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[3830] CQ160 CW W2GD Multi-Op HP

To: 3830@contesting.com, w2gd@hotmail.com
Subject: [3830] CQ160 CW W2GD Multi-Op HP
From: webform@b4h.net
Reply-to: w2gd@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2020 03:39:22 +0000
List-post: <mailto:3830@contesting.com>
                    CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW - 2020

Call: W2GD
Operator(s): K2TW KU2C KZ2I N2HM N2OO NS3F W2CG W2GD W2NO W2RQ
Station: W2GD

Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: NJ
Operating Time (hrs): 31

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 1814  State/Prov = 58  Countries = 89  Total Score = 1,426,194

Club: Frankford Radio Club

Comments:

Elecraft K3S x 3 - Diversity Enabled
OM2000HF  1250 watts
Win-Test Logging Software Ver4.28
2 element vertical wire Yagi @ 240' with NE, West and Omni options
Beverage antennas N, NE, E, S, SW, W, NW, plus HI-Z Four 

What a terrific weekend to be on 160 CW!  Congratulations to everyone who
participated in the most competitive event of all in radiosport.  Undoubtedly
many long standing records were broken by those playing completely within the
rules. Engineering and building a 160 station that works better than a
competitors is one of the biggest challenges in MW amateur radio - clearly there
are many of us who enjoy taking on this challenge and work that much harder to
be successful.  Totally addictive and consuming.

With the benefit of 37 years of CQ160 hindsight, I rate this year's CQ160 CW as
the third best of all time.  Many have noted in 3830 comments similarities with
the 2009 event which for many was the all time best. But an earlier CQ160 CW in
the late 1990's offered by far the best contest weekend propagation ever - a
magical weekend when the band really did sound like 20 meters.  Although very
good much of the time this weekend's conditions did not approach what we
experienced both eleven or twenty two years ago.  Nonetheless this one will
without a doubt be remembered as one of many great years.   

Little things often make a tangible difference.  Stations with multiple BIG
antennas inherently have more failure points to police and maintain. This year
we implemented a new RX antenna testing procedure which immediately identified
two faults that would have been score effecting if not repaired. Two work
parties after the BIG STEW eliminated outdoor physical activities on contest
weekend.  As we've aged (our average operator is now over 65 years) more
attention is being paid to managing fatigue which has become a real operational
issue. 

So what about the contest?  A few observations and comments.  

Night One - we began hearing EU stations 90 minutes before local sunset.
Atmospheric noise level was very low.  When the contest started the bandmap was
packed from 1805 to 1860.  We found breaking through the EU chaos very
difficult.  Only one in four attempts calling ten point contacts that first 30
minutes were successful.  We quickly moved up the band searching for a
productive run frequency.  We settled on 1871 and stayed for 7+ hours. After the
first hour rate skyrocketed into the 130+/hour range. The first eight hours
averaged 118/hour. The EU sunrise enhancement was not pronounced. During the
first night 45 percent of our contacts were ten pointers from EU/AS/SA, with 441
ten pointers the first night.  Clearly conditions were pretty good but not
spectacular. We had all continental US states and only needed PEI, NF, VE5, and
VE8 for an SP sweep.  Big surprise ... GM3POI called us at 1054Z - easily 3
hours after his sunrise! No VK, ZL, KL7 or JA at our sunrise.  Seeing ourselves
in first place position on the scoreboards was fun to see when we began a
scheduled off time during daylight hours.  Half Time Totals: 1251q  57s 84c 
  
Night Two: We found conditions the second night better than the first.   A heavy
rain storm had passed to our Northeast during the day but the band remained
quiet. Our first EU contact was ED1R at 2155Z. It seemed EU was somewhat slower
to open on night two but from 0100 onward and for the next six hours over 50% of
our contacts were ten pointers from EU.  Signals sounded louder to us and there
was little QSB.  The hoped for EU sunrise enhancement was notable 0500 to 0800
following a dreadful EU dead period during the 0400 hour. We caught KL7SB at
0159Z, VE5SF at 0334, JA3YBK at 0904 and KH6LC at 0918 for our last ten pointer.
 We never heard JT5DX nor any of the VK and ZL stations spotted. PEI and VO1
maintained their radio silence.   Second night totals:  +563q +1s +5c   

Worked all 50 states.
Missed two VE Provinces: PEI, NF, VE8/NWT
Countries heard but not worked:  None

First Night:  481 Ten Pointers  73 Five Pointers
Second Night: 245 Ten Pointers  19 Five Pointers
Overall:  726 Ten Pointers  92 Five Pointers

2020 Team Milestones: 

Highest QSO Total - finally breaking the 1800 contact total barrier
Most Countries Worked in any 160 meter event
Most Total Multipliers Worked in any 160 meter event
Highest Average Points per contact 
Broke our W2 Multi-op Record set in 2009
Broke the K1LZ USA Multi-op Record set in 2010 (pending log checking)

It was great to see so many of our fellow Multi-op teams and many SOA entrants
who we use as a basis of comparison posting one or both of the live scoreboards.
 We hope even more will decide to post on the scoreboards in the future.  Over
the course of the event it was fascinating to watch the horse races develop and
leads pass back and forth. 

