[3830] CQWW SSB ND0C SOAB QRP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB

Call: ND0C
Operator(s): ND0C
Station: ND0C

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: Minnesota
Operating Time (hrs): 23

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:                    
   80:   18     4        3
   40:   18     7       11
   20:  163    21       69
   15:  123    53       19
   10:                    
------------------------------
Total:  322    51      136  Total Score = 157,828

Club: Minnesota Wireless Association

Comments:

Interesting....  Things started out miserably - 20 was basically dead here
Friday night and QRP on 80 and 40 is a real masochistic ordeal.  When 20 opened
Saturday AM, it was wall-to-wall signals - what a zoo.  I don't think I've ever
seen the QRM so heavy from the top of the band down.  I have no idea how any of
the Europeans copied my 5 watts - apparently ESP.  There are a lot of
outstanding operators out there with great equipment.  

Unfortunately there are some real lids lurking about too.  Not only was there a
lot of poor operating ethics, but pure idiocy too - like setting up below the US
phone band on 40 to call CQ - I heard at least two big guns doing that.  It is
very frustrating to have a station come back to me with a partial (e.g.
"November ending with Charlie") and get stepped on by somebody running a
kilowatt with none of the letters in their call sign.  Some guys just would
rather flex their high powered "muscles" instead of waiting and using good,
ethical operating techniques.  I know it is an age-old problem and it will
probably continue to be so. - That and the guys using packet spotting but not
claiming it.  Oh well.... 

I really had a blast - 20 was really a challenge - but I would never have
imagined getting nearly 70 countries and 21 zones on it with the QRM and at
this point in the cycle.  The fact that 15 opened up so well on both days was a
surprise - a very pleasant surprise.  It was so much fun to go to 15 and escape
the bedlam on 20.  I even worked a bunch of JA's on 15 Saturday and a ZM late
on Sunday - who would have guessed!  I didn't hear a whisper on 10.  I didn't
plan to operated as much as I did, but then got kind of serious about it.  I'm
sure some QRP stations in the eastern/southern US will blow away this score
from my very modest antennas in the "black hole", but I'm pleased with how
things went, considering everything.   

Thanks again to the great ears out there pulling me through the splatter and
noise. Really awesome job guys!

73, 
Randy, ND0C - QRP as always!

Station: Yaesu FT-897D at 5 watts; 3 el tribander at 50 feet and dipoles at 45
feet.


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