[3830] CQWW CW 8P5A(W2SC) SOAB HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: 8P5A
Operator(s): W2SC
Station: 8P5A

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Barbados
Operating Time (hrs): 47.5
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  378    14       54
   80:  857    24       83
   40: 1619    32      101
   20: 1815    31      104
   15: 1814    28       29
   10:  218    13       27
------------------------------
Total: 6701   142      463  Total Score = 9,883,885

Club: Northern California Contest Club

Comments:

Station logistics and holiday travel plans precluded a maximum effort. 
Combining CQWW with Thanksgiving family commitments makes this contest a less
than optimal situation.  However, after a successful effort on SSB, a low
pressure weekend was just fine.  

Having to return the cottage I use back to the owners this weekend, I had to
relocate the station to a small exterior room and clear out the house.  I
traveled from New York to Barbados on Monday morning to do all the normal
precontest set up (160 Inverted L, 80 mter wire array, and receive 4 square),
plus reroute/extend 10 cables to the new operating position.  Although I got
all of these done by myself, it was a hasty process and there was limited time
for checkout before I left on Wednesday to return to New York for Thanksgiving.
 

On Friday, my wife Kathleen, son Alex, and I returned to Barbados, arriving mid
afternoon.  After a brief station checkout, I went to the new apartment to get
some rest.

Despite the intent of having a low key effort, I still operated the full 48,
although the last 5 hours were a struggle after 4, 4-hour+ flights in less than
a week.  The station performed well but I had a whole set of new RFI problems to
solve, especially on 160.  I also lost the 160 antenna the second night when the
ground anchor pulled out, lifting the entire antenna off the ground and tangling
the radials with the driven element.  The other issue was the new station
layout.  With my back by the door, I was in the path of direct sunlight in the
morning and heavy rain most of the weekend. The alternative to getting soaked
was to close the doors, which made the room hot and stuffy.  I ended up getting
soaked and having a hot room.

All of those items aside, outside of limited vigor for multiplier hunting, the
RFI, rain, and fatigue issues probably only modestly impacted my score and my
hat is off to W2GD and N2NT on great efforts.

The good news is that the operations in Barbados can continue, albeit with a
number of problems to solve.

Best clock hour was 16Z at 247 (including 2 Q's on the second radio)

Thanks to everybody for the Q's and the moves.  Thanks to the CQWW committee
for this great event. Thanks to my wife Kathleen for all of her support.

QSL via NN1N or LOTW

73 Tom W2SC

10     5L @ 100', TH6, TH7
15     TH6, TH7 both at 50'
20     TH6, TH7 both at 50'
40     3L @ 90'
80     2L wire array, Inverted V @ 50 feet
160    Inverted L with 4 raised radials


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