[3830] WPX CW WV7Q(N7WA) SOAB LP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: WV7Q
Operator(s): N7WA
Station: WV7Q

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: 
Operating Time (hrs): 36
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:   33
   40:  280
   20:  821
   15:  139
   10:   24
------------
Total: 1297  Prefixes = 570  Total Score = 1,463,190

Club: Western Washington DX Club

Comments:

This was supposed to be a Multi-2 year but my partner had to bow out. That made
it an SO2R event. The past two years I have been coming off an illness doing
this test so it was my first serious effort since 2006. The goals were simple,
1000 Q's, 500 mults, and 1 million points. I blew past all three before going
to bed Saturday night. With no freckles on the sun, no one was more surprised
then me.

This was also my first test using a "borrowed" call. A simple search showed
only one WV7 over the past several years and that was a Phone test. Carolyn
WV7Q, graciously allowed me to use her call even though she had no idea what
WPX was about. I KNOW that call has never been used on CW before. :>) 

The call was a blessing and a curse. I know I was a unique multipler but the
busted calls were a real source of frustration when conditions were marginal.
It came back as WS**, W3**, W4**, WU7, and others. There were dozens of "CFM
WV7Q?" I had to respond to. One guy asked twice - before and after the
exchange. I guess that's what happens when you aren't in the check partial
database. 

I eventually came upon a strategy. If the returned call wasn't close when doing
S&P, I frequently walked away from the Q and came back a couple minutes later. I
found that many times, before doing that, no matter how hard I tried, once the
call was busted badly, they couldn't figure out the WV7 part. It was easier on
them and me to come about for a second try (and the wife didn't have to listen
to me yelling at the radio).

The morning runs into Europe were pretty pathetic but the (late) Saturday
evening run was great with some nice pileups coming this way (I must have got
spotted). According to SH5, 60% of the Q's were stateside but that was less
than I was fearing at the start.

The other frustration was the weather. It was one of those weekends God
reserves for the Pacific Northwest after a cold wet spring and I spent it in
front of a radio. <sigh>. I just can't wait to tell everyone at work what I did
for fun on the weekend.

I know they will humor me.... but it was fun...  really...

73
dink


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