[3830] ARRLDX CW PJ2T M/2 HP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: PJ2T
Operator(s): W0CG, N5OT, N1ZZ, N4QQ, K6ZH, WI9WI, NP2L
Station: PJ2T

Class: M/2 HP
QTH: Netherlands Antilles
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:  485    56
   80: 1195    59
   40: 2084    60
   20: 1967    60
   15: 1544    60
   10:  132    28
-------------------
Total: 7407   323  Total Score = 7,177,383

Club: CCC

Comments:

We were thrilled to welcome K6ZH and his XYL Joan (N6KIM) to PJ2T for the first
time. Poor Jim, I buttonholed him coming out of a bathroon in Sequoia National
Park last April after Visalia, introduced myself, and by the end of the
conversation he was seriously considering coming to PJ2T. This trip was the
result. We're also happy to have John, N4QQ operating this weekend in his first
contest as a CCC member.

Our top rate hour was Hour 1, with about 40 good minutes on 20 and then a quick
change to 80 to round out the hour. The other radio was, of course, on 40. That
first hour netted 357 QSOs. From there on the first night was a slog with high
noise until about 0300Z. A was 4 and K was 3, so it was not a highly productive
night. 

Saturday morning 20 opened to US/VE as expected at around 1130Z, but we waited
another hour and a half for 15, and it was thready all day. 20 was the money
band. Saturday night was even worse, and we agonized through a slow and noisy
night, waiting for light and morning high band rate.

Morning high band rate never happened. For over an hour we were a M/2 with only
one good band, 40. No Qs anywhere else. 15 did not open to the States until 1100
local (!), 1500Z. Finally, though, because conditions from US/VE to Europe were
so poor, beams turned south and we had some terrific rates on 15. One of the
bigger thrills of the contest was working VY1EI on three bands for an
unexpected mult. Eric operates from a trailer in the snowy woods, exactly the
rustic image of Yukon contesting that we all hold in our minds. 

Sunday all day the team hovered over the 10 meter radio, hoping to make a few
more Qs to add to N5OT's 5 contacts from Saturday, all of which were made on a
Europe antenna. Finally the MUF map suggested that we might have a shot, and
around 2115Z we had an 80 minute opening, unstable and thready, but good enough
to put 28 mults and the 132 Qs into the log on 10. Nothing whatsoever to W7,
though, except a lot of AZ stations. We were watching the spots during that
time and it did not appear that out other Caribbean neighbors were as lucky
with that opening. 

Thanks as always to the members of our CCC club (www.pj2t.org) who make this
operation possible, now in our ninth year. Two weeks ago we had five linears,
three PCs, and three transceivers down for maintenance. Thanks to good
teamwork, however, we were able to get enough stuff working to do this contest.
If this score holds up, it will be PJ2T's 12th ARRL DX contest win in a row in
our chosen categories. 

Maybe ONE OF THESE DAYS we will get some conditions back and have some real fun
on the radio again. Meanwhile, thanks to all who took the trouble to put PJ2T
into your logs.

See you in ARRL SSB in a couple of weeks with K4UEE and his team, including
ARRL's Mary Hobart, K1MMH, operating PJ2T, Multi/Multi. 

    73,

        - Geoff, W0CG, PJ2DX


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