CQWW WPX Contest, CW - 2020
Call: N1LN
Operator(s): N1LN
Station: N1LN
Class: SO(A)AB HP
QTH: NC
Operating Time (hrs): 25
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 2
80: 108
40: 900
20: 900
15: 241
10: 9
------------
Total: 2160 Prefixes = 945 Total Score = 5,335,470
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
CQ WPX is one of my favorite contests that I rarely get to participate in. Late
May we are usually in Upstate NY opening our lake house, but with Covid-19 we
decided to put that on hold and STAY HOME.
I started on 40 meters and fortunately the sun was still up because my NE
beverage was not working. I found this out with only 5 minutes to spare and with
the high storm generated QRN it needed to be fixed right away. A quick walk
through the woods and the problem was found. That little issue caused my opening
bell to ring 15 minutes late. The first 3 hours went without issue other than a
very high request for repeats both from me and the stations I was working.
Error rates could be interesting. Then the second issue hit when I moved from 20
to 80 on radio 2. My 80 meter phased verticals had excessively high SWR and were
not useable. The QRN levels were decreasing and there was no shortage of action
on 40 so that fix was going to have to wait until morning light. I shut down for
the first night around 0515.
Saturday started about 1100 and the sun was already up, but 20 was not as open
here as expected. It started to open and then got pretty flat. EU signals went
through a period of QSB and then, except for the strong stations, were just
about gone. 15 meters did keep my interest on radio 2 which was nice. Also a few
10 meter Qs got in the log, but looking at some other 3830 postings, I guess I
missed much of the available action. So, it was time to check out the 80 meter
verticals. It was easy to find the problem. A support tree for one of the
elevated radials fell over. I simply tied the radial support rope to another
tree and the verticals were back! Nice to have easy and from the ground fixes.
The rest of the contest went failure free.
There were a couple of disappointments throughout the weekend. I got up early
Sunday looking for an Asia opening on 40. Well, at least for me that did not
happen. There are only 4 or 5 JAs in the log and no other ASIA. Asiatic Russia
got in several times Friday and Saturday night so the N and NE paths were there
but not NW from here. VK and ZL were easy both long and short path.
The second and final disappointment was with signal quality. I just don’t
understand how the quantity of stations with key clicks, and some were
excessive, can continue to increase. This was just a few stations. I did not
count them but my guess would be in the 20s or 30s. With the packed bands
stations naturally get close and good filters help there. Key clicks just
destroy a VERY large band segment for everyone. Can't all the rig manufacturers
get this fixed!
So, being a casual entry, I set my goal at 2000 Qs and 4meg points. Both were
reached with the 4m being the easiest. The high 40 meter 6 point Q and mult
availability really helped there. It was good to be running Assisted Class. I
shut down early, opened a bottle of wine and spent the rest of Sunday night with
my wife.
Thanks for the Qs, the fun and the enjoyable STAY AT HOME weekend.
73,
Bruce N1LN
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