Thanks to all the stations who called us.  We hope you had as much fun as our
team did.  

Please look for the SJDXA entry N2CW during CQ160 PH from this station.

Thanks to CQ Magazine for continuing to sponsor our favorite 160 meter contest
and also the owners of WYRS-FM for allowing us to use and enjoy their facilities
for so many years.

73, 
John, W2GD
For the Entire 160 CW Contest Team


-------------- Q S O   R a t e   S u m m a r y ---------------------
Hour     160     80     40     20     15     10    Rate Total    Pct
--------------------------------------------------------------------
2200     105      0      0      0      0      0    105    105    5.8
2300     139      0      0      0      0      0    139    244   13.5
0000     134      0      0      0      0      0    134    378   20.8
0100     138      0      0      0      0      0    138    516   28.4
0200     123      0      0      0      0      0    123    639   35.2
0300     131      0      0      0      0      0    131    770   42.4
0400      94      0      0      0      0      0     94    864   47.6
0500      78      0      0      0      0      0     78    942   51.9
0600      55      0      0      0      0      0     55    997   55.0
0700      53      0      0      0      0      0     53   1050   57.9
0800      31      0      0      0      0      0     31   1081   59.6
0900      29      0      0      0      0      0     29   1110   61.2
1000      35      0      0      0      0      0     35   1145   63.1
1100      34      0      0      0      0      0     34   1179   65.0
1200      47      0      0      0      0      0     47   1226   67.6
1300      12      0      0      0      0      0     12   1238   68.2
1400      11      0      0      0      0      0     11   1249   68.9
1500       1      0      0      0      0      0      1   1250   68.9
1600       1      0      0      0      0      0      1   1251   69.0
1700       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1251   69.0
1800       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1251   69.0
1900       6      0      0      0      0      0      6   1257   69.3
2000      11      0      0      0      0      0     11   1268   69.9
2100      17      0      0      0      0      0     17   1285   70.8
2200      23      0      0      0      0      0     23   1308   72.1
2300      58      0      0      0      0      0     58   1366   75.3
0000      57      0      0      0      0      0     57   1423   78.4
0100      78      0      0      0      0      0     78   1501   82.7
0200      61      0      0      0      0      0     61   1562   86.1
0300      31      0      0      0      0      0     31   1593   87.8
0400      27      0      0      0      0      0     27   1620   89.3
0500      54      0      0      0      0      0     54   1674   92.3
0600      50      0      0      0      0      0     50   1724   95.0
0700      27      0      0      0      0      0     27   1751   96.5
0800      12      0      0      0      0      0     12   1763   97.2
0900      15      0      0      0      0      0     15   1778   98.0
1000      14      0      0      0      0      0     14   1792   98.8
1100      15      0      0      0      0      0     15   1807   99.6
1200       7      0      0      0      0      0      7   1814  100.0
1300       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1814  100.0
1400       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1814  100.0
1500       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1814  100.0
1600       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1814  100.0
1700       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1814  100.0
1800       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1814  100.0
1900       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1814  100.0
2000       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1814  100.0
2100       0      0      0      0      0      0      0   1814  100.0
------------------------------------------------------
Total   1814      0      0      0      0      0   1814

Gross QSOs=1883        Dupes=69        Net QSOs=1814

The best 60 minute rate was 150/hour from 0043 to 0142
The best 30 minute rate was 164/hour from 0119 to 0148
The best 10 minute rate was 198/hour from 2320 to 2329

----------------- C o n t i n e n t   S u m m a r y -----------------
                 160     80     40     20     15     10  Total    Pct
---------------------------------------------------------------------
North America   1088      0      0      0      0      0   1088   60.0
South America     16      0      0      0      0      0     16    0.9
Europe           680      0      0      0      0      0    680   37.4
Asia              18      0      0      0      0      0     18    1.0
Africa            10      0      0      0      0      0     10    0.6
Oceania            2      0      0      0      0      0      2    0.1
--------------------------------------------------------------
Total           1814      0      0      0      0      0   1814

  
A Few Final Comments about Unethical Contest Behavior:  
Unfortunately there are a small number of competitors among us who deliberately
act unethically and cheat.  It is our view these rule breakers deserve full
exposure and disqualification.  In the CQ 160 and other Top Band events this
season it has become blatantly obvious some stations are using remote receiving
systems on different continents to complete contacts. The offenders must be
identified and disqualified.  Our 160 Contest Team strongly supports those event
sponsors who take rule enforcement actions against these cheaters, sending a
crystal clear message to everyone that bad behavior will not be tolerated.  If
you are reading this comment and are one of those cheating be very aware your
peers are watching carefully for future abuses.


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