CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW
Call: W2GD
Operator(s): K2TW K2SG KU2C N2HM N2NC N2OO W2CG W2GD W2NO W2OB W2RQ
Station: W2GD
Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: NJ
Operating Time (hrs): 33
Summary:
Total: QSOs = 1609 State/Prov = 60 Countries = 76 Total Score = 928,608
Club: Frankford Radio Club
Comments:
Location: West Creek, NJ - 20 miles north of Atlantic City
Prime Station Asset: 300 foot broadcast tower surrounded by tidal salt marsh
Radios: Elecraft K3 x 3, OM2000 @ 1.3 KW, Acom 2S1 switch
Logging Software: Win-Test
TX Antenna: 2 element fixed wire beam NE and West @ 240 feet
RX Antennas: Beverages NE, E, N/S, SW, W, and NW, Hi-Z Four, low dipole
Our Team voted the 2017 CQ160 CW as one of the "five best ever".
There continues to be an obvious uptick in overall participation worldwide in
this event which has made the normally slow hours much less so. Interest in 160
meter operation is on the upswing as the sunspots decline - and we're glad to
see so much antenna experimentation taking place to be in the game. The
challenge of overcoming space limitations has fostered numerous innovations.
Yesterday Pete, KU2C, one of our original 160M team members, summed up why
we've been doing the team contesting thing for the past thirty-one 160 meter
contest seasons:
"As a member of the W2GD Team we certainly work hard to generate a big
score. However, what I want to convey is the camaraderie this great hobby makes
available. I have been a member of the 'GD 160 Team" (with a the exception
of a few years) since the back in the mid-1980's when we started this journey
in John's cold basement shack. It's a great team that has only gotten better
over time. Yes we have a number of top notch operators but that's not what
makes the experience so great. We all get along very well too but that's still
not all of it either. We have FUN! Somehow we've found a unique balance
between the fierce competitiveness of a W2GD, the wacky humor of a W2NO and the
steady skill of a K2TW. (Not enough time or room here to call out everyone on
the team but each member brings their own special value and unique skill set to
the party.) Make no mistake, we all definitely want to "win" but we
all seem to value the fun we have along the way ... and especially appreciate
the lasting friendships and bonds we've built over these many years!"
There has always been something special about operating 160 meters. First and
foremost propagation is virtually unpredictable from day to day. Every night
presents the faithful with a new set of opportunities, challenges and often
some surprises. The uncertainty factor is perhaps what makes 160 so
'addictive'.
It seemed we were better prepared for the CQ160 than the other two 160 contests
this season. A last minute work party on Thursday focused on the more strenuous
outdoor tasks, like walking nearly two miles of beverages in the woods and
marsh. A coastal storm with 60 mph winds on Monday left behind plenty of tree
damage and beverage elements needing repair. We also spent time eliminating
all of the 'wall wart' power supplies in the shack. It is a blessing for us
newly minted 'pensioners' to have the time flexibility to make mid-week station
visits (it is a two hour auto trip one-way to the station from our homes).
Perhaps a good nights sleep and less physical exertion the day of the contest
helped us too.
That same coastal storm Monday apparently changed the electrical 'status' of
something on the 300 foot tower. Thursday we discovered the TX array tuned
significantly 'differently' than it had since last December. Our best guess is
some loose connection somewhere righted itself and in so doing eliminated the
source of a troublesome interaction. We'd love to know with certainty exactly
what actually happened, but we didn't object to being handed this unexpected
'gift'.
We were very pleased to increase our score by 30% this time when compared to
2016. Most of the increase was the result of working significantly more 10 and
5 pointers.
Some general observations about this year's competition:
1. Despite hearing CN2AA three hours before local sunset on Friday, conditions
were never very good the first night across the Atlantic. It was evident a
rather large absorption cloud was firmly in place over northern EU - there were
very few UA, OH, and SM stations to be heard. With muted conditions, the likely
new Multi record posted by the CN2 team is even more impressive.
