[3830] CQWW CW K3PP SOAB(A) HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: K3PP
Operator(s): K3PP
Station: K3PP

Class: SOAB(A) HP
QTH: EPA
Operating Time (hrs): 30

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:   45    15       33
   80:  114    17       68
   40:  233    26      100
   20:  385    35      134
   15:  232    31      124
   10:  102    23       58
------------------------------
Total: 1111   147      517  Total Score = 2,077,656

Club: Frankford Radio Club

Comments:

This is one for the “Thank God, it’s not a phone contest” book!

Let me begin by stating the obvious, “I’m not a very good CW operator,
certainly compared to most of my FRC buddies!” That said, I absolutely LOVE
this contest and this year was no exception. I knew there was no chance for a
Top Ten finish against the superheroes (did you see the K1AR and K3WW scores?
… as the kids would say, OMG!!). I did think there was a decent chance to top
my all-time best CQWW CW score of 2.2 meg. I’m pretty sure I would have done
it, but some microbes in my bloodstream had other plans!

As the contest kicked off, I would feel that unmistakable scratch in the back
of my throat. I knew I was in for a battle over the weekend. I was ready for
the big RF battle, but not for the battle ensuing within me. My voice was
already going south. Had this been a phone contest, I’d need the voice keyer
almost exclusively, which would mean no running (not that such a thing is ever
easy in a phone contest!).

Because I have a heavy week coming up, I needed my sleep, so I took about 5
hours the first night. I would have done less, but I knew I had to get rest to
fight this cold that was coming on. I awoke Saturday morning feeling lousy, but
back to the basement I went and had a great day until about 20:00z. I was really
fading now. Even though the action was picking up, I was dozing off and getting
the chills. I actually zonked out in the chair for about a half hour! I went
back to the fray, but by 21:00 I realized I had to QRT and take a real nap. I
was fighting a losing battle.

I wrapped up on the sofa with the heat cranked up and the electric heating pad
on my chest (always the cure when I get like this). I didn’t go to bed
because I would have slept straight through the night for sure! I figured I’d
nap for about an hour and return to the contest. I was out for almost four!
After a quick shower, I was back in the chair and feeling better. The rest of
the contest went well. I took a good night’s sleep and made it through Sunday
with no problems! By this point (and still today), I sounded like a hybrid of
Barry White and Thurl Ravenscroft (trivia bonus: Ravenscroft was the original
voice of Tony the Tiger and the singer of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”
â€" Boris Karloff narrated the Grinch cartoon, but Thurl sang the song)!

I did get a few mediocre runs in toward the end of the contest. Now, when I say
“run,” it was more like a stumble through a boulder field than a run, but I
did it! It was awesome to get called by 5Z4EE, 5X1XA, and a VERY weak FK8HZ/QRP
during a 20m run! It took me a while to pull out the FK, but it was worth it!
All in all, I’m thrilled. I am humbled by the insane performances of K3WW,
K1AR, AA3B at V26K, K3PH, K3CT and K3VA and KP2M, and so many other superstars.
Someday when I grow up, I will be a good CW operator and try to chase these
stalwarts. For now, I’m just happy to be in the game! 

My QSO total is respectable, not great, but I continue to be very pleased with
the station’s abilities (664 total mults may be my best ever in ANY
contest!). I busted pileups with ease on the high bands. In a big shift from
the SSB contest, the low bands were good! I bagged 100 countries on 40m with
only a dipole! On 80m, I have a Force-12 linear loaded vertical (the now
discontinued EF-180BV). I’ve had mixed results with this antenna in the past,
but this weekend, it played like a charm! On 160m, my Inv-L is not great, but it
did the job. I have some plans to improve on the low bands. More to come on that
topic later!

10m showed glimmers of hope, but never really materialized for sustained
activity to anywhere other than SA and even there, it faded faster than
expected. El Sol is toying with us!!

My log is uploaded to LoTW and soon to eQSL. Thanks to everyone for the QSOs!
It was truly a blast, despite the best efforts of a certain rogue rhinovirus!
Now, I need to get cleared up before boarding a plane tomorrow to (hopefully)
deliver a speech on Wednesday! THAT could prove interesting!!

VY 73 de Glenn K3PP


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