[3830] CQWW CW W7VJ M/S HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: W7VJ
Operator(s): W7RG, K0PJ, K7OG, N7NM, WL7E, W7VJ
Station: W7VJ

Class: M/S HP
QTH: Washington
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:   17     7        9
   80:   96    25       43
   40:  882    37      119
   20:  828    37      120
   15:  122    25       64
   10:   16    11       14
------------------------------
Total: 1961   142      369  Total Score = 2,628,073

Club: Western Washington DX Club

Comments:

Conditions are definitely on the upswing, though one would have had to wonder if
this is true at times during the contest. On Saturday evening local time we were
well ahead of last year's pace, only to finish with less than 200K improvement. 
The solar indices tell the story.  Yet it was amazing to see 40 and 20 competing
for best bands.  We had a super opening to Asia on 40 and even 80, and K0PJ made
the most of it in both evenings with help from N7NM, K7OG, and W7RG.  The EU
opening was not what we would have hoped for, though was fun working EU long
path on 40.  K7OG had a great run on 20 Sunday morning local time, but the
window was short.  Managed to snag 9L5A on 10 Sunday morning in what must have
been a 15 minute opening.  Worked him, scanned up a bit, and by the time I
returned to his fq, no signal. The African opening on 15 Sunday morning local
was fantastic, and made for some exceptional multipliers.  Appreciate the many
African expeditions, including 5R8ZO, and the many others. Was great to work my
BCC friends at EA8URL, and many others who we work year after year. 

The conditions on Sunday were telling as the multipliers had appeared to be
worked out.  Running was not particularly good, and in the last two hours or
so, there was virtually nothing for the mult operator to do, though K7OG picked
up DX1DBT for a mult on 15 during the last 3 minutes.  The pile up on the 5W0
was awful the moment he was spotted.  Once the sun set in the east coast, one
call is all it took.  WL7E picked off many stations and great mults during the
balance of Sunday.  WL7E had been on our mult tower tightening down a wind
milling mast following last week’s heavy winds in the Northwest.  Thankfully,
coax survived as did the antennas.  Had Joe not tightened things down, we would
not have had a mult station. 

Two minor irritants:  Many casual U.S. operators who do not need a zone contact
but call and call.  I do appreciate their desire to help "with a few points" but
at times they would not listen when we asked for the JA who was also calling. 
They still ignored our "JA" request. Pile ups have also become far more
aggressive than I recall as some continue to call incessantly and one cannot
tell who the DX is working.  Guess it's part of the contest, yet in the end
adversely impacts everyone....it's a fine line between being competitive and
overly aggressive at times.

My thanks to all we contacted, to the many who pull us through when signals
were at near ESP levels, and to a great team of contesters who make the station
problems and marginal band conditions all worthwhile.  Very 73 to all, and
congratulations to the winners.

Andrew
W7VJ


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