[3830] ARRLDX CW W6QU(W8QZA) SOAB QRP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: W6QU
Operator(s): W8QZA
Station: W8QZA

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: San Diego, CA
Operating Time (hrs): 41

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    0     0
   80:   25    14
   40:   92    35
   20:  192    58
   15:  190    57
   10:   33    14
-------------------
Total:  532   178  Total Score = 284,088

Club: San Diego Contest Club

Comments:

Radio: Elecraft K-2 (5 watts)

Antenna:

3el SteppIR up 10 meters (10-15-20)
Butternut HF-2V (40-80)
Low DX-LB trap dipole (160)
___________________________________

I have spent the last several years operating in the ARRL DX CW contest from
Keko's contest station in Costa Rica (TI5N). So this was a real step back into
reality!

At TI5N, it is almost all CQing and managing the pile-up.  At home I had one
"run" of ten stations during an opening to Japan on 15 meters.  The rest, of
course, was all S & P. 

And yet I had one of the most thrilling Qs of my life when the guys at CR2X
were able to read my 5 watt signal and give me my first European Q ever on 80
meters.  This after about 20 years of trying from here in San Diego.

During that same 20 years, I have managed a grand total of about 5 Qs in Europe
on 40 meters. But the magic continued and suddenly Europeans were coming back to
my calls on 40. Over a couple hours early Saturday evening it started with HG5A
and then continued with OM2VL, OT2A, IR1Y, OM5ZW, UU0JM (!), S59ABC, RX4HZ,
YL3FT, and IR4X. How my tiny 40 meter signal ever worked its way deep into
eastern Europe is beyond anything I can understand.

The rest of the contest was a lot of fun with the sun spots making their
comeback. I've had one or two ARRL DX contests from home in the last couple
years where I didn't have a single Q into Europe. But 34% of this year's Qs
were in Europe. That sure makes it more fun.

It was also fun to work ham friends like Kurt at VP9/W6PH (3 bands) John at
ZF2AM (5 bands!). 

I slept 3 hours the first night and 2 1/2 the second night. But with conditions
returning and more stuff to work it just didn't seem that bad. I just turned 70
and it's getting a bit tougher to recover from these "extended" weekends.

See you in two weeks in the ARRL SSB!

....Bill Parker  W8QZA / W6QU


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