VE6s that far north in latitude (Edmonton)
and that close to the magnetic north pole, it is disastrous. A potential
contest wipeout.
It soon becomes apparent that there is an impenetrable wall separating us from
ANY European propagation. The usual EU contest stations can occasionally be
heard with watery weak signals but calling them is a complete waste of time and
serves only to frustrate the ops. No DL, F, G, HA, HB, LZ UA…and even no
Italians! After trying several different bands without success it becomes
obvious that only DX we will be working is North South and even then the
Caribbean stations are barely workable. We struggle to work ZF1A, HC
PJ…even on 20. Conditions are abysmal and Gord says that we have to “wait
it out”. It’s hard to be patient when you occasionally hear a new
country/zone and are simply unable to get a response no matter how hard and
long you call. Its even worse when you hear East Coast stations working them,
albeit with difficulty.
Examining the post-contest beam pattern data, we find that we literally make
almost NO QSOS outside a 90-190 degree window that (from VE6) encompasses a
narrow SE corridor that manages to avoid any polar involvement. Incredible.
86% of Qs are made with the US. What kind of DX contest is THAT???!!
We are resigned to the fact that this “DX” contest has degenerated into a
preview of the ARRL SS SSB contest that happens in 3 weeks. (Since that’s my
favorite contest, perhaps its not as disappointing for ME as it is for the rest
of our “now not so merry”band of contesters) Gord comments that without all
the EU/rest of the world QRM, it is a good opportunity to practice my run
technique, pileup control and efficiency with our US counterparts. The runs on
15 meters to the US are great and while sitting on 21.315 I have more than a few
stations compliment VE6SV’s booming signal is nice!
My W/K runs on 15 and 20 are occasionally punctuated with a guffaw, frustrated
yelp and exasperated cry (and rare “whoop!”) as the adjacent mult station
op struggles to try to work another (what usually is run-of the mill) DX
country. We consider ringing a bell or some other signal…the mults are THAT
rare. Its B R U T A L.
There was some talk from the East Coast stations of a short 10 m opening to EU
on Sunday morning, but we never heard it.
Since we’ve got nothing better to do, Max spots ZL7G on Chatham (CW) and we
both work him on 80 m …just to break the monotony.
Aside from one small ring rotator issue on the middle 20 m antenna, the station
works flawlessly.
Some Highlights
(1) Listening to K3LR call endlessly on 20 without a response. (Misery loves
company!) If THAT station can’t raise DX, what are our chances!!!? Even THEY
are joking about how bad conditions are…in the middle of the contest.
(2) Strong 15 m and 20 m into the US makes for some fun (albeit 2 pt QSO) runs.
Several stations compliment the station’s signal as being “dominant”.
(3) Heinz manages to help Jerry finish his $32 solid state oscilloscope kit
during the test. Nice job.
(4) At least it wasn’t snowing (yet).
(5) Its easy to sleep with K index of 5.
Lowlights
1. Calling 4O3A (and many, many other EU stations) for 20 minutes with no
response.
2. Realizing that as time goes on, we will be hard pressed to hit 2M points.
3. Worst score as multop HP @ VE6SV in over 20 years !!
Also realizing that scores like this might be the norm and won’t get
better for the next several years,
4. Wondering whether it wouldn’t be easier to rent a Caribbean or S. Am.
Contest QTH rather than struggle from VE6
Here’s hoping condx will be better for CQWW CW and for ARRL Sweepstakes
Phone.
Rob VE4GV and team VE6SV
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