CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: WX0B
Operator(s): AD5Q
Station: WX0B
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Dallas
Operating Time (hrs): 45:49
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 55 13 32
80: 220 23 69
40: 1173 34 112
20: 1333 33 110
15: 212 21 74
10: 4 3 3
------------------------------
Total: 2997 127 400 Total Score = 4,174,894
Club: DFW Contest Group
Comments:
Who needs sunspots?
Actually the solar flux could have been 2 points LOWER, and I thought conditions
were pretty good. The K index stayed low, and there were no T-storms or rain
anywhere near here - so quiet conditions prevailed throughout this wonderful
event. Hey, when is somebody going to do a PBS documentary on DX contesting? And
throw in a discussion on propagation and antennas to keep it interesting with
graphics showing how the science works. Oh, THEY would want to do the SSB
contest: bummer. Maybe Ken Burns?
OK, so 10 & 15 weren't so hot. Heard NR5M on 10 Friday night (200 miles
south) and couldn't work them. Didn't hear another signal on 10m until Sunday,
but did pass one of our Dallas locals from 20m for the USA mult. And while
finishing up the morning runs on Sunday I jumped to 10 and found about 8 - 10
sigs on the P3. I starting working them on the 2nd radio and they faded quickly,
so I only worked two them and never ID'ed the others. This was at 1735z.
20 was packed, and it was hard enough trying to find gaps between run stations
where I could get good rate. But I wanted one without key clicks and that's too
much to ask for. Went way high up the band, like Billy does. And then there is
that blob of a signal that shows up on the P3 at 14074, 7074, etc and occupies
many great run frequencies where nobody ventures to go. They own it now. I
couldn't stop thinking about that monster that kept me awake at night in the
50's after I saw my first Sci-Fi flick (Forbidden Planet). Is it going to eat
our CW bands? Who let this happen? Is somebody representing us that wants to
stop it?
Had an excellent night on lowbands the first night, though the east coast really
crushes us there. It was kinda cool having JA's calling in while running 80m
EU's. Betcha can't do THAT from W1 ;-D Was hoping to add more Q's and mults the
2nd night but spent most of the time during the window running on 40 and
pouncing 160. Didn't hit 80 hard enough and am not happy with the totals.
Almost totally blew it when I did my nap. I use a small egg timer to time my
breaks because I only have to set the minutes - not compute the wake time. It
beeps for a solid minute, then quits. Due to hearing loss it is no longer loud
enough, and I awoke from a deep sleep just in time before it quit beeping. So
need something louder.
So when I dragged my butt back in the chair things got surreal. I was totally
groggy from the nap, and barely knew what buttons to push. I quickly found a
small pileup on 80 with a few big guys calling aggressively - nothing unusual
for CQWW, and the DX station had a very good signal. But in my delirium I'm
thinking "why do these guys need to be so rude". Then, in perfect
synchronicity the station quickly faded into the QRN while at the same time the
fog evaporated from my brain. I had just missed the opportunity to work zone 26
on 80 long path and never even called. It was E2T, almost 2 hours before our
sunrise.
One item that has been on my personal bucket list is to do 3000+ contacts during
the sunspot bottom, and that was my focus during the last four hours (not
score). So no checkmark. See you next year.
/* end of rant */
Roy -- AD5Q
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