CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB
Call: GM7V
Operator(s): GM4YXI
Station: GM4YXI
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Ellon, Scotland
Operating Time (hrs): 42
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 292 9 49
80: 751 16 76
40: 550 18 76
20: 1591 31 112
15: 674 21 85
10: 365 12 56
------------------------------
Total: 4223 107 454 Total Score = 3,755,320
Club: North of Scotland Contest Group
Comments:
The contest itself was a bit disappointing to be honest. For me, conditions were
NOT very good. I am always amused by how high activity is interpreted as 'good
conditions' during CQWW.
160m - Spent a bit more time here than usual in a search for QSOs! No
transatlantic signals on the first night, two USA and three VE on the second,
no zone 8, ZY7C and several others didn't hear me.
80m - 8.8% QSOs were NA and these came in dribs and drabs, no decent runs and
they were rarely loud. Very little to the east either and I missed some African
multipliers
40m - several have reported on the odd conditions. For me they were just bad.
Probably the worst path to NA I can remember in this contest (only 9% of QSOs),
even less to Asia with a big gap in zones east of the
z17/21 line until I work z30 long path. Very odd spells where the band almost
faded out. Maybe MUF falling below 7MHz here. Certainly killed by the aurora.
Sunday evening saw better signals from the NW but I didn't seem to be able to
make any headway. Regarding activity below 7.040, it now seems that this
territory is regarded as 'open' where before, at least it seemed good hunting
ground for non-Eu QSOs. Not any more. I am not sure that I, or anyone else has
quite figured out what to do with our access above 7.1MHz?
20m - Thank God for 20m. At least I could make some QSOs though it was several
hours each morning before the audible stations became workable.
NA was present on day one but mostly zone 5, zone 4 stations were weak and
watery and Z3 absent. They were better on day 2 but zone 3 was weak and had
less than 10 QSOs here. Missed zone 6. Never had a hope of zone
1 or 31, zone 12 was never found, 19 and 27 were propagation-wise perhaps a
skip too far (north) and I missed three African zones. Only a third of QSOs
were NA.
15m - Despite this being my best points per Q band, it was also my worst band,
relatively speaking. Propagation here was really killed on day one but perked
up after 1300 on day 2. 15m was very poor F2-wise and the Sporadic E was less
strong than on 10m, thus it was hard to make headway. I only had 145 Qs on 15m
on day one and could only manage 3 z5 stations. Both mornings were dreadful,
could not work beyond zone17 or zone21.
10m - Sporadic E was better than nothing and spiced up things a bit but
Africans were scanty and SA was hard to get at all. In retrospect I spent
rather too long here looking for stuff beyond zone14 / 15 and may have been
better employed elsewhere. Es seemed more widespread on Sunday.
Someone posted a comment this year, echoing something I've been bleating on
about for years. If you are using a DVK but it's not your voice in the message,
you (may) cause great confusion.
Thanks for all the QSOs and all the fun (and frustration!). Next year.......
CU in CW
Keith GM4YXI (GM7V)
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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