Okay, I'll warm up the CQWW SSB pot with a few comments...
I plan to be operating SOAB HP, from my southwest New Mexico QTH. My goals are
similar to previous years - have the highest SOAB score west of the Mississippi
river, and break into the USA SOAB HP top-ten. Both are formidable challenges,
which I did not achieve last year.
Thank goodness propagation is changing quickly as we head towards northern
hemisphere winter. 15 meters has gone from dead just 2 weeks ago, to daily
openings to southwestern EU, Africa, and Oceania. Unfortunately, there has yet
to be any opening to JA or the Far East from here. I sure hope this changes for
CQWW.
Good news for the future - There have been 3 new-cycle sunspot groups in the
past 2 weeks. None of them has been big enough to raise the solar flux above 71
or effect propagation, but at least there is a sign of life after the long
solar
minimum. And more good news - 28 days before CQWW SSB, the geomagnetic field
was
quiet, so we should not have disturbed conditions for CQWW SSB.
And yet more good news for western USA and JA contesters...Since last CQWW, the
75 meter JA phone band has expanded ! No more squeezing into the 3792-3803
window. The new JA phone band segments are: 3525-3575, 3599-3612, 3680-3687,
3702-3716, 3745-3770, 3791-3805. This will also be the first CQWW SSB with the
expanded USA phone bands (7125-7300, 3600-4000). Now, if only my 75 meter
antennas had expanded bandwidth !
Looking forward to a fun weekend. I'll be happy to answer any newbie (or old
timer) questions. Leave me a hole on 20 meters !
73,
Steve, N2IC
K1AR@aol.com wrote:
> All,
>
> Most of us are about to participate in the world's biggest contest in a
> little over a week (CQ WW SSB) and no one is even talking about it on this
> channel. How about some posts that discuss propagation, operating plans,
> strategy,
> questions, last-minute challenges, skimmer rules (ummm, cancel that one),
> etc.?
>
> We have a great resource at our disposal with lots of experienced folks
> hiding the weeds. Let's use it to our advantage!
>
> 73 John, K1AR
> **************New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination.
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