[3830] Commonwealth VQ5XF(G3TXF) Open HP

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                    RSGB Commonwealth Contest, CW

Call: VQ5XF
Operator(s): G3TXF
Station: VP5JM

Class: Open HP
QTH: VP5 Turks & Caicos
Operating Time (hrs): 23

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
   80:  179
   40:  296
   20:  369
   15:  138
   10:    1
------------
Total:  983  Total Score = 8,515

Club: 

Comments:

G3TXF operated BERU as VQ5XF from the Hamlet (VP5JM) QTH in Provo, Turks &
Caicos.

Both the number of QSOs and claimed score are about 5% down on last year's
effort from V25XF (Antigua), despite my not falling asleep at the key for three
hours as I did last year!

The "target tracking" facilities within the Win-Test contest software are
excellent. I was able to pace this year's operation against last year's hourly
QSO rates, score etc. Up until about 16z I was ahead of last year's score but
after that it started to slid backwards and despite a full time effort the
total number of QSOs was about 80 less than last year. Unless I missed the
openings completely, 10m was a waste of space except for one most welcome QSO
with Mike VP8NO. Even VE3EJ's mighty signal could not be heard on 10m.

The arrival of TX5C on both 80m and 40m shattered the otherwise usually
tranquil BERU operating style. Callsigns were raining down all over the place
on both bands once the TX5C pile-ups got going. BERU participants had to take
shelter where ever they could!

The addition of the "team" concept has really added something to BERU. It was
great to be able to tick off virtually all the members of the different teams
as they were worked.

Despite the added novelty of the VQ5 prefix there were only a handful of
non-BERU callers. And of those, only a very small number still persisted in
calling despite a "sri no QSO" message. 

Although this was my second BERU from the Caribbean, I am still confused over
whether some of the VK6 (and other VK) QSOs are short-path or long-path on 40m!
Working VU2PTT on 40m at his sunrise was one of the many highlights of this
excellent contest. 

Working VP8NO on four bands and ZS3/G3LZQ on both 80m and 40m were just two
more highlights!

There are a few VQ5XF photos on:

http://www.g3txf.com/dxtrip/VQ5XF/VQ5.html

Not once during the 24 hours did I send "CQ" or "Test". It was always just
BERU. BERU sounds great on CW!

73 - Nigel G3TXF VQ5XF


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