CQWW WPX Contest, CW
Call: K5KG
Operator(s): K5KG
Station: K5KG
Class: SO(A)AB HP
QTH: Florida
Operating Time (hrs): 34.5
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 2
80: 55
40: 706
20: 1052
15: 261
10: 43
------------
Total: 2119 Prefixes = 889 Total Score = 5,593,588
Club: Florida Contest Group
Comments:
The poor solar conditions we have all been experiencing certainly didn't seem to
have a great impact on the bands this weekend. Conditions proved to be extremely
good for where we are in Cycle 24. I did not expect 10m to be open, but was
pleasantly surprised to work CN3A, EF8R, a few Caribbeans and South Americans,
and a nice collection of stateside and VE stations. 15m was an eye-opener with
a very nice assortment of DX, including an amazing number of European stations.
40m offered up a wonderful collection of DX and stateside and VE stations.
Notable treats were a long path QSO with YB0ARJ, and short path to twelve VK
& ZL's. 20m was notable because of the long night time hours it was open.
80m was a struggle with heavy QRN, but we did manage to work twenty Euros
through the noise, as well as several Caribbean, SA and stateside and VE
stations. 160m was a similar story due to high QRN.
This report would not be complete without mentioning the bothersome RF that
seems to be increasingly present on the bands. I refer specifically to
interference caused by key clicks, faint and not-so-faint steady carriers,
broadband signals that I call "growlers", and of course digital
signals. I certainly won't complain about the digital signals because these are
legitimate modes that are being enjoyed by our fellow hams. But, I will
complain about key clicks. I heard heavy key clicks by formidable stations
running their pileups with offending transmitters. Surely, they must know
better. I will also complain about the steady carriers that just seem to sit
there for long periods of time — where are they coming from, and why? And,
lastly, those growlers — again, where and why?
The weather was not our friend on Saturday. During the day we had huge
downpours from the low pressure system that was hanging in the Gulf of Mexico.
I had to lay off a few times during the day, not because of lightning, but
because of a huge amount of rain static. By Saturday night, the front had
passed, and the bands became progressively quieter. By Sunday, the QRN had
abated, and the sun even came out.
During the month of May, the FOC was celebrating their 80th anniversary with an
on-the-air operating event. Many of them have been signing special event FOC
and FOC80 call signs during the month, and they certainly participated in the
WPX. FOC members and non-members have been "chasing" these special
event stations in a competition to see who can work the most. As a non-member,
I have also been playing the chase game, and the WPX allowed me to add to my
count of FOC contacts. It was the fun of a contest within a contest.
STATION:
K3 + KPA500
Triband yagi at 60 ft.
2el 40m yagi at 75 ft
80m Inv Vee
160m Inv L
Logged with WinTest
73, George K5KG
Sarasota, Florida
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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