[3830] WPX CW VE6TL SOAB HP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: VE6TL
Operator(s): VE6TL
Station: VE6TL

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Calgary
Operating Time (hrs): 28

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    5
   80:   65
   40:  217
   20:  507
   15:   49
   10:   22
------------
Total:  865  Prefixes = 313  Total Score = 726,473

Club: ALBERTA CLIPPERS

Comments:

Spaceweather.com called it an "auroral surprise".  I call it a double whammy. 
Not only did we have A=25 and K=4, but we also had snow all weekend in Calgary
- which resulted in summer-like static crashes on 80m and 160m at night to make
things even worse.  I didn't do the WPX CW last year but 2 years ago I made a
better score running low power (about the same number of Qs but a lot more
prefixes).  There was an actual opening to Europe this morning which lasted
about 175 seconds.  I managed to work an EA8, IR2, OH6 and a G5.  Add to this
one JA and a few South American stations and that was it for the DX!  From
looking at the solar flux profile, it appears that Cycle 24 is coming to a
close.  

The good news is that my new FTDX-5000MP worked beautifully with all the noise.
 It couldn't create propagation, but it was able to handle a lot of the noise in
ways that my previous FT-1000MP could not do.  Learning to use it in tough condx
should help me do better when things get good (if they ever do).  

I want to thank those who spotted me (I counted 19) and apologize to at least
the hundred or more stations that disappeared in mid QSO.  The QSB was so deep
and fast that it was hard to make a Q at times.  I have no doubt that the
overall error rate for the entire contest will set a record.  

See you in the next one.

Jerry
VE6TL

Rig:  FTDX-5000MP 
Amp:  FL-7000 (about 400W)
Ant:  TH6DXX (20-15-10) on 40' tower
      Shunt feed for 80/160
      BigIR Vertical 40m


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