CQ Worldwide VHF Contest - 2020
Call: N0URW
Operator(s): N0URW
Station: N0URW
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: EN41
Operating Time (hrs):
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
6: 205 105
2: 63 32
-------------------
Total: 268 137 Total Score = 45,758
Club:
Comments:
Big Thank You CQ Magazine for sponsoring this test !!!
Also thank you Ham Nation for telling so many about this VHF contest.
My goal this year was to have fun, make a lot of contacts, and don't get
upset with the calling frequency hogs.
This year I'm setup to run SSB and FT8 on both bands, Let the fun begin.
Saturday::: Started out really good, 6 meters was open to the DM grids
from here right out of the gate.
This lasted just shy of an hour. Then 6 meters shifted 180 degrees and now the
FN grids were coming in.
I was running SSB mode the entire time. The log was filling fast when all of
the sudden after 30 minutes the opening was gone.
Still a few here and there , most ran off to FT8. It wasn't long before my rate
per hour was low enough for me to go FT8 as well.
6 opened back up to the DM and a few DN grids. I was hoping for Hawaii,, Nope
!!!
Most were on FT8 and either didn't notice or didn't care that SSB contacts
were available.
I soon ran out of new stations to work on SSB and started switching back to
FT8. It wasn't much better.
It was slow going and after a few hours 6 meters shifted North to the DN, DO
grids. Switching between SSB and FT8 really helped.
The band would open just long enough to get the first part of the FT8 contact
info sent both ways, then drop out.
It would come back a minute later, but if the other station had already given
up, you lost the contact. That happened a lot.
FT4 or SSB would of been so much better. Around 9 PM my time 6 meters opened
into central and Western Canada.
I would call on SSB and work a few, then switch to FT8 to work a few more. It
was really fun to talk SSB mode to Canada.
At the same time it was opening the opposite direction to Florida and FK
grids.
This switching back and forth between modes seemed to be the way to go. Some
only use FT8 and some only use CW/SSB.
While I was pointing the 6 meter yagi NW. Around 10 PM I worked two JA stations
on FT8. This was a first for me in this contest.
I was really hoping for a couple contacts to Alaska, But I will take a QN
grids anytime. Everything seemed to go away by midnight.
Nobody new to work on 6 meter.
On Saturday 2 meters started out fast but slowed to a snail pace quickly. Band
conditions seemed normal.
SSB was working out 400+ miles, but most were on FT8. I have no idea why.
Nothing like having to work your own grid on FT8 because the other stations
don't want to use SSB.
Even with all the different directions to work on 6, My score at the end of
the day was worse than it was last year.
Sunday::: Slow going on SSB and FT8 on both 2 and 6 meters. At least I was
getting more 2 meter contacts.
Most were locals I worked on 6 meters FT8 on Saturday. Some were out at the
500+ mile range. Most were on 2 meter FT8.
I kept seeing K1TEO on 2 meter FT8 but only part of the sequence was copied
and always to different stations.
I thought about giving it a try, but never did. W3SO was another I kept
seeing partials from all morning long.
I decided to continue the switching back and forth between SSB and FT8. While
on 6 meter SSB I found the band open to Texas.
I would work a few then nothing, Go to FT8 and see a screen full of Texas.
Same thing happened later with Florida.
Around noon my time, I could hear a few of the big guns out East coming
through on 6 meter SSB like K1TEO does most of the time.
I had already worked him on Saturday so the hope was the band would crack
wide open for a big run. Never happened here.
It was slow going all day thanks to so many on FT8. So the band was pretty
good in all directions.
Scores would of been much higher if more had tried SSB mode a lot more. You
get a 20 to 30 second window to make a contact.
You can do it on SSB. You can not do it on FT8. Wise up everyone. Pay more
attention to the actual band conditions.
FT8 is a great tool. However, some of this propagation was changing so fast,
it was the wrong tool most of the time.
Only getting a partial exchange on FT8 doesn't count and you just wasted the
time needed to complete a SSB contact..
I don't want to hear it's all about how much power you are running. I worked a
station in Canada in a DO grid on 6 meter SSB running 2-1/2 watts to a broken
antenna. If he can do it, so can you.
Thank you rovers. Doing what you do during these tests is greatly
appreciated.
The Bottom Line::: I spent so much time looking for a new grid to work, I
passed over several easy contacts. My Bad...
Always moving forward.
May we meet again. 73 all
de N0URW
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