Congratulations.
2. On the positive side, conditions to South America were very good both
nights. It was sheer delight to put the P4, PJ2, CX, PY, ZP, OA, HC, HK, and
LU multipliers in the log so easily.
3. The noise level in North America was exceptionally low all weekend with
only isolated pockets of bad weather occurring anywhere in the Continental US.
Given the weak signal work at hand, this was a give and blessing that kept on
giving. Transcontinental conditions were quite good with many low power CA, OR
and WA stations, and even a QRPer from WYO making it into our log. We managed to
find all 60 states/provinces during our first night of operation. Unfortunately
we never had propagation to KL7SB who was posted by the skimmers frequently - so
no WAS this time. It seemed all of the western states and VE provinces were
rather well represented this year.
4. Making contacts with EU was much more of a challenge the first night than
the second. It seemed there was a filter in place - EU stations using
amplifiers were sometimes workable, those running 100 watts or less not so
much. The QSB was fast and deep ... signals were often just at the RX noise
level. Despite such challenging propagation, we logged 189 ten pointers and 86
five pointers on Friday evening. CN2AA, one of just four AF stations logged all
weekend, answered our CQ almost immediately, just three minutes into the action.
P33W was the first AS station in the log two hours later.
5. Conditions the second night where much improved toward EU, particularly
during the period 0500 until EU sunrise around 0745. CQing higher in the band
paid big dividends for us over several hours - perhaps moving away from the
intense QRM lower in the band helped. We realize many EU callers (particularly
those running LP) probably think W2GD doesn't have a receiver at times - be
assured we also suffer that same dreaded "CQ in face" response when
calling many Europeans. It's our observation that waiting a few minutes (or
hours) and then trying again when the propagation changes brings success. The
'waves' are never ending ... you just need to catch a 'crest' for ten seconds
or so. During the second night we added another 223 ten pointers and 22 five
pointers.
6. We always work dupes and urge everyone else to do the same. Over the
weekend we ran into a loud W9 station who repeatedly refused to work us
claiming we were a dupe four times. Well, it is now his lost since that W9
isn't in our log. So just in case WORK DUPES!
7. It was a pleasant surprise to work both E51 and A35 this weekend for ATNO
from this station. ZM4T came up out of the noise at about his sunset. Out
west several KH6s were logged as well. We heard but could not work A44A, and
JA7YBK was just a whisper at our sunrise. From AF, we found 3V8, EA8 and EA9.
VK alluded us as apparently did several UA9s. There is always some 'luck'
involved it seems when it comes to who works whom.
8. We had no equipment failures, other than a dropped internet connection from
time to time.
We finished the contest operation just after sunrise Sunday morning and went
off
for our traditional post-contest team breakfast and debrief. Over the course
of the contest we'd worked 412 ten pointers (up from 317 in 2016), and 108 five
pointers.
This event would be far less enjoyable without the operators who travel to
entities that are normally inactive during this event. And we also thank the
hundreds of operators worldwide who participate on a more casual basis, giving
out one or two hundred QSOs, often using antennas not designed for 160 meter
operation. Thank you for your effort and please come back again next year!
Few contests inspire the extraordinary efforts made to prepare stations for
this battle. For weeks proceeding the CQ160 CW, social media, on Facebook in
particular, there were many accounts of stations building new TX and RX arrays.
This further illustrates how the interest in Top Band remains very high, and
many teams are just as driven as we are to overcome the unique technical
challenges posed by operation at 1.8 Mhz. We applaud your efforts and
sacrifice!
The South Jersey DX Association (SJDXA) TEAM will operate from the station
during CQ160 PHONE using the call N2CW. They've enjoyed success in recent
years and we hope you will make time for a contact with them next month.
Finally, we thank the owners of WYRS-FM for continuing to offer our team the
opportunity to pursue 160 meter contests from this most unique location the
past 14 years and counting.
73,
John, W2GD
For the 160 CW TEAM
